Alumni News
Prof. Karen B. Westerfield Tucker named Fellow of The Hymn Society
Boston University School of Theology (BUSTH) is pleased to announce that Professor of Worship Karen B. Westerfield Tucker has been named a Fellow of The Hymn Society in the United States and Canada, one of the organization's highest honors, recognizing her distinguished contributions as a scholar and teacher of congregational song. She will be formally recognized during The Hymn Society's Annual Conference at Princeton Theological Seminary on July 22, 2026. Tucker is one of four new Fellows selected by the Society's Executive Committee during its October and December 2025 meetings.
An internationally respected liturgical scholar and ordained elder in The United Methodist Church, Tucker joined the Boston University School of Theology faculty in 2004 following fifteen years at Duke University. Her scholarship has shaped the study of worship, hymnody, and Methodist/Wesleyan liturgical history through an extensive body of books, articles, book chapters, and reference works. Throughout her career, she has taught seminarians and church leaders across the United States and Canada, as well as throughout Asia, the Pacific, and Europe. Her research explores North American and Methodist/Wesleyan liturgical history and theology, liturgy and pastoral care, ecumenism, and congregational song. Among her many distinctions are serving as a Henry Luce III Fellow in Theology, president of Societas Liturgica, editor-in-chief of Studia Liturgica, and as the recipient of the 2023 Berakah Award from the North American Academy of Liturgy for her distinguished contributions to the field.
BUSTH celebrates Tucker's latest recognition as a testament to her enduring impact on the scholarship and practice of Christian worship. Through decades of teaching, writing, and ecumenical leadership, she has helped deepen the understanding of congregational song as a vital expression of faith and has influenced generations of students, scholars, clergy, and church musicians.
PhD student Xiaodi Wu (’23,’28) receives 2026 Constant H. Jacquet Research Award
Boston University School of Theology (BUSTH) is pleased to announce that PhD student Xiaodi Wu ('23,'28) is a recipient of the 2026 Constant H. Jacquet Research Award from the Religious Research Association (RRA). The annual award supports outstanding research that applies social scientific methods to the study of religion, with emphasis on projects that offer practical value for religious organizations and leaders. Wu was recognized for her research project, "Dīgǔ: The Chinese Psychology of the Religiously Unaffiliated in Crisis."
Wu's PhD research focuses on the psychology of religion, psychoanalysis, positive psychology, comparative theology, migration, and the experiences of people who identify as spiritually curious, religiously unaffiliated, or as "nones." This project examines how religiously unaffiliated Chinese individuals navigate psychological and spiritual crises, contributing to a growing body of research on well-being, flourishing, and religious identity in contemporary society. The project reflects the RRA's commitment to advancing research that informs and strengthens religious practice through social scientific inquiry.
The Constant H. Jacquet Research Award encourages innovative scholarship from emerging researchers, particularly PhD students and early-career scholars, whose work bridges academic research with real-world application. Wu's recognition highlights both the strength of her interdisciplinary research and the School of Theology's commitment to advancing scholarship that addresses the complex intersections of faith, psychology, and human flourishing.
Reverend Mariama M. White-Hammond, (’17) Launches Jubilee House
This article is originally written and published by Kristen Filipic, titled "Episcopal Network Partners with AME Church to Open Community House" on The LIVING CHURCH on June 16, 2026.
A network of intentional communities connected with Episcopal parishes in the Boston area has launched a new community house in connection with an African Methodist Episcopal church. Christened Jubilee House, it received its first eight residents over Memorial Day weekend.
The idea for the house began six years ago when the Rev. Mariama White-Hammond, pastor of New Roots AME Church, did a preaching series on the concept of Jubilee. The Jubilee Year, described in Leviticus 25, was supposed to occur every fifty years. During it, all debts were to be forgiven and lands were to be restored to their original owners. During a retreat weekend, the church brainstormed how they might live out the principles of Jubilee in their community life. White-Hammond said church members were drawn to the idea of creating an intentional community house. “The Bible tells us this is what God laid out, but the children of Israel never lived it out because it’s hard. I think Jubilee House gives us a place to start living out what we are called to do,” she said.
White-Hammond connected this with a wider tradition of Black churches addressing the material needs of their communities. “Black folks, for most of our lives, we have not ever been able to trust that the safety nets that are available to everyone else would actually be available to us. There is a long history of Black people in general, and Black churches, in the business of creating housing because that is what our people needed.”
At around the same time, the Charles River Episcopal Co-Housing Endeavor (CRECHE) was having its own annual retreat. They wanted to increase their engagement with marginalized neighborhoods and communities of color, according to the executive director, the Rev. Isaac Everett. They developed a list of congregations to ask about exploring the possibility, including New Roots. When he came to his office the Monday morning after the retreat, there was an email from New Roots approaching CRECHE about creating an intentional community. “We both decided we wanted to work with each other at the same time,” Everett said.
“The depth of engagement of this community is an inspiration to people who don’t live in the house. The people living in the house have a covenant relationship with each other, and they have a relationship with the neighborhood ,and then they have a relationship with the congregation,” Werntz said. “It helps people think about their own Christian commitments.”
While CRECHE communities support the wider community, they also are supported by a wide community network. “There is a recognition that any group of people living together in intentional community are going to need support,” Werntz said. Each house has a community coach to help the community live into its covenant, a steering committee that regularly meets with the community as a whole, and one-on-one meetings with each member of the house.
The Rev. White-Hammond shared that hope as Jubilee House opened. “This kind of communal living is hard, but it’s exactly what we are called to do. Jesus always begins his ministry in relationship. We have seen an erosion of deep relationship, deep community. I think this house becomes a place for our congregation to focus its sense of deep community, both with folks living in the house and with the larger community. I hope this is just the beginning for ways that we begin to live into Jubilee. But it takes concrete places and projects and spaces for these things to become real.”
Prophetic Witnesses
This article was originally published in the 2026 issue of focus magazine, the annual publication of the BU School of Theology. This article can be found on page 18. By Steve Holt. Illustrations by Stephanie Singleton.
Hope for Self-Injury through Scar Revision
Kate Leavey’s mission in life found he r, and it was born from a crisis in her own home.
In 2020, Leavey (’99) discovered that her youngest daughter, who’d survived an assault in 2019 at age 13, was self-injuring as a way to cope with debilitating depression. Leavey began listen - ing to podcasts and reading everything she could to learn about the behavior. She discovered that reports of self-injury, which is classified as a social contagion, had skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the International Society for the Study of Self-Injury, as many as 35 percent of young people ages 12–22 harm their own bodies. And she found that social media algorithms “fed a lonely kid what they were searching for” and are “almost a how-to guide in self-injury.”
Leavey’s daughter was in counseling for her mental health, but she still had the physical reminders of what she was going through in the form of “angry” scars on the inside of her arms. Leavey reached out to an aesthetician friend to learn about scars, and the friend offered to try to make the marks less noticeable. Using laser technology, Newton, Mass.-based clinician Lizabeth Glynn was able to drain all of the color from them.
“Something came back to life in my kid—hope,” Leavey says of the period after her daughter’s scar revision. “She’s a gifted athlete, and that revision was enough for my kid to put her track uniform back on. She had not competed in a year, and three months later she was at a national track meet and became a nationally ranked athlete.”
Filled with gratitude for her daughter’s progress, Leavey realized she could bring that same hope to others who’d experienced self-injury. She says scar revision, which can cost thousands of dollars for each treatment, is siloed from mental health treatment. “The more I investigated, the more I realized nobody had connected these dots,” Leavey says.
In 2023, she set out to do just that. She founded Spark Hope Scar Revision Project, a nonprofit that provides free scar revision treatment and works to reduce the stigma around self-injury. Her friend Cathy Carswell runs operations, and Richard “Rox” Anderson, a Massachusetts General Hospital dermatologist who developed the patented scar revision technologies that make Spark Hope possible, provides medical consulting. Glynn came on as a clinical adviser and board member. Participants work with their mental health therapist to determine their emotional readiness for scar revision and then apply for treatment. In its initial proof-of-concept pilot, Spark Hope served 21 individuals and has just launched Hope in Action, a new pilot in Massachusetts and New Hampshire designed for scalability and to engage donors so the program can expand wherever the need exists. By integrating scar revision with mental health treatment, the program addresses both the physical scars and the hidden emotional wounds they represent—advancing prevention while improv - ing quality of life.
“In addition to the direct impact on participants, this initiative offers a significant opportunity to contribute to the field of knowledge by studying how scar revision linked to mental health influences mental health outcomes and overall well-being,” Leavey says.
Leavey, who has a master’s degree in sacred music from the BU School of Theology, served as director of Liturgical Arts at Boston College, and now directs Sound & Spirit, an intergenerational choir. Leavey has a story not unlike those of STH alumni bringing hope into their corners of the world in a variety of disciplines—including law, social work, and food and environmental justice.
“I stumbled upon a mission that is really beautiful, deeply hopeful, and uniquely of this time,” Leavey says. “It addresses an unmet need of the world, and what an honor to get to do the work of sparking hope.”
Environmentalist, Social Entrepreneur, and Community Builder
The town of Klamath Falls, in south central Oregon, sits on the shores of the massive Upper Klamath Lake, the 700-mile Cascade Mountain range standing sentinel in the distance. The area around the town, with millions of acres of evergreens, spring-fed rivers, and wetlands, is a destination for hikers and paddlers and those passing through from Northern California to Crater Lake National Park and picturesque Bend to the north. Klamath County, which is roughly the area of Connecticut, also embodies many of the challenges facing America’s West: a history of white colonization and marginalization of Indigenous populations, the decline of timber and agricultural industries, and water scarcity. This complicated tapestry is precisely what drew Alex Froom and his family to the area in 2020 after years working in the Navajo Nation in northeast Arizona, near the New Mexico border.
“The ecology of the Klamath Basin and the myriad challenges and opportunities for human life here matched our lifestyle and desire for a smalltown quality of life,” Froom ('12, SSW'12) says. “We knew we wanted to start a business of some kind that connected food and land and people.”
Froom and his wife, Malu, are renovating and reimagining a landmark building in downtown Klamath Falls that will bring people together around food, art, and recreation, and will celebrate the ecological beauty—and fragility—of the region. The largely vacant, nearly century-old building, which the Frooms purchased in 2021, is being rebuilt using energy-efficient principles. It will house an artisan bakery (run by the Frooms), a climbing gym, an art gallery, an event space, its own greywater treatment facility, and walkable outdoor spaces. They’re calling it Watershed Row and expect to open it in 2026.
Froom, who earned master’s degrees in divinity and social work while at BU, worked with Navajo youth and built local food systems in Arizona before moving to Oregon. In addition to his work launching Watershed Row, Froom serves on the board of Klamath Grown, a food hub that connects local farmers and ranchers directly with retail and wholesale buyers.
“Behind a lot of our work with food, the built environment, salvaged material, and water is the belief that we can collaborate with matter toward a place of diversity and resilience,” Froom says. “If we’re faithful to that partnership with the creation, new things will come.”
Spirit-Led Social Worker and Counselor
Bridget Kinahan was a relatively new Christian when she enrolled in the School of Theology to learn more about her faith.
“I’d always thought of myself as social justice–oriented,” says Kinahan ('24, SSW'24), who completed a Master of Divinity alongside a Master of Social Work at BU. “At that time, I didn’t know that theology could also be social justice–oriented. I thought I would only be getting it [in the School of Social Work], but I ended up getting it in both.”
Kinahan draws on lessons from both programs in her work in community- based and inpatient mental health care. Most recently, she was a clinical social worker with the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health before taking a position running a substance use day program on Cape Cod in late 2025. Each day as a social worker is different, she says, whether she’s de-escalating someone experiencing psychosis, connecting a patient to a community resource, or leading a recovery meeting. Whatever she is doing, Kinahan says, she tries to do it in love—“as Jesus loved us.”
One of the lessons Kinahan applies most frequently came in an evangelism class at STH, of all places.
“I’d always thought of evangelism as going out with the scary signs and preaching to people, ‘You’re going to burn in hell,’” she says. “But evangelism is about hospitality, radical welcome, and treating others with kindness and decency. I try to think of my social work practice as evangelism, in a way, because I do think I’m preaching through my actions.”
Compassionate Arbiter of Justice
That Herman Griffin IV, the son of a Baptist preacher with a heart for pastoral ministry himself, would be given the title “Reverend” was almost a guarantee. The title of judge, though? That came as more of a surprise. On August 27, 2025, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer appointed Griffin ('25), an attorney who’d been overseeing the district’s 115 public defenders, to Detroit’s 36th District Court, where he presides over a range of cases, from traffic misdemeanors to nonviolent felonies.
Griffin pastored throughout Detroit, preaching in churches (including his father’s) and officiating funerals and weddings. After his mother suffered a massive stroke at Griffin’s graduation from Howard Divinity School, he spent the next three years as her primary caregiver before her death in 2009. He entered law school at the University of Michigan in honor of his late mother, who had enrolled years earlier in Boston College Law School but didn’t finish her degree. For 10 years, Griffin worked as a criminal defense attorney in the 36th District Court, arguing cases before all 30 judges there—including the one who would recommend him for the bench upon his retirement.
A few months before he was sworn in, Griffin completed STH’s hybrid Doctor of Ministry program, with an emphasis in transformational leadership—this time honoring his father, who always aspired to pursue a DMin. Griffin, who won STH’s Edith P. and Augustus G. Hare Preaching Prize for best text-based sermon, sees both ministry and the law as restorative in nature—“helping people in their most vulnerable moments.
“I say a prayer every time I zip up my robe,” he says. “I say, ‘Thank you for this opportunity. Let me lead today with integrity, humility, and compassion.’”
Co-Pastors, Full Time, Central Congregational UCC: Jamaica Plain, MA
Church of the Covenant, Boston, MA
United Church of Christ/ Presbyterian Church USA
POSITION DESCRIPTION: Transitional Associate Pastor
Church of the Covenant (UCC/PCUSA) is a progressive, justice-oriented and creative congregation in downtown Boston. We are a congregation that has a long and proud history, and we look forward in faith as we continue to move with the Spirit’s lead into this next chapter of our life together. We are seeking a half-time Transitional Associate Pastor to work alongside our Lead Pastor and in collaboration with other staff to serve the life, vitality, mission, advocacy and spirituality of our faith community. The focus of this position will encompass four primary areas: innovative outreach, college & graduate school students, young adult ministry, and the ongoing Sunday-based worshipping life of our community. We are seeking someone who will build on our energy and our newly adopted Missional Plan, and work with us collaboratively to discern those places where the Spirit is calling us forward in this time, especially with an eye toward the younger half of our community.
Qualities needed include:
● certification, training, or experience with transitional ministry preferred
● experience in multi-staff parish ministry (preferably in an urban setting)
● strong pastoral, communication, organizational capacity, and interpersonal skills
● collaborative work style
● certification or skills in young adult ministry, worship leadership, preaching, and administrative and communications-based computer applications
● attention to detail and creative problem solving
● a faith life focused on the love of God and neighbor
● commitment to the mission and values of Church of the Covenant
Position Description
In collegial and collaborative relationship with the Lead Pastor, church staff, and volunteers, the Transitional Associate Pastor’s role will include:
● Innovative Outreach: In close collaboration with Lead Pastor, help support, vision and implement innovative program(s) that are focused primarily on groups of people outside the current watershed of our congregational life and community for the purpose of growing our congregation. This work will build on the previous few years of COTC’s innovative outreach and will find its focus at the intersection of arts, spirituality, climate and racial justice. It may also connect COTC with students, young professionals, and those most affected by Boston’s current housing crisis.
● Young Adult & College / Grad School Ministries. Serve as primary pastoral presence and organizational driver for the nurture and development of our ongoing ministry with, and leadership of, our 20s30s40s+ community. Help plan and participate in programming and community building efforts with an eye to integrating 20s30s40s+ into the wider life of the church. Welcome new visitors who worship on Sundays into the life of this community. In addition, continue to nurture a newly created “Covenant Connections” community of college and graduate school students.
● Creative Worship. Work in close collaboration with Lead Pastor and other staff to lead and plan some weekly worship services, preaching approximately once a month, serving as Liturgist and worship leader, and helping administer the sacraments.
● Participation. Associate Pastor will look at our worship and community life with a lens to increasing people’s ability to participate and engage more deeply. Explore opportunities for new visitors, online worshippers, building partners, in-person worshippers, guest musicians, etc. to participate in our life together. Will work closely with Lead Pastor and others to plan and implement our special “5th Sunday Selah Services” with a lens to increasing participation.
● Additional Pastoral Duties: Transitional Associate Pastor and Lead Pastor will work together to make sure that appropriate pastoral presence and meeting coverage is maintained. Attendance and participation in the leadership of our annual all-church fall retreat and monthly Council meetings is expected.
Relationships and Accountability
The Transitional Associate Pastor shall report to the Lead Pastor as staff Team Leader (head of staff) who provides oversight and leadership for the church’s worship and organizational life and for the church’s ministries, programs, and activities; and be accountable to the congregation’s Council.
Qualifications
The Transitional Associate Pastor should preferably be an ordained minister in good standing of the United Church of Christ, Presbyterian Church USA or one of our full-communion partners (the Christian Church [Disciples of Christ], the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, or the Reformed Church in America), or have attained the educational and ecclesiastical qualifications necessary for such standing. Ministers of Word and Sacrament or equivalents from other reasonably compatible mainline Protestant traditions (including the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the United Methodist Church, the Episcopal Church, the American Baptist Church, and the Moravian Church) will also be considered, assuming the candidate can demonstrate the ability to faithfully and effectively minister under the faith and order of our denominations and show alignment with the progressive, Open and Affirming/More Light (LGBTQ+ affirming) commitments of Church of the Covenant.
Scope and Duration
The Transitional Associate Pastor must be able to work for Church of the Covenant on a half-time basis (20-25 hours/week), including weekly Sunday morning worship attendance, for the duration of this position until a search for a settled Associate Pastor is completed – likely a period of about (but not limited to) 6-12 months, starting between September-October 2026.
Compensation and Benefits
This position meets the compensation and benefits guidelines in the United Church of Christ (UCC) or the Presbyterian Church (USA) based on affiliation, qualification, and experience. Annual salary range $35-37K, plus prorated benefits of healthcare, death/ disability, professional expenses, travel, and continuing education.
Contact
If you would like to apply for this position, please send your resume and contact information to finsecy@cotcbos.org. Review begins on Monday, June 15, 2026. Will continue to accept applications until position is filled.
Additional Information
BUSTH Community Members reflect on importance of Juneteenth
emilie m. townes, Martin Luther King, Jr. Professor of Religion & Black Studies
I did not grow up celebrating Juneteenth in the Black community of Durham, NC. The community did not start celebrating the day until 2006, long after I left home for college in 1973. So, for me, I learned about Juneteenth when I began educating myself about Black history and Black religious history in graduate school, feeling the need to fill in the gaps I knew existed because the religious world I grew up in was missing from the academic study of religion I was exposed to. Juneteenth became and remains a touchstone for me, underscoring the importance of passing our history on to the following generations and the ways in which the freedom it represents is a partial reality today and a North Star goal that we all should continue to pursue.
Luther Young, Jr., Assistant Professor of Religion & Society
In addition to commemorating Juneteenth, we celebrate Pride and African American Music Appreciation Month. To me, this tripartite of celebrations perfectly communicates a crucial point: the fight for Black liberation and LGBTQ+ liberation have always been intertwined, even though our histories often tell them separately. My scholarship examines the interrelatedness of religion, race, gender, and sexuality, and June's overlapping observances reveal why this matters. When we tell the story of Black history without centering queer Black people, we deny the full humanity and contributions of those who built the very institutions and traditions we celebrate. Music has been crucial to Black liberation movements, from spirituals sung during slavery and protest music during the Civil Rights Movement to the resistance anthems of rap and the empowering tunes of jazz, hip-hop, and R&B—many of which were created, arranged, and performed by queer Black artists. I am heartened that these facts are gaining visibility and that these stories are being reclaimed. Juneteenth celebrates the retrieval of those left behind, those whose liberation was delayed but not denied. Juneteenth commemorates the freedom of all Black people. Unless this includes LGBTQ+ people, Juneteenth has yet to be fully realized. So today, let us not leave behind any of our siblings in the continued march toward liberation.
Timothy Adkins-Jones ('09,'21), Assistant Professor of Homiletics
For me, Juneteenth functions as a reminder that the work of freedom fighting is never done; it takes new forms in new contexts, but it is an ever-present struggle. I grew up with vague recollections of Juneteenth, but it was solidified as an annual event during the planning for a Black History program I helped produce in High School. Ever since I’ve been intrigued by what seems to be the most American of holidays, a day where we all must be reminded that no one is free unless everyone is free. The work we do with Preaching and Protest, and even in celebrating Proclamation and the Black Experience, mirrors the truth telling and Black Joy that emanates from and through Juneteenth. I’m excited that all Americans are learning more and more about this day, and pray that we all are inspired to do more freedom work.
Shively T. J. Smith, Associate Professor of New Testament; Director, PhD program
What is in a day? June 19 is an American haunting of sorts. It is an eerie reminder of how even when freedom, citizenship, and access are supposedly granted, they can be denied or, at the very least, delayed. The Emancipation Proclamation was signed on January 1, 1863, but it took 2.5 years, June 19, 1865, for those enslaved in Texas to know of their freedom. I can't help but ponder how uncertain freedom and citizenship must have felt among the African American enslaved masses embracing with celebration their newly declared freedom. I take a breath and realize the same tentativeness remains. I hope today encourages you to consider how your theological beliefs—your God Talk—"talk back" to such fragility and proclaim, "Each of us is a collage piece making up the images of God. We are necessary. We deserve dignity. We should fight for the freedom that ensures thriving for all in this life and the life to come."
Joshua Lawrence Lazard ('26), PhD
Andrew E. Kimble ('19), Director of Lifelong Learning; Associate Director of Alumni & Donor Relations; Associate Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
This article was originally published on June 18, 2024 and was updated on June 18, 2026 with additional entries.
Essay Specialist, Full-Time (Contract Remote), Vanguard College Prep: Dallas, TX
Do you love storytelling and want to make a lasting impact on students’ lives?
Vanguard College Prep is seeking full-time Essay Specialists to help high schoolers craft authentic, powerful application essays. Our specialists don’t just edit words — they shape futures. With competitive pay, comprehensive benefits, and a collaborative culture of top-tier educators, this is a chance to grow with a company that values both excellence and balance.
As an Essay Specialist, job description:
● Provide asynchronous revision and feedback to high school students on their application essays
● Work on a project basis on both narrative and supplemental essays
● Collaborating with teams to provide in-depth feedback on essay drafts, conducting any necessary editing
work along the way.
● Model professionalism and strong organizational skills by managing students’ production schedules,
communicating with team members in a timely manner, and tracking/logging hours worked.
● Work Fixed Flex Schedule with Core Hours.
Requirements:
● Bachelor’s degree or higher from US schools
● Ideally a minimum of 2 years of editing experience, preferably in college admissions.
● Strong editing skills and mastery of the English language
● Access to a reliable internet connection and a private workspace without noise or distraction
The ideal candidate will also possess some or all of the following:
● Graduated from a top 50 University.
● A degree in a communication-based field (English, Language Arts, Journalism, Creative Writing,
Publishing, Anthropology, Public Policy, etc.)
● Experience tutoring high school and/or college-aged students in writing.
● Editing experience, especially in positions that require heavy editing to meet organizational standards.
● Experience in the college preparation service industry.
● Experience instructing remotely, using tools such as Google Workspace, Dropbox…etc.
● Strong organizational skills and the ability to multitask, balance multiple deadlines, and take responsibility
for students’ progress.
Why you want to be an Essay Specialist with Vanguard College Prep:
● Your feedback won’t just polish essays — it will help students discover their authentic voice and gain
admission to schools that change their lives.
As Vanguard continues to expand, we offer opportunities to take on leadership roles, train new specialists,
and contribute to innovative writing curriculum development.
Distinctive and individualized approach to creative writing and expression with a strong track record of
producing top-tier written work.
Elite team of instructors, counselors, and specialists from top universities across the nation who are
passionate about fostering student success.
Join a tight-knit team of educators who share resources, celebrate wins, and support each other through
ongoing professional development and mentorship.
Quickly-growing start-up environment that emphasizes creativity, collaboration, and mentorship.
Compensation:
● Starting Pay: $22.00 – $25.00 per hour depending on education, experience, and skill
○ Remote work
○ Flexible Schedule
○ Professional development opportunities
About Us:
At Vanguard College Prep, we guide ambitious high school students toward achieving their college and career
goals. We specialize in personalized admissions counseling, standardized test preparation, and long-term academic
mentoring for families who expect the highest standard of service.
Our mission is to empower students to reach
their full potential by helping them navigate the increasingly competitive U.S. and international admissions
landscape.
To apply, kindly email your resume to recruit@vanguardcp.com
The Ideal Minister, Part Time, First Baptist Church of Keene: Keene, NH
Who We Are:
First Baptist Church of Keene is a small, welcoming congregation with a generally moderate-to-liberal theological perspective, grounded in a shared commitment to following Jesus Christ. We affirm Jesus as the way, the truth, and the life, and understand his death and resurrection as both atonement for sin and the ultimate example of selfless love. Most in our congregation view the Bible as the inspired Word of God. We value individual conscience, encourage thoughtful faith, and embrace a diversity of perspectives (including on social and ethical issues) while intentionally keeping political divisions separate from our life together in Christ.
Our church culture is deeply relational, marked by a strong sense of family, mutual care, and inclusivity. Though small in size, we are committed to active participation from all members, believing that each person brings unique spiritual gifts essential to our shared ministry. Our congregation skews older but includes a few young families and children, and we strive to nurture connections across generations. We gather in a more casual and approachable setting, where all are welcomed without judgment and encouraged to belong.
Worship at First Baptist blends tradition and warmth, with a focus on hymns accompanied by organ and piano, complemented by occasional choir offerings and diverse musical expressions in weekly calls to worship. We believe strongly in the power of prayer. Beyond Sunday services, we are deeply engaged in serving our local community, with food-centered ministries playing a central role in our outreach and fellowship. Whether through shared meals, food drives, or partnerships with local organizations, we seek to embody Christ’s love in tangible ways within our neighborhood.
Who We’re Looking For:
The ideal minister is a compassionate and caring leader who embodies both grace and wisdom in service to others. They are an effective preacher whose sermons are Biblically-based to inspire spiritual growth, deepening the congregation’s connection to God and strengthening the Body of Christ. We believe that music is an essential part of worship, so it is imperative that they have an appreciation for the power of music within a service to amplify the message and uplift the congregation. Their ministry extends beyond the pulpit - they make regular pastoral visits to those in hospitals, nursing homes, and homes, offering comfort and presence in times of need. This pastor serves as a dependable counselor who listens with empathy and helps guide individuals through challenges while maintaining confidentiality and trust.
Equally committed to nurturing all members of the church, the ideal person engages effectively with children, youth, and adults alike, building a strong sense of fellowship within the congregation. They are welcoming and accepting of people with a wide range of perspectives, fostering unity within diversity. As a visible presence in the wider community, they model active faith and outreach, working regularly to welcome new members and to encourage the church’s involvement in missions. Through dedicated leadership, warmth, and inclusiveness, this minister helps the congregation grow in faith, service, and love.
Pastoral Responsibilities:
Spiritual Leadership and Vision – Serve as the spiritual leader of the church, helping to discern, shape, and communicate the God-given vision and mission of the congregation.
Worship Leadership – Plan and lead weekly worship services, administer ordinances (communion and believers’ baptism), and officiate weddings and funerals.
Preaching and Teaching – Proclaim the Gospel through preaching, Bible study, membership classes, and teaching that fosters spiritual growth and discipleship.
Pastoral Care – Provide pastoral counseling, including Biblical marriage counseling; visit and minister to the sick, shut-in, and those in need.
Servant Leadership and Mentoring – Model Christ-like servant leadership by mentoring and equipping members to use their spiritual gifts in their faith and ministry.
Team and Administrative Leadership – Oversee church operations, staff, and volunteers; serve as a church officer on the Leadership Board.
Community and Denominational Engagement – Participate in local, regional, and national Baptist programs, foster relationships with other churches, and support denominational mission efforts.
Communication and Presence – Maintain regular office hours, engage with the congregation and youth, and communicate effectively with church members, staff & volunteers, and community partners.
Personal Responsibilities:
- Appropriate time for personal reading, research, and prayer.
- Plan for continuing education annually.
- Take adequate vacation each year for renewal.
Qualifications:
- Conversant with Baptist polity.
- Master’s degree from a recognized seminary.
- Five or more years of experience in pastoral ministry in a role that involved preaching and supervision of staff.
- Fluent in basic computer skills (email, Microsoft Office, social media)
- Willing to participate in educational and enrichment opportunities.
We will be accepting applications through August 2026 and are hoping to hire for an October start.
Compensation range will be 30K-45K depending on experience (for part time). Our current intention is to find a part-time minister, given our size and needs. If we found a perfect candidate that is looking exclusively for full-time work, we do have resources to hire at a full time rate.
Website: https://firstbaptistkeenenh.org/
Rev. Dr. Sarah Laymon Hallstrand (’71)
The following obituary was originally published by Legacy Obituaries and can be found here.
Rev. Dr. Sarah Laymon Hallstrand, 81, died peacefully at her daughter's home in Memphis, TN on June 6, 2026, with her family by her side. She is survived by John Hallstrand, her beloved spouse of over 50 years; by her daughter Rev. Dr. Lillian Hallstrand Lammers, her son-in law Dr. Philip Lammers, M.D., three adoring granddaughters Ingrid, Miriam and Rosemary, a host of cousins, nieces and nephews, and many friends in her family of choice. She was preceded in death by her parents, Lillian Laymon and Rev. Dr. Charles Laymon, and her two brothers, Douglas Laymon and John Brooks Laymon.
Sarah was born in Nashville, Tennessee, spending most of her youth there before graduating from Lakeland High School in Lakeland, FL. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Religion from Florida Southern College, where she joined Alpha Gamma Delta Sorority and served on student government.
In a time when few women did, she followed her call to ministry and graduated from Boston University School of Theology. While working as Director of Christian Education at First Baptist Church in Syracuse, New York, in 1976 she was ordained as a Minister in the American Baptist Churches, USA. She served as Pastor at First Baptist Church in Oneida, New York before moving to Chicagoland and transitioning to a more than 20 year career with the Ministers and Missionaries Benefit Board, during which time she traveled across many states in the Great Rivers Region supporting fellow clergy and church staff. During her career she earned her Doctor of Ministry from McCormick Theological Seminary and her Certified Financial Planner certification.
After retiring in 2001 and moving to East Tennessee with John, Sarah stayed busy serving as an interim executive minister for two regions in the American Baptist Churches, and as interim pastor at a small United Methodist Church in the rural community of Tellico Plains. Together with her husband, the two wrote and published a children's book with all proceeds going to support a local animal shelter. An avid poet, in recent years her family convinced her to publish a book of some of her collected works, God is Forever Beginning.
Sarah's faith, openness, kindness, loyalty and compassion touched thousands of individuals throughout her life, and made her a friend to nearly every person she encountered. She was a multi-talented trailblazer, who inspired women to follow their calls to lead in life and in ministry.
A Memorial Service will be held at First Presbyterian Church in Downtown Memphis, Tennessee at 3:00 PM on Sunday, June 14, 2026. In lieu of flowers, please consider memorial contributions to the Alpha Gamma Delta Foundation, the American Baptist Historical Society or Friends of the Smokies.
Musician, Gig (Paid Per Appearance), Trinity-Trinidad Episcopal Church: Haverhill, MA
Job Description
We are looking for a musician to accompany our 10am Sunday service on keyboard from July through September 2026, until we are ready to begin the search for a permanent music director this fall. The interim musician would be welcome to apply for the permanent position.
Our music is a mix of traditional Episcopal hymns and more contemporary Spanish songs, which are chosen by the clergy. We have a historic pipe organ (Aeolian-Skinner Op 998), and would welcome candidates who play organ. Our ideal candidate is fluent in English and Spanish.
The duties involve:
• Practicing all music, made available by Tuesday each week.
• Meet with the priest at 9:15am on Sunday to review the service
• Accompanying the 10am service
There are no administrative duties for this position.
Compensation is $200 per call, usually one call per week. (We are open to negotiate a higher rate for a trained organist.) In addition to Sunday morning service, the musician may be offered the opportunity to play at weddings or funerals as the need arises at the same rate.
We are willing to consider candidates available for some, but not all, Sundays.
About our Congregation:
Trinity Episcopal Church is a small, inclusive, urban church in Haverhill, Massachusetts. Our community has about 100 active participants, and our average Sunday attendance is about 40. We are deeply involved with our neighborhood community. Our building hosts a neighborhood nonprofit founded by the church, as well as a Montessori Preschool and various community meetings.
Over the last three years, we have become a bilingual, multicultural community (English and Spanish). Our 10am worship service is conducted bilingually each week. We are working to build a bilingual, multicultural music program.
Skills and personal attributes sought:
• Strong musicianship on piano/keyboard. Experience in worship settings, especially Episcopal settings, is a plus.
• Preference for fluency in English and Spanish
• Willing to experiment with a variety of music styles to help nurture a bilingual, multicultural community.
• Reliability and punctuality
• Good interpersonal skills
• Attention to good and timely communication
For more information on our community, please refer to our website: www.trinityhaverhill.org.
To apply, please send resume to rector@trinityhaverhill.org