Mr. McNaught was born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1937. He remembers the blitz of 1940 and the air raid shelters and devastation. His family moved to England in 1951.
After his military service, he discovered an interest in becoming a minister. He was accepted at Keble College, Oxford to read for the Honors School in Theology. He graduated from Oxford in 1962. He completed his ministerial education at Salisbury-Wells Theological College in the west of England and received graduate distinction there in Doctrine and Church History.
He married Anna in 1962. He was ordained as Chaplain at St. Mary's Episcopal Cathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland, but found the tradition of that church too orthodox. He emigrated to US where he found the Episcopalians more liberal. After serving in a couple of different Episcopal churches, he found he was being paid to be somebody he no longer was. In 1971, he began his official transition to UUism. He accepted his first settled ministry at the Community Church of New Orleans (1973-1979). He also served as a guest chaplain at the Orleans Parish Prison. In 1979 he moved to the First Unitarian Church of Austin, Texas. His years in Austin were a time of growth, including the building of a $500,000 sanctuary.
He was called to the Towson UU Church in Lutherville, MD, in 1988. This church grew as well to now a membership of 400. After sheparding the congregation through the "decisions for growth" program (by the UUA), the church is now into another phase of growth such as a decision moving to two services. He has decided that the next round of consultancy and growth plans require a commitment longer than he wants to make at this time, being so close to his retirement. Thus, he has chosen the Interim Ministry, and we have chosen him.
Matthew moved on to UU Kings Chapel in Boston, and has since moved on to new callings.
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