Contact Info: RevDave@FirstUChicago.org

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Rev. Dave began his call at First U on August 1, 2023. He earned his Masters in Divinity from the University of Chicago with an emphasis on theology and ethics, his MBA from Yale University with concentrations in strategy and organizational behavior, and an undergraduate degree in psychology from Reed College. He completed his Ph.D. at Emory University in religion with a focus on ethics and society, and teaches ethics at Villanova and Jefferson Universities.

Rev. David H. Messner is the Senior Minister of the First Unitarian Church of Chicago. He’s a born and bred Unitarian, an ardent humanist with an abiding faith in God, and a believer in resurgent possibility, especially when all seems lost. He knows that church, done right together, can be the key to a life well-lived. His ministry is rooted in preaching, teaching, writing, and coaching toward individual fulfillment and collective flourishing.

Currently, he serves ministerial colleagues in his denomination as a Continental Good Officer and part of the National Good Officers Coordinating Team. He is a Religious Advisor at the University of Chicago. He is a “Compelling Preaching Exemplar” in the Lilly-funded Compelling Preaching Initiative at the Christian Theological Seminary. He is a consultant to the Anti-Defamation League in facilitating anti-bias programming and practices.

Rev. Dave is also an Accredited Interim Minister and previously served as the Interim Senior Minister of the Main Line Unitarian Church and the Interim Minister at the Unitarian Church in Charleston. He was the settled minister for seven years at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Savannah, which he accompanied in their growth into a mid-sized church with an outsized public voice for unity and justice. He trained at the First Unitarian Church of Rochester, NY, and the University of Rochester Medical Center, where he specialized in trauma response, acute psychiatric pastoral care, and end-of-life support.  

He earned his Ph.D. in Religion (Ethics & Society) from Emory University, a Master’s in Divinity from the University of Chicago with an emphasis on theology and ethics, an MBA from Yale University with concentrations in strategy and organizational behavior, and an undergraduate degree in psychology from Reed College with a specialization in decision making under risky conditions. His scholarly interests include how institutions, professions, and practices can be conducive to better moral choice and action. He has taught most recently in ethics and social justice at Jefferson and Villanova Universities. 

His professional life began in public sector financial planning and management consulting, focusing on organizational effectiveness and strategies for growing businesses to reach new customers and enter new markets. For more than a decade, he was a leader in international pharmaceutical businesses (Eisai, Pfizer, and Bausch & Lomb). He was in charge of teams responsible for strategy development, partnership formation, and transaction execution. His most recent industry role was Vice President of Business Development at B&L, building their international pharmaceuticals business.

He was born in Washington, D.C., and now lives in Woodlawn on the South Side of Chicago with his wife of 25+ years. They have two wonderful young adult offspring and a Blue Heeler pup that just won’t quit. In his free time, he grows (very) hot peppers, grills meat, and photographs wild and urban places.