Rev. Don Erickson was born and raised in the Hudson Valley of Upstate New York. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies in 2000 from North Carolina State University. After a yearlong role teaching conversational English in South Korea, he returned to attend seminary at Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York. He graduated from Union in 2004. 

Rev. Erickson is clinically certified in pastoral care (ACPE), receiving his residency training in 2006-2007 at Tampa General Hospital. For eight years, he ministered full-time as a hospice chaplain, years he deems essential to his heart for ministry. 

Rev. Erickson transitioned to parish ministry in 2013 when he was called as the settled pastor of the Community Church of North Orange & Tully (CCNOT), a federated UCC and UUA church in Central Massachusetts. He continued with hospice chaplaincy during his five years at CCNOT, serving as the chaplain at the Hospice of Franklin County.  

Beginning in July 2019, Rev. Erickson served as the interim minister of St. Paul’s United Church of Christ in Middletown, Ohio. 

In 2020, Rev. Erickson returned to New England, called as the senior pastor of the Congregational Church of Plainville (UCC) in Connecticut. He continues to serve at Plainville Congregational.

Rev. Erickson is a lover of Christian theology as well as a longtime student of Buddhist philosophy and practice. He is a published poet, amateur musician, film-buff, and book-lover. In August 2019, his book A Life Lived and Laid Down for Friends: A Progressive Christology was published by Wipf and Stock Publishers.

Rev. Erickson considers family most precious to him. His wife is Holly, and they have a son Corey, now 17 years old.

This is the core philosophy of his ministry:

“Nothing can be more important than being emotionally and spiritually present, no matter the circumstance. Nothing can be more significant than praying with and listening to those knowing fear or courage, worry or contentment, sadness or joy. The work is to walk alongside, pointing to wisdom as we go and urging compassion with each step.”

To learn more about him, please link here to his blog.