April 6, 2005
Yarlott brings unity to church
Rev. Crystal Yarlott serves as minister at TC Unity Church
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
Knowing there's a next level on the horizon, now sure what it will be, members of the Unity Church of Traverse City welcomed their new minister in January to help usher in the new era.
Rev. Crystal Yarlott, a Michigan native who was ordained as a Unity Minister in 1989, is eager to help shepherd the church as it grows with the area. With an increasing number of young people in the church, which includes between 80-100 families, serving their needs is an important emphasis.
"I think that once we get our new youth education classrooms built, we'll have more energy for the kids," Yarlott said.
Yarlott assumes the pulpit after the retirement of Judy Grimes, who served as minister for five years. Grimes stepped down at the end of last year, having come to Traverse City as a last stop before retirement to help heal a congregation unsettled by numerous leadership turnovers. This shorter-term arrangement suited all parties.
Allan Reed, board president of the Unity Church, noted that the transition to Yarlott has been a "seamless" one for everyone involved. Despite a lengthy, and at times disheartening, process to find Grimes' replacement, when Yarlott came into the picture it seemed like a perfect match.
"To me, Crystal is very inspiring spiritually," Reed said. "My feeling is that we always knew that the person was already chosen for us, the board all knew that, and it was our job to find that person."
"The right person, if we did not force it, was going to take us to the next level," Reed noted. "I think we're in the midst of growth. We've done a lot of things with the church physically and I think now that there is a plan for this whole thing."
Reed also speaks of Yarlott's genuineness and devotion to seeking the truth as well as her sense of humor, bright smile and commitment to children.
"I think our youth program will be one of the areas that will grow and Crystal has been very responsive to that," he added.
Reflecting on becoming a minister, Yarlott recalls a sideways glimmer of her future as a spiritual leader. She was about 11 years old when President John Kennedy was assassinated and she distinguished a dearth of women guiding the country through the grief and fear of those days.
"I noticed that there were no women teachers, not teacher teachers but spiritual teachers," she said.
Later, working as a legal secretary, she attended a continuing education program at Unity Village near St. Louis, Mo., the worldwide home of the Unity Church. She loved the experience and the atmosphere of the organization so much that she soon was back. Yarlott worked for three and a half years on their telephone prayer ministry, but began to think there was more for her to do.
"I never thought I was spiritual enough to be praying with people all the time," Yarlott recalled. "But the doors just opened and I just kept going through."
Ordained on the centennial anniversary of the church, Yarlott has been an associate minister and minister in Atlanta, Marietta and Port Huron. A Dearborn native, she connected with northern Michigan after summering near Cheboygan for years with her family. Yarlott also feels a strong connection with Traverse City and is thrilled to be able to live and serve in the region. She also looks forward to connecting with other spiritual leaders in the community.
"I love it here and I love this land the church is on because we've got 25 acres here and a lot of trails," she said. "I love Traverse City - I think it's one of the most beautiful places on the planet, honestly - and I'm ready to stop."