In Memory of F. Jay Deacon (June 14, 1946 – July 23, 2020)
F. JAY DEACON (1946-2020)
We offer our condolences to the family and colleagues of the Rev. Dr. F. Jay “Jay” Deacon, who died on July 23, 2020, at the age of 74.
Jay was born on June 14, 1946 in Lakewood, NJ to Frank J. Deacon and Grace G. Deacon. In 1968, he received his Bachelor of Arts with a major in Bible from the Central Bible College, Springfield, MO, following which he earned his Master of Divinity in Pastoral Ministry and New Treatment from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Hamilton, MA in 1973. From September 1973 to July 1978, he served as a pastor at the Metropolitan Community Church of Hartford, CT and from 1978 to 1983, as a senior pastor at the Good Shepherd Parish Metropolitan Community Church, Chicago, IL. Soon after, in 1983, Jay graduated with his Doctor of Ministry from McCormick Theological Seminary, Chicago, IL.
Rev. Dr. Deacon was ordained on May 4, 1986 by the Unitarian Church at Bangor, ME (now the UU Society of Bangor, ME) where he carried out his first ministry (1985-1986). From 1986 to 1989, he served as an Associate Director at the UUA Department of Social Justice, Boston and developed the Welcoming Congregation Program. In 1993, he accepted a call from the Unity Temple UU Congregation, Oak Park, IL and ministered for nine years. Later in 2002, he was called to the Unitarian Society of Northampton and Florence, MA where he would minister until 2006. After that, Rev. Dr. Deacon was interested in interim assignments and served as an interim minister at the Unity Church of North Easton, MA (2007-2008); and the First Unitarian Church of Orlando, FL (2008-2009). Next, he served his parish ministry at the UU Church of Manchester, NH (2010-2012); and at the Channing Memorial Church, Newport, RI (2012-2016). On December 8, 2019 Rev. Dr. Deacon retired from his active ministry.
Rev. Dr. Deacon’s denominational affiliation included serving as a member of Unitarian Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches (UFMCC), and the Second Unitarian Church, Chicago, IL. He was very involved with UU Retired Ministers and Partners Association and UURMaPA’s UU Rainbow History Project. Furthermore, he led the consolidation of two former Oak Park UU Congregations to create the Unity Temple UU Congregation, Oak Park, IL. He was editor of the The Gay Christian, a quarterly theological journal of the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches (1975). During his sabbatical leave, Rev. Dr. Deacon served the British Unitarian Congregations in Aberdeen, Scotland, and London (2001).
In addition to his parish and interim ministries, Rev. Dr. Deacon diligently worked with several community organizations. He served as a member of the Communications Committee, Church Federation of Greater Chicago; the Commission on Government, Structures and Systems, UFMCC; and the Administrative Committee of Social Services Department, Capitol Region Conference of Churches, Hartford, CT. He was Community Representative for Institutional Review Board, Howard Brown Memorial College, Chicago; and editor of the Qoheleth, seminary newspaper of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (1972-1973). He functioned as a Field Education Supervisor for Yale Divinity School (1975-1977) and as a Director of Gay and Alternate Lifestyle Counseling Service and Switchboard, Hartford, CT (1976-1978). Likewise, he was Consultant for the Religious Education Department at Mundelein College in Chicago, IL, and Field Education Supervisor for the McCormick Theological Seminary, IL (1978-1981). He produced an hour-long weekly broadcast, called Spirit on Valley Free Radio, WXOJ-LP in Northampton, MA for two years and also served on the station’s board.
Rev. Dr. Deacon was a strong advocate of justice and equality, environment, and truth. He worked for protecting fundamental rights of gay and lesbian people; and his sermons were often rooted in social justice issues. He was the recipient of the “Proclamation of Rev. F. Jay Deacon Day in the city of Hartford” award by Mayor George A. Athanson, July 16, 1978. He was a voracious reader and a passionate writer. Some of his published writings include: “When ‘Civil Rights’ Equals ‘Lifestyle’,” op-ed piece in The Hartford Courant (1977); Sex and Sin: an exploration of spirituality and sexuality in Christian Tradition and in the thought of Otto Rank, with a contemporary affirmation,” The Gay Christian, Fourth Quarter, (1982); and Magnificent Journey: Religion as Lock on the Past, or Engine of Evolution, Groundwave Publishing (2011, 2014).
Jay is survived by his long time and much-loved friend Steve L’Heureux; his brother Tim Deacon; his sister Pat Sherwin, her three sons (Brian, Chris, and Davis) and their families; and his beloved dog Thunder.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the charity of one’s own choosing or to Friends of the UUA; or the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation; or the Alzheimer’s Research Foundation.
On August 11, 2020 Jay’s body was laid to rest in a green burial.
A virtual Gathering of Remembrance was held at 10 am on Saturday, August 15, by the Unity Temple Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 875 Lake St., Oak Park, IL 60301.
Notes of condolences may be sent to Steve L’Heureux at 287 Hillside Ave, Holyoke, MA 01040.