Rev. Phoenix Bell-Shelton Biggs (they/them)
Minister, Unitarian Universalists of the Cumberland Valley

Rev. Phoenix Bell-Shelton Biggs is a Unitarian Universalist minister, writer, spiritual leader, and public theologian called to build communities of radical love, courageous care, and collective liberation. Their ministry is rooted in the belief that every person is inherently sacred and worthy, and that faith communities can be places of profound transformation for individuals and the world.

Rev. Phoenix was born and raised in East Tennessee, where the mountains, music, and stories of their childhood shaped a deep sense of spiritual resilience and the importance of beloved community. As a queer, nonbinary, and mixed-race person of faith, their journey has included healing from religious harm, reclaiming spiritual practices, and forging a theology that is liberative, embodied, and ever-evolving. Their spiritual grounding is a tapestry woven from Unitarian Universalist values, progressive Christianity, ancestral wisdom, and a commitment to justice for all people.

They earned a Master of Divinity from Meadville Lombard Theological School in Chicago and hold a Bachelor’s degree in Religious Studies and an Associate’s degree in Media Production. Their academic and ministerial formation has been deeply influenced by liberation theology, womanist thought, queer spiritualities, and Unitarian Universalism’s ongoing work toward becoming an anti-racist, anti-oppressive, multicultural faith movement.

Rev. Phoenix brings a wide range of ministerial experience to UUCV. They served as a chaplain in Atlanta, GA, accompanying people through life’s most vulnerable and sacred moments. Prior to that, they completed a two-year internship in congregational ministry at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Fredericksburg, VA. Nationally, they are active in the leadership of the Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association’s Widening the Circle Committee, serve on the board of TRUUsT (Transgender Religious Professional UUs Together), and work closely with the UU Mental Health Network to uplift emotional and spiritual wellness within and beyond our congregations.

As a minister, Rev. Phoenix is passionate about prophetic worship, trauma-informed spiritual care, and congregational transformation. They view ministry as a shared practice of deep listening, bold imagining, and co-creating spaces where people can be fully themselves—where joy is nurtured, grief is held, and faith is lived out through action. Their leadership style is collaborative, grounded, and guided by the sacred practice of showing up with presence, compassion, and integrity.

In their personal life, Rev. Phoenix loves poetry, vegan food, meaningful tattoos, slow mornings with coffee, long walks in nature, and creative self-expression. They are also the authors of Open the Book of Life: Poems for Healing and Transformation, a collection of poetry exploring the sacredness of our lives, stories, and bodies.

Rev. Phoenix is honored to serve as the contract to call minister of the Unitarian Universalists of the Cumberland Valley. With excitement, humility, and fierce love, they look forward to nurturing spiritual depth, community connection, and a bold vision for justice in this next chapter of UUCV’s life.