Minister & Staff
Minister & Staff
Reverend Dr. Tracy Sprowls
Reverend Dr. Tracy Sprowls
Minister
She/Her
Rev Dr. Tracy Sprowls is the minister of The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Centre County. Tracy has been with this congregation for five years beginning in August of 2021, first as an interim then as a contract minister.
Tracy is in the midst of her twenty-seventh year in ministry. She has served five other congregations as minister or assistant minister in Alabama, New Jersey, and New York. These congregations have ranged in size from 75 to 1200 members.
Tracy’s interests in ministry have been broad and includes all ages faith formation, grief and trauma, storytelling, spiritual growth, shared ministry, leadership development, safe congregations, and dismantling oppressive systems.
She holds a Master of Divinity and a Doctor of Ministry degree from the New York Theological Seminary (NYTS). In addition to her work in the UU fellowship, Tracy is a first responder with the UU Trauma Response Ministry, the co-convener of the PA UU Ministers Cluster, and the facilitator of the Faith Leaders Network in Centre County. She is a core member of the Centre County Rapid Response Network, a board member of the PA Religious Coalition for Reproductive Justice, and supports Centre LGBT+ as a clergy advocate. In summer 2025, she served as the Unitarian Universalist minister of the week at the Chautauqua Institution. This past year, Tracy has been participating in Leadership Centre County.
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Tracy considers herself a social activist. Since the 1980’s, she has participated in innumerable protests, die-ins, marches, and prayer vigils including the Call to Return to Selma in March 2015 (50th anniversary of the original march), the Women’s March in January 2017, and the Climate Justice March in 2019. She has organized a few too.
She has worked with the Poor People’s Campaign led by Rev William Barber and the Center for Constitutional Rights. She emceed the Hand’s Off Indivisible rally in April 2025 and spoke at the third No Kings in March 2026. She has been a leader with Keystone Indivisible. She has lobbied in state capitals and worked with local governments on issues of concern. Tracy worked with the Equal Justice Initiative visiting men on death row at Holman Correctional Facility. She has been arrested twice- once in 1999 for protesting the murder by NYC police officers of Amadou Diallo and in 2019 for Moral Mondays protesting in Trenton, NJ.
In the past, she served as president of the LREDA Metro New York Chapter, president of the UUFaithAction (legislative ministry) in New Jersey, President of the Ministerial Sisterhood UU, President of the Alabama Prison Project, and Chaplain at the UU@United Nations Spring Seminar. She is active in the UUA but has not served nationally on any committees.
In addition, Tracy is a writer with several published articles and several unfinished novels. She was also a religion blog writer for MyCentralJersey.com from 2014 to 2019. She has written many prayers and other liturgical elements for Sunday services and she also writes poetry.
She will be starting a Substack blog in summer 2026. With Ashley, Tracy is offering the keynote workshop at Star Island in July. In August, she begins a two year certificate program in Spiritual Direction. Tracy will take a sabbatical December 1, 2026 through April 30, 2027. During this time, Tracy’s main goal is to finish one of those books and become fluent in French.
She loves reading, knitting, writing, riding her bike, yoga, dancing, and the beach. Moving to Centre County has opened her to gardening, hiking, and birding. She also loves all things French (movies, food, books, bottles, cheese, wine) and is studying French. She enjoys traveling, making new friends, and trying new things.
Tracy and her husband live in Bellefonte, Pa. with their two dogs, Jova and Macy. Tracy and David have three grown children and one grandchild who loves robots.
Ashley Hamlin
Ashley Hamlin
Director of Lifespan Religious Education
She/Her
Ashley came on board as our full time Director of Lifespan Religious Education in September 2018. She moved from eastern Washington and has a background in education including Montessori and classical studies. She earned a MA in Theological Studies in seminary and has directed high school youth ministry and been involved in church ministry leadership at various times throughout her life. Ashley has traveled to various continents working with refugees, orphans, and studying theology abroad. She loves immersing herself in other cultures and learning from the people. She also loves connecting people together and to resources to help build equity and has a heart for social justice work in her community and beyond. She has a background in the performing arts and loves theater, opera, and live music performances. Ashley’s hobbies include camping, hiking, bike trips with friends, exploring nature, reading, engaging in deep philosophical discussions, and spending time with her family and friends. She is excited to be serving the UUFCC congregation as their religious educator.
Bhakti Chan
Bhakti Chan
Office Administrator
She/Her
Adam Smith
Bhakti Chan
Music Director
Bhakti serves as the Music Director for UUFCC, where she brings an eclectic and inclusive vision to the fellowship’s musical life.
Vacant
Vacant
Piano Accompanist
David Morris
David Morris
Jazz Band Director
He/Him
David started trumpet studies privately in 1966. He participated in orchestra and concert band programs starting in junior high and continued his music studies at Allegheny Community College. While in college he was drafted, so he auditioned for the Air Force Field Bands and was accepted. After six years as a featured soloist with various Air Force bands, David was discharged from the service in California and went to study commercial music at the famous Dick Grove Music Workshops in Studio City, Ca.
Locally, David has volunteered to play lead in numerous school pit orchestras for musical productions. He currently teaches trumpet at Robert M. Sides Family Music Store where he started The Central PA Youth Jazz Experience for like-minded students who enjoy big band music. His students have gone on to music programs at Ithaca College, Brigham Young University, and Gettysburg College to name a few. Currently David’s experience in everything from Polish and Mexican Polkas, nightclub acts, big bands, Dixieland and pit orchestras is being utilized in his work as the Jazz Band Leader for the UUFCC.
Christine Eleazer
Christine Eleazer
Financial Secretary
She/Her
Christine is a semi-retired CPA. She started her career in Public Accounting and later transitioned to corporate accounting. Christine has worked in a variety of industries including manufacturing, oil & gas, and service industries. She has three children and 2 grandchildren. Christine grew up in NJ, went to Clemson University in South Carolina, then lived in Pittsburgh, Allentown, and returned to NJ before moving to State College in 2014.