01/16-present

Pastor, Pilgrim United Church of Christ, Wheaton, MD

-Lead weekly and bi-weekly Bible Study Discussions

-Revitalized and continue to write church school lessons specifically geared to the educational needs of Pilgrim’s children.

-Assisted the congregation in more actively honoring its ONA covenant.

-Lead confirmation classes.

-Lead monthly worship and periodic fellowship outreach at Seabury Assisted Living Facility.

10/09 to 10/15

Senior Pastor, St. John’s United Church of Christ, Catonsville, MD

-Successfully blended worship styles and services which were causing a church schism into an inviting and thriving liturgical worship.

-Recruited new members and grew the church through personal connections and contact with visitors via email, snail mail, and social media, and by being active and present in the community.

-Transitioned church from a largely “senior” group with primarily German backgrounds to a widely diverse congregation in age (with many young couples and families), in race (with my own and other interracial couples), in culture (from German to Kenyan), and sexuality.

-Helped congregation live into its UCC identity of Extravagant Welcome rather than its “German Reformed” identity.

-Expanded church’s mission ministry:  mobilized congregation members to transition under-utilized building space to create a Thrift Shop to help the community; facilitated community relationships that resulted in transforming unused “back field” of church property into a well-maintained Soccer Field by partnering with a local athletic league.

-Transitioned church that once had an actual 10 foot hedge into a presence in the community by “inviting in” and “going out.”  St. John’s is now known as the welcoming church in town, has been featured in local papers as such, and is a “refuge in the storm” in times of personal crisis (specifically because we allow “non-member” funerals in the sanctuary and I will go out to local funeral homes to conduct services.)

-Led the Board of Trustees in reallocating our OCWM (denominational offering) giving back to the national level.  Previous Boards had voted to restrict OCWM giving to the Conference and Association level only, in “protest” to National programs of inclusivity.

-Launched a Youth Group, now in its second year of growth, including a summer mission trip to Tennessee.

-Revitalized Church Sunday School and updated classrooms with Christian Education committee.

-Supervised revision of church’s bylaws and governance structure.

-Served on Chesapeake Church and Ministry Committee from 3/10-7/12; Synod delegate 2012/14

11/06 to 8/09

Associate Minister, Pass-A-Grille Beach Community Church, St. Pete Beach, FL

-Shared preaching, worship, pastoral care duties with Senior Pastor.

-Administrated the Children & Family Ministry Department which included rotation Church School, Afterschool Programs, VBS, many others;  managed the department budget;  designed and reviewed curriculum;  and recruited and trained new teachers and volunteers.

-Launched Young Adult Ministry at a (primarily) senior “Snow Bird” church, which continues to this day.

-Led Young Adult, Family events, weekly 7am morning worship and communion, Blue Christmas, Christmas Eve Travelers’ Service, Christmas Eve Family Worship, Ash Wednesday, and all Holy Week services.

-Facilitated four weekly small groups: one elementary school age, one Adult Women’s Faith Group, two Companions in Christ weekly discipleship groups.

-Led Women’s Ministry activities; supervised Labyrinth Ministry.

-Wrote and implemented curriculum for afterschool program called EcoClub, teaching about God’s creation and responsibility to the environment.

-Helped Mission Committee focus their efforts and areas of concern; organized coat drive for local schools, collecting more than 500 coats.

-Taught in Florida Conference’s “Tote Bag Seminars” on Educational Programming and Resources for lay and clergy, as well as a class on the historical Jesus for local Unitarian Universalist church.

-Created and organized Good Friday “Stations of the Cross” program involving other local UCC churches, including more than 120 participants.

3/05– 8/06

Interim Minister, United Church of Rockville Centre, Rockville Centre, NY

-Ordaining call, full time, interim position, solo pastorate

-Brought warmth, intimacy, and enthusiasm into small church.

-Created interesting and thought-provoking programs: study of hospitality, women’s spirituality group, film study to teach about UCC identity and social responsibility.

-Worked to tackle problems involving difficult members and employees that were previously avoided, empowering church to move ahead emotionally and spiritually.

-Did pastoral visits and home communion, revived a defunct confirmation class, in which students completed documenting the history of the church’s stained glass windows.

1/02– 9/02

Assistant Editor, John Milton Society for the Blind, New York, NY

-Collaborated to produce six Christian publications in large print, Braille, & cassette.

-Produced Braille “digest-style” magazine for youth: choosing theme, articles from 20+ children’s magazines.

-Produced, updated large print resource directory of 120+ organizations providing material for visually impaired.

-Edited Sunday school curriculum material for production on cassette.

-Screened correspondence and submissions to Society publications.

-Processed advertising; designed and produced ad copy.

-Oversaw scholarship program awarding funds to visually impaired students.

10/99-1/02

Assistant to the Director of Disability Services, Barnard College, New York, NY

-Scanned admitted student applications for self-disclosed disabilities

-Coordinated all approved accommodations for registered students with disabilities

-Maintained all files, produced all documents, publications and correspondence for the office