Pastor

“You think religion is what’s inside a little building filled with pretty lights from stained glass windows. But it’s not. It’s wings! Wings!”         
–Dorothy Canfield Fisher

My vision for ministry is to:

• serve and care with people in all twists and turns of their faith and life journeys
• build understanding among people who think differently
• make the world more peaceful
• envision new possibilities while honoring the past
• speak truth even when it’s hard
• give voice to people’s experiences
• help others grow spiritually
• illuminate scripture in new ways
• illuminate God’s love for and work in this world
• engage relationally with others in ways that motivate collective action for realizing Jesus’ promise of abundant life

Experience

• Congregational Ministry
  • Preaching
  • Teaching
  • Vision and Transition Teams
  • Advisory Committees
  • Pulpit Supply/Contract Pastor
• Chaplaincy
  • Pastoral Care of Children and Families
  • Experience with trauma care and care during short and long-term health crises
• Religious Education
  • Director of Adult Formation
  • Director of Equipping Ministries for Children/Youth/Families
  • Religious Education Teacher
  • Youth Ministry
  • Trip Leader
  • Graduate Teaching Assistant
• Community Outreach
  • Homeless Ministry
  • Founder and Facilitator, Interfaith Gathering

Background

• Columbia Theological Seminary, MDiv 2020
• Community Organizing and Congregational Leadership
• Zeitgeist Years 1 & 2 Completed: Certificate in the Practice of Spiritual Direction
• Ministry Collaborative Cohort
• Earlham School of Religion, Writing as Ministry courses
• 1 unit CPE, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
• Intercultural Development Inventory training
• Member in Discernment pursuing ordination in the United Church of Christ
• Healthy Boundaries Training
• UCC History and Polity Course

Skills

• Empathetic Listening
• Spiritual guidance
• Writing liturgy and creating curriculum that is sensitive to context, community, culture, and work of the Spirit
• Creative worship/ritual planning and leadership
• Retreat planning
• Mental Health First Aid

Interests

• progressive church leadership
• creative worship
• link between writing/creative arts and spirituality
• ecumenical and interfaith collaboration
• trauma-informed spiritual care
• lifelong spiritual formation