Rev. Scott Sammler-Michael was borrn in Jacksonville, Florida, and grew up in Baltimore, MD. There, in 1983, Scott co-founded the Maryland chapter of the Nuclear Freeze Campaign. In 1994 Rev Scott helped organize the Southwest Baltimore “Tree-Mendous Maryland” initiative, bringing fresh, live plants and playgrounds to vacant city lots. He also worked as a labor organizer for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 24.
Scott holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from UMBC and a Masters in Liberal Arts from St. John’s College, Annapolis; he is also a licensed electrician and building inspector. Reverend Scott prepared for the ministry at Meadville Lombard Theological School. At Meadville, Rev. Scott received the Jenkin Lloyd Jones Scholarship, the Atherton Scholarship, and the Von Ogden Vogt Scholarship for liturgical studies. It was also at Meadville that he met his partner in life and ministry, Rev Anya.
In 2007 Scott founded TUUL-Belt Ministries, a practical ministry training people with construction experience to respond to natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina. In 2011 Scott recipient of the Outstanding Contribution by a Minister Award from the Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice. Scott served as a leader of Virginians Organized for Interfaith Community Engagement. V.O.I.C.E. is a congregation based community organization promoting immigration reform and economic justice for Northern Virginia’s middle and low income families.
Rev Scott and his wife Rev Anya Sammler-Michael have served as Senior Co-Ministers of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Montclair since August 1, 2017. Besides participating in various Justice and Arts initiatives in and around Montclair, Reverend Scott thrives outside the congregation as a musician and music producer, currently working on the second release of his Celtic Rock Fusion band, Dragons Head.
Sermons

Summoning Better Angels: An Inauguration Elegy
January 24, 2021An exploration of the American Creed, those values our nation holds high and hopes to live into even though we have, and will again, fall short of their grandeur.

Rededicating the Temple of Liberty
January 14, 2021How will we understand this time? How can our imagination compel a new beginning?

Touching Possibility
November 1, 2020How do we, in these strange times remain in contact with possibility? This is a pre-election service.

The Religious Left
October 18, 2020This is an auction sermon crafted with Rev Scott and auction winners David Lewis and Carolyn Burr.

For All the Saints
August 9, 2020Seeing and Celebrating the Saintly in Us All

The Color of Law
July 5, 2020Our Independence Day Weekend service examines systemic racism. Many appeal to "The Rule of Law" in efforts to discourage people from protesting for their rights. But the Law has a bias, just like the human heart.