Rev. David H. Messner, Ph.D.
Profile: I am an engaged leader and strategist with a calling to cultivate and inspire durable communities, build up institutions, and foster the practical discernment of strategic directions forward. I look to work with committed and motivated teams with real potential to impact the health and spirit of our larger society.
Ministry Experience
Main Line Unitarian Church Devon, Pennsylvania
2021-present Interim Senior Minister
Unitarian Church in Charleston Charleston, South Carolina
2019-2021 Interim Minister
Unitarian Universalist Church of Savannah Savannah, Georgia
2012-2019 Minister
First Unitarian Church of Rochester Rochester, New York
2011-2012 Consulting Assistant Minister of Membership Development (.5 time)
2009-2010 Ministerial Intern (full time)
Additional professional ministry experience includes chaplaincy service at Memorial University Medical Center in Savannah, GA as a Clinical On-Call Chaplain (part-time, 2016-2017), and at the University of Rochester Medical Center in Rochester, NY as a Chaplain Resident (2011-2012) and Clinical Pastoral Education Intern (summer, 2010). As a student, I served as a Weekend Minister (part-time, Spring 2011) at the Green Bay Area Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Green Bay, WI.
Ministerial Capabilities
Preaching and Worship: Speaking in sacred space to move the gathered people. Designing and leading creative religious services. Preaching and opening messages, spiritual reflections, meditations, and prayers. Leading rites of passage: weddings, memorials, and baby blessings.
Congregational Leadership: Establishing organizational mission, vision, and objectives. Articulating vision through word and action in each of the ministry areas. Cultivating leaders and teams of staff and volunteers to expand congregational capacity and impact.
Church Development: Growing churches by strengthening systems for bringing new members to the congregations and facilitating ongoing individual cycles of discovery, engagement, and commitment. Comprehensive development strategy and execution. Integrating systems into the strategic direction of the church to drive continued growth.
Public Church and Social Justice: Creating interfaith and secular, institutional and individual relationships and communicating religious values on moral issues affecting the community.
Pastoral Care: Providing direct pastoral care and spiritual support to individuals and groups in times of crisis, in response to chronic need, and in general spiritual development support. Hospital clinical assignments have included Oncology, Bone Marrow Transplant, Palliative Care, and acute psychiatric units, as well as emergency response in a level one trauma center.
Religious Education and Adult Spiritual Development: Developing and leading educational enrichment and small group ministry programs for youth, adults, and seniors.
Core strengths include meaningful input capture, strategic thought, futuristic vision, and persuasive communications: Strengths Assessment Fall 2020
Business Experience
Bausch & Lomb, Inc. Rochester, New York
2007-2009 Vice President, Business Development
Pfizer Inc. New York, New York
2003 – 2007 Senior Director/Team Leader, Business Development
2002 – 2003 Director/Team Leader, Business Development
Eisai Inc. Teaneck, NJ and Tokyo, Japan
2001 – 2002 Director of Corporate Strategy and Business Development
2000 – 2001 International Liaison, Corporate Licensing, and International Business Development
1996 – 2000 Associate Director/Senior Manager/Manager, Commercial Development
Easton Consultants Stamford, CT
1995-1996 Associate, Strategy Consulting
Booz•Allen & Hamilton Inc. Bethesda, MD
Summer 1994 Senior Consultant, Program Development & Management Practice
Department of the Treasury Washington, D.C.
1990-1993 Budget Analyst, Internal Revenue Service
Business Capabilities
Strategic Planning and Management: Developing strategies and long range plans to drive business growth and performance improvement, including market/business entry and exit, especially across borders. Setting objectives and corporate strategies based in market assessment and business analysis. Designing and leading ongoing strategic, business, and organizational planning processes in collaborative ways to perpetuate innovation and market success.
Business Development (Partnering, Licensing, and Acquisitions): Targeting technologies, products, assets and companies at research, development, and commercial stages for investment. Building international and inter-organizational relationships, overseeing business and technology opportunity evaluation, structuring and negotiating deals, facilitating decision-making, and running transaction execution. Resolving conflicts and disputes with partnerships.
Organizational Development and Leadership Coaching: Designing and cultivating high-performing organizations. Facilitating organizational capacity for collaboration, learning, and productivity. Coaching executives and team members for inspiring leadership of self and others.
Financial Valuation, Investing, Forecasting, and Management: Assessing the value of assets and businesses with attention to unrealized new opportunities. Increasing performance through process re-engineering, activity-based costing, and product-based management; constructing and implementing funding models and financial plans.
Research and Analysis: Analyzing qualitative and quantitative market data to derive actionable insights on customer needs and competitor activities. Assessing markets and firms to understand their structure and conduct and to identify new competitive opportunities.
Education
Emory University Atlanta, GA
Ph.D., Ethics & Society, Graduate Division of Religion, 2021
Concentration in Religious Practices and Practical Theology
Dissertation: “The Good Worker and the Moral Metabolism of the American Corporation.” A study in moral agency and the cultivation of responsible economic community.
Teaching Competencies (by comprehensive exams): Philosophical and Theological Ethics, Virtue Ethics, Moral Learning and Formation, Christian Theology and Ethics, Economic Ethics, Just War Theory, Social Justice, and Sociology/Anthropology of Religion.
University of Chicago Chicago, IL
M.Div., Concentration in Ethics and Theology, 2011
Yale University New Haven, CT
M.B.A., Concentrations in Strategy, Marketing & Organizational Behavior, 1995
Reed College Portland, OR
B.A., Psychology, 1990
Teaching Experience
Teaching Experience
Villanova University Villanova, PA, 2022-present, Adjunct Faculty in Philosophy “The Good Life: Ethics and Contemporary Moral Problems” (Undergraduate, 3 sections)
Meadville Lombard Theological School Chicago, IL, 2022-present, Adjunct Professor of Ministerial Formation, Ministerial Internship Supervisor
Jefferson University Philadelphia, PA, 2021-present Adjunct Faculty in Philosophy and in Diversity & Inclusion, “Evil and Good” (College of Humanities and Sciences, Undergraduate), “American Social Justice” (College of Humanities and Sciences, Undergraduate)
Emory University Atlanta, GA, 2014-2019
Teaching Associate, “Morality in American Life” with Dr. Steven Tipton (Candler School of Theology, M.Div. program), “Negotiations & Dispute Resolution” with Dr. Rodney Lacey (Goizueta Business School, Undergraduate)
Teaching Assistant, “Preaching the Bible” with Dr. Teresa Fry Brown (Candler School of Theology, D.Min. program), “Zen for Christians” with Dr. Kim Boykin (Candler School of Theology, online, M.Div. program), “Christian Ethics” with Dr. Ellen Ott Marshall (Candler School of Theology, M.Div. program), “Negotiations & Dispute Resolution” with Dr. Rodney Lacey (Goizueta Business School, Graduate), “Religion & Bioethics” with Dr. Corey Labrecque (Emory Center for Ethics, Graduate)
Yale University, 1993-1995, Teaching Assistant: “Antitrust Law” with Professor Ira M. Millstein (Management, Graduate), Tutor: “Political Analysis” with Dr. Douglas Rae (Management, Graduate)
Research Experience
Research Associate in Marketing with Dr. Martin Koschat (consumer behavior), Yale University
Consultant for the Outreach Management Consulting Group in the coordination of HIV-related healthcare services in the community, Yale University
Management Assistant, organizational operations and performance evaluation and improvement, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Research Assistant in natural gas market development, Energy Information Administration
Research Assistant in criminal justice policy evaluation under a U.S. Department of Justice grant
Research Assistant in the Infant and Child Development Lab, Reed College
Additional Skills and Training
Teaching Excellence and Scholarly Integrity; Online Teaching Training (Emory Center for Faculty Development and Excellence, 2018)
Research, experimental methods, and quantitative analysis; Human Subjects Protection (Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative, 2018)
Leadership, team facilitation, and employee supervision; Executive communications and presentations; Project management, financial management, and quality improvement; Competitive market analysis and strategy; Business development and negotiations
Institutional Values/Nurturing Multiculturalism; Restorative Justice and Circle Processes; Racial/Ethnic Identity Development for Youth; Youth Ministry, Professional Ministerial Conduct & Boundaries; Sexual Ethics; Transitional Ministry
Pastoral Care: Bioethics, Psychiatric Treatment, and Referral Triggers, Palliative Care and Being Present with the Sick and Dying, D.N.R./Persistent Vegetative State/Brain Death/Advance Directives, Grief and Loss, Defusing Violence. Perinatal Loss and Bereavement, Care with Children and Adolescents, Care for Youth Struggling with Addiction, Care for LGBTQ Youth, Teaching Body Safety for Children and Youth, and Care following community trauma
Church and Religious Leadership: Anti-racism/anti-oppression Strategies, Philosophy of Religious Education, Youth Ministry, and Celebratory Preaching
C.P.R. and AED Certification for adults, children, and infants (2019)
Affiliations
Denominational Standing and Memberships: Full Ministerial Fellowship with the Unitarian Universalist Association (2015); Ordained (2012); Preliminary Fellowship with the Unitarian Universalist Association (2011): Member of the Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association, The Interim Ministers Network, and the Unitarian Universalist Christian Fellowship
Academic Society Memberships: Society for Christian Ethics, Society for Business Ethics, and the American Academy of Religion
Business Memberships: Chartered Financial Analyst Institute
Religious, Political, and Social Memberships: King’s Chapel Boston and the NAACP
Language/Methods Competencies
French (translation by exam, Emory University, Atlanta, GA)
Biblical Hebrew (translation by coursework, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL)
Japanese (basic written and spoken by coursework, Sendagaya Japanese Institute, Tokyo, Japan)
Quantitative Methods (by exam, Emory University, Atlanta, GA)
Academic Fellowships and Awards
Joseph B. Gittler religion and ethics grant award for “distinguished scholarly and meritorious contribution to the field of the relation of ethics and religion,” Unitarian Universalist Association (2022)
Omicron Delta Kappa (OΔK) National Leadership Honor Society (2017-present)
Emory University Graduate Fellow (2014-2019)
Field Research Grant, Initiative in Religious Practices and Practical Theology (Funded by the Lilly Endowment), Emory University for “Prophetic Voice and Cultural-Religious Difference in the Workplace: An Ethnographic Pilot Study of Expatriate Employees in Japanese Corporations and their Experience in Religious Ritual and Moral Discourse” (2018)
State of Formation Fellow, Boston University School of Theology/Hebrew College (2017-2018)
Fahs Research Fellow in Faith Formation, Meadville Lombard Theological School (2016-2017)
Piedmont TATTO Fellow in Sustainability, Teaching, and Curriculum, Emory University (2015)
Selected and Funded Member, Brauer Seminar on Humanism, University of Chicago (2011)
Theologian-in-Residence, Border Crossings Project funded by the Lilly Endowment (2009-2010)
University of Chicago Divinity School Scholarship (2008-2011)
Professional Honors and Awards
WRUU Radio Savannah Leadership Award (2019)
University of Rochester Medical Center Board of Trustee’s Team Excellence Award (2011)
Bausch & Lomb Impact Award (2008)
Bausch & Lomb Leadership Program in Oxford, U.K. (2007)
Pfizer “STARS” Performance Awards (various years)
Pfizer Leadership Program at Harvard Business School (2003)
I.R.S. Outstanding Performance Awards (1991 and 1992)
Energy Information Administration Commendation (1987)
Selected Writings and Publications
Theses:
Master’s Thesis on the Theology and Ethics of Wealth, University of Chicago, 2011.
Bachelor’s Thesis on the psychology of individual decision-making under economic uncertainty, Reed College, 1990.
Book and Conference Reviews:
“Business Ethics: Cultivating the Good in Organizational Culture” by Richard Kyte, in the Journal of the Society of Christian Ethics, Spring/Sumer 2019
“War, Peace, and Reconciliation: A Theological Inquiry” by Theodore R. Weber, in the Journal of the Society of Christian Ethics, Winter 2018
“The Prophet and the Bodhisattva: Daniel Berrigan, Thich Nhat Hanh, and the Ethics of Peace and Justice” by Charles R. Strain, in the Journal of the Society of Christian Ethics, Volume 37, Number 1, Spring/Summer 2017.
“Big Ideas, Vibrant Faith Communities, and the Future of Religious Practices, A Practical Matters Conference Review,” Emory University, March 22-24, 2018, Practical Matters Journal, September 30, 2019.
Editorial Pages:
On environmental ethics: “Look for the Door Between Every Two Pine Trees.” Savannah Morning News. August 7, 2016.
On religious violence: “Come Together Against False Division.” Savannah Morning News. March 25, 2019.
Essays:
On new forms of public outreach: “Creating an On-air Ministry.” U.U. World, Winter 2018.
On giving to the community: “Passing the National Plate.” State of Formation. April 18, 2018. http://www.stateofformation.org/2018/04/passing-the-national-plate/.
On symbols of Southern identity: “Monumental Attachments.” State of Formation. December 14, 2017. http://www.stateofformation.org/2017/12/monumental-attachments/.