Rev. Jeanmarie Eck began her journey with Unity more than 20 years ago. She was steeped in the Catholic faith throughout childhood, having attended Catholic school from pre-K through 12th grade. This upbringing grounded her in prayer and a heartfelt devotion to following divine guidance.

 

In her twenties she sought deeper metaphysical teachings and discovered her spiritual home in Unity. She learned the Truth that God is not a judging deity; God is the very light and love that dwell within each person and is everywhere present. This Truth delighted her soul, and she has dedicated her life to living the Unity Principles and sharing these teachings with all those she is called to serve.

 

Jeanmarie has a lifelong connection with South Florida, having moved to Fort Lauderdale at age 10. She graduated with honors from Cardinal Gibbons High School. A lifelong professional performing artist, she graduated summa cum laude from Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida with a Bachelor of Arts - a double major in Theatre Arts and Music and a minor in Dance.

 

Her academic career took her to the University of Mississippi, where she was an undergraduate instructor in public speaking, acting and dance, and where she earned a Master of Fine Arts in Theatre (Acting).

 

Considered a "triple threat" for her skills as a singer, dancer, and actor, she went on to perform in leading roles in professional theatre productions throughout New York City and the U.S., as well as in television and film. Her career also includes years of management experience in both the arts (Broadway) and for the U.S. Census Bureau.

 

Jeanmarie heard the call to become a Unity minister in 2009 at Unity of New York, her home church, with Rev. Paul Tenaglia and Rev. Britt Hall. She completed Spiritual Education and Enrichment (SEE) training and became a prayer chaplain, a Licensed Unity Teacher in Adult Education, and joined the staff. She especially loved performing in Unity of New York's Metaphysics of Broadway services at Symphony Space, such as A Chorus Line with Donna McKechnie, and Star and Promises with Peter Mayer at Town Hall. She gave her first Sunday talk as a ministerial student at Symphony Space in 2012 on "U2 in a Unity Church: The Metaphysics of U2" featuring songs by U2 interpreted through a Unity lens. She presented an extended version of this talk at Unity Institute & Seminary's 2012 Lyceum on "The Church of the Future" at Unity Village. 

 

In 2012, she moved to Unity Village for the Master of Divinity program at Unity Institute & Seminary, after studying in the program online. At Unity Village, she worked as a Prayer Ministry Associate for two and a half years at Silent Unity, praying with people from around the world, and also served as Communications Director and Assistant to Rev. Erin McCabe at Unity Village Chapel, where she was a singer on the Music team.

 

Upon ordination in 2014, Rev. Howard Caesar invited her to join his staff as Associate Minister and Director of Adult Education at Unity of Houston, where she served for close to 10 years. She has mentored numerous LUT and ministerial candidates and interns.

 

In 2017, she was once again called by Spirit to deepen her training in the contemplative practice of spiritual direction and received her certification in spiritual direction at Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University. She is a SoulCollage® Facilitator and an Integral Ministry Practitioner. 

 

She served from 2020-2024 on the Board of Trustees (First Vice-Chair and Second Vice-Chair) for Unity Worldwide Ministries. As part of her Board service, she completed two white ally trainings to support antiracism practices in Unity, resulting in the UWM Board's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Resolution on Juneteenth, 2021. She is a regular contributing writer for Unity’s blessing booklets. She serves as an advisor for UWSI spiritual direction students and as a ministerial candidate mentor.

 

She moved here from Houston in 2024 with her wonderful husband David, their awesome daughter Felicity, and their adorable rescue dogs, Duchess and Bentley. She is a Troop Leader for Unity of Delray Beach's multilevel Girl Scouts Troop 20997 which she started in 2025.

 

“Within each of us is a wholeness which is our divinity. Jesus said, ‘You are the light of the world’. We are each human and divine, and it is my joy to join together in Unity so we can learn to bless humanity through acting from our divinity.”