In Memory of charles kast (January 15, 1941 – July 18, 2022)

Rev. charles “charlie” g. kast died on July 18, 2022, at the age of 81.

charlie was born on January 15, 1941, in Milton, MA to Frederick C. Kast and Alice (Williams) Kast. Raised in a family-centered and Baptist church-related childhood environment, charlie was active in the youth group through junior high school, high school, and young adult groups. He played chess and participated in track and Boy Scouts. In 1963, he received his Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Northeastern University, MA following which he held various positions with American Cyanamid (1963-1976). From 1966 to 1968, he served in the US Army and left as a Corporal. In 1973, he obtained a Master of Science in Industrial Management from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, NY.

During the above years, charlie (he did not capitalize his name) was working through his sexual identity and career identity. Also, during that time he felt himself becoming resentful toward mainline Christianity and became an antiwar and Civil Rights activist. In 1975, he moved to Kalamazoo, MI; that same year, he attended a service on Easter Sunday at People’s Church in Kalamazoo. For the first time, he felt that he was welcomed into the community as a whole person and liked the fact that the Unitarian Universalist church was non-creedal and was accepting of everybody. He realized that as a UU, he would not have to conform to a certain belief and recognized his need to be a part of this religious community. He found a home with the theology and social activism of Unitarian Universalism. For the next two years, he was actively involved with many phases of the church and decided to live in a relationship with the church. In the process of searching and creating individual and community meaning, he wanted to go into ministry. He felt that he might be able to minister in the UU Fellowship. The blend of his homosexuality, his concern for social issues, his sense of community and belonging in Unitarian Fellowship, and his goal of becoming a minister to a congregation strongly attracted him to Starr King School of Ministry. In 1981, he graduated with his Master of Divinity.

Rev. kast was ordained to the parish ministry by the Unitarian Universalist Church of Lexington, KY on November 15, 1981. He began his ministerial career at the Lexington church and served until 1985. In 1985, during the height of the AIDS crisis, he accepted a call from the Second Unitarian Church of Chicago, IL. The church served a lot of community members who were not members. If they needed to be ministered to, Rev. kast would provide that. From 1994 to 2006, he served the Community Church of Chapel Hill, NC. He ministered to the spiritual and personal growth of the congregants and focused his energies on bringing the congregation’s children into the community in a truly meaningful way. He was instrumental in integrating the church into the greater Unitarian Universalist Association and in making the church a truly valuable resource for the community at large. Upon his retirement in 2006, the Community Church of Chapel Hill announced the conferment of the title of minister emeritus to him. He was the second minister emeritus since the founding of the church in 1953.

In addition to his ministry, Rev. kast served on the Ministerial Fellowship Committee, chaired the UUA Task Force on Community Ministry (1991), and was a member of the Board of Bayside UU camp (Lake Geneva, WI). He was President of the Chicago Area UU Council and served on the UUA Affirmative Action Task Force, and Starr King’s intercontinental presidential search committee (two terms).

Encouraging and dealing with diversity was a strong focus of Rev. kast’s ministry. Diversity to him meant being inclusive. He made the church a safe place and helped the church community to get their lives together. His sermons were provocative and inspiring. Likewise, he was caring, inspiring, and encouraged members to minister to each other. He also had quite an impact on a lot of people, including other ministers, and was always approachable and highly trusted as a fellow minister and as a friend.

In the community, charlie was highly visible as a leader. He was President of Chicago Area Liberal Ministers, a member of the Chicago Parliament of World Religions, and a volunteer at the AIDS pastoral care network. He was a foster parent to 125 at risk-children over a 25-year period and was proud of the fact that he did know everyone’s name. In his spare time, he enjoyed theatre, writing, jogging, and baseball in his spare time.

charlie is survived by his sisters and his loving friends and colleagues.

A celebration of charlie’s life was held on Saturday, August 20, at 11:00 am at the Community Church of Chapel Hill, Unitarian Universalist, 106 Purefoy Rd, Chapel Hill, NC 27514.

Memorial gifts may be made to the National LGBTQ Task Force, P.O. Box 96415, Washington, DC 20077-9763.

Notes of condolences can be sent to the Community Church of Chapel Hill, Unitarian Universalist (address above).