In September of 2013, I left beautiful Northern California to begin my adventure here at Lincoln Park Presbyterian Church.  My friends thought I had lost my marbles, but now they know otherwise. This has been a great ten years so far and I am grateful to be serving this church at this time in its and our history. Over the course of my ministry I have served churches in St. Louis, MO, Columbia, South Carolina, St. Helena, CA, El Cerrito, CA, Oakland, CA and now here in Chicago. I have also served as a Hospice Chaplain. Chicago is a great city to be doing organizing work in and I am grateful for my colleagues across the City who show up every day for this work. 

On a personal note, I am married to Jeanette, who is my adventure partner in every way. We love to travel, hike, play pickleball, kayak, cycle (especially when we can cycle to a place where we can eat a fun treat), play games with friends, hear live music, host sing-alongs and spend time with family, including our many niblings. We have two adult children whom we adore and probably annoy as parents are known to do and we have two cats who entertain us on a regular basis. We also have two grand cats and a grand dog. In my time when I am not working I enjoy photography, especially wildlife photography, and grilling.

There is so much that is being written about the present and future church that it can be overwhelming some days.  There are no road maps and there are no formulas for effectiveness. Instead, we are in a time of such great transition that sometimes it feels as if our ministry is about learning the art and skill of flexibility and discernment as we pay attention to where the Spirit is at work. Sometimes I struggle with the fact that I do not have any easy answers – not for the church and not for individuals and the challenges we sometimes face in life.  When I came out as a queer woman pastor, my faith was stripped bare.  As you might imagine, I then had to spend years putting my faith pieces back together.  I am still in that process as I live a faith story that is a story for the future.   

Lincoln Park Presbyterian Church is a congregation that is multi-generational, diverse and open – open to how the future will be different from the past. And I admire deeply the justice work they have done for decades and are still doing.  I am in awe of this congregation’s courage, honesty, humor and their willingness to risk and try some new things.  In 2016, after an expansive and lengthy discernment process, we voted on a vision for our future that we called “The Compassion Project." We still believe we are being called by God to spread compassion throughout our community, our City, and beyond.  In November of 2022 we engaged in a three day process called “Future Search.” We invited our external partners (from foundations, community organizations, other churches) to consider what the future looks like here in Chicago. We came up with three big ideas that we are currently working on: one related to affordable housing, one related to partnering with another congregation that is intentionally multi-cultural, and one related to a template for sustainability for churches and organizations.  We hope you will consider joining us in spreading compassion and joining justice and love together in real ways as Jesus so powerfully taught us to do. We are doing intentional work to question and dismantle the stories of white and christian supremacy while at the same time taking on thoughts and actions that are anti-racist.  

Part of what I love about this congregation is that this is a congregation that values relationships and values knowing and being known.  This is a congregation that has a great deal to offer and appreciates what others have to offer.  In other words, there is plenty of room for you here and we’d love to partner with you in ministry. If you are looking for a pastor and a church who will walk with you, receive your questions and explore answers with you, encourage you to use your gifts and abilities, allow you to yell or weep or laugh or grieve or dance, and challenge you to work for justice in our community and world, this might be the place for you.  Let’s talk!  

Reverend Beth