Rev. Shawn Garan, Senior minister
Shawn leads Sunday services and ministers to the needs of the church body.
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Rev. Shawn Garan serves as Senior Pastor of the United Church of Christ, Southbury. His ministry brings together Christian spirituality, Scripture, psychology, and contemplative practice. Deeply influenced by his encounter with the writings discovered at Nag Hammadi as a young adult, Shawn has a particular interest in early Christianity and the diverse voices that shaped the emerging Church.
Returning to these ancient texts more than twenty years later, he believes they offer largely unexplored territory for the modern Church and invite us to rediscover Scripture not simply as a record of what happened long ago, but as a deeply spiritual and psychological text that speaks to our inner lives, our transformation, and the mystery of what it means to become fully human. Shawn is a graduate of the University of Connecticut and Alliance Theological Seminary, a U.S. Coast Guard veteran, and Chaplain to the Southbury Fire Department. He completed his psychoanalytic training at the Blanton-Peale Institute in New York City and is now a certified psychoanalyst working toward clinical licensure. His work is particularly influenced by psychoanalytic and Jungian depth psychology and their intersection with Christian spirituality. |
Beyond the local church, Shawn serves as Secretary of the Blanton-Peale Society and on its Steering Committee, Treasurer of the United Church of Christ Mental Health Network Board, a board member of the Connecticut Community Fund Foundation, and a member of the Litchfield South Association Executive Committee. He is also an author whose work explores spiritual formation, psychology, and the symbolic life. His books include The Living Symbol, The Way of Lent, and The Way of Resurrection.
At the heart of Shawn's ministry is a deep belief in the power of community and connection. His vision for UCC Southbury is that it become a spiritual retreat center in the middle of town, a church that belongs to the whole week, not just Sunday morning. A place where people can come to worship and pray, but also to have coffee, study, meditate, talk, laugh, bring their kids to school, serve, rest, and share life together. A place to find God, a good spirit, and good people.
Shawn and his wife, Ashley, have been together for more than twenty years and are raising their three children: 15-year-old twins Max and Molly, and five-year-old Abram, who attends the preschool at UCC Southbury. Their life together, including their family's journey with disability and special education, has deeply shaped Shawn's understanding of marriage, family, faith, and community. In 2025, Shawn and Ashley were honored with the Special Education Legal Fund's George H.W. Bush Award for disability advocacy. Through all they have experienced together, Shawn considers his marriage and family among his greatest teachers about what it means to love, endure, grow, and show up for one another.
At the heart of Shawn's ministry is a deep belief in the power of community and connection. His vision for UCC Southbury is that it become a spiritual retreat center in the middle of town, a church that belongs to the whole week, not just Sunday morning. A place where people can come to worship and pray, but also to have coffee, study, meditate, talk, laugh, bring their kids to school, serve, rest, and share life together. A place to find God, a good spirit, and good people.
Shawn and his wife, Ashley, have been together for more than twenty years and are raising their three children: 15-year-old twins Max and Molly, and five-year-old Abram, who attends the preschool at UCC Southbury. Their life together, including their family's journey with disability and special education, has deeply shaped Shawn's understanding of marriage, family, faith, and community. In 2025, Shawn and Ashley were honored with the Special Education Legal Fund's George H.W. Bush Award for disability advocacy. Through all they have experienced together, Shawn considers his marriage and family among his greatest teachers about what it means to love, endure, grow, and show up for one another.
Pastor Theo Camara, director of youth & family ministries
Theo runs The Hive, youth programs, and ministers to youth, children, and families.
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Theo has a heart and mind for ministry with younger generations. He holds his undergraduate degree in youth ministry and has worked with youth/children in various church and non-profit settings for nearly a decade. On Sunday mornings and elsewhere, you can usually find Theo in and among the youth, living life beside them as they navigate the world.
Beyond ministry, Theo also enjoys academics. He is almost finished with his Master of Divinity degree from Northeastern Seminary, with a specialization in advanced biblical studies. Theo regularly presents at conferences on the topics of pop culture, climate change, and the “exvangelical” movement. He hopes to pursue a PhD in religion. More importantly, Theo loves his family. He married his college sweetheart, Victoria, in 2019. They had their daughter, Ahava, in 2021. Outside of church and school, Theo enjoys the Red Sox, spending time in the water, or playing board games with family and friends. You will typically see Theo with a coffee in his hand and a hat upon his head. He is excited to be here at UCC Southbury! |
Donald Wismann, Music Director
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Donald joined the UCC Southbury team in 2023 as the Director of Music. With a strong background in organ and voice, he studied at Kean University in Union, NJ.
Passionate about enhancing worship through music, Don brings over 30 years of experience in music ministry. His expertise not only enriches the overall worship experience but also fosters a deep connection between the congregation and sacred music. In addition to his role at UCC Southbury, he hosts "Saturday Morning Classics" on WMNR Fine Arts Radio, sharing his love for classical music with a wider audience. Donald resides in Southbury, CT, with his wife and two sons. |
Victoria Camara, Assistant Director of Youth & Family ministries
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Victoria bio here.
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Kate Wasserman Dickens, Director of The Preschool Center
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Kate joins The Preschool Center as Director after three years on the school's board, where she served as chair prior to becoming the Director. Her time on the board has given her an intimate understanding of the school's community, families, and mission, making this next step a natural one. Kate holds a master's degree in education with a concentration in higher education administration. Her career has been defined by large-scale project management and development across the public, nonprofit, and higher education sectors.
Kate's path took her from the United States Senate to nonprofit philanthropy—where she worked with Hartford Hospital and the University of Connecticut—to higher education. During her time in administration at Mount Holyoke College, she served as Associate Director of New Student Orientation and Special Assistant to the Vice President of Student Affairs, and worked on high-profile initiatives including the Women in Public Service Project, a program of the Global Women's Leadership Initiative at the Wilson Center launched by Hillary Clinton. Most recently, Kate served as Chief of Staff at Taylor Spellman New York. As Chief of Staff, she developed, directed, and managed everything from big-picture strategy to day-to-day operations—project management and logistics, finances, client relationships, company infrastructure and systems, and staff development. |
Outside of work, Kate can be found in the yoga studio; she is a certified yoga teacher with advanced training in restorative yoga and meditation. She is also a proud and dedicated member of UCC Southbury and deeply values the second family she has created at the church with her husband and children.
Bonnie Havery, Bell Choir Director
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Carla Preiman, Office Manager
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Kevin Yost, Sexton
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