Congregational meeting for pastoral vote, Oct. 9th | Beloved Community Church: a diverse, inclusive, grace-filled community of people following Jesus

Almost one year ago, the members of Beloved Community Church entrusted a search committee to select a pastoral candidate for the church’s approval. Since then, we have spent hundreds of hours diligently and prayerfully reviewing in-depth ministerial profiles of fifteen applicants, including candidates from all over the United States, the UCC and other denominations. With great consideration, we narrowed our search to a few.

After interviewing each candidate twice, hearing them preach in person and talking to their references, we recommend Jennifer Sanders as the best candidate to pastor Beloved Community Church.

Many of you know Jennifer. She was born in Winston Salem, North Carolina and grew up in Austell, Georgia and Washington, DC. She has a B.A. in history and political science from Rice University, where she graduated magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. Following graduation, she was awarded a Thomas J. Watson Fellowship, which funded a yearlong independent study of community organizing and grassroots development in Mexico, Central America and India. She has an M.S. in Occupational Therapy from UAB and has worked with people with disabilities and acute illness at Restore Therapy, Children’s Hospital, Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Glenwood Autism and Behavioral Center, and United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Birmingham. She has graduate certificates in Food Security Studies and International Food Governance from Universitat Oberta de Catalunya.

Jennifer is currently enrolled in Chicago Theological Seminary’s distance education program and will graduate with a Masters in Divinity in the spring. She was honored by her seminary with the 2016-2017 Gilberto Castañeda award, which recognizes students who embody a commitment to LGBTQ theology and ministry in their intersections with other significant social justice issues. Two years ago, Jennifer developed an innovative approach to community ministry called What the Heart Holds: A Ministry of Manifest Concern for All Creation. She has been working at the intersections of public theology, anti-oppression, social justice advocacy, creative expression, pastoral care and conversation to explore how we find and express the sacred in everyday living.

Jennifer lives with her partner Phyllis, a clinical psychologist; daughter Lillian, a sophomore in high school; five dogs; a turtle and a frog. In her free time, she enjoys camping, kayaking, reading, and traveling. You can often find Jennifer drinking coffee and engaged in deep conversations, both in person and online, with people of all ages.

We believe Jennifer is the most outstanding choice to pastor Beloved Community and the person God has called to walk with us into our next chapter. She is a person of deep Christian faith, who follows the ways of Jesus in daily life and practice. She shows exceptional compassion, wisdom, care and understanding. She relates to people from different walks of life. She has experienced a clear call from God to minister to others and follows this call, teaching the good news both with and without words. She exhibits a clear understanding of the living word of God and comfortably ministers to people of all ages.

Where do we go from here?

We will have several opportunities to meet Jennifer anew in her role as ministerial candidate before we meet to vote on calling her as pastor on Sunday, October 9th.

Sunday, October 2nd, 3-4 PM: Join Jennifer as she helps administer the Blessing of the Animals with neighbors from The Abbey and Many Roads Spiritual Community at Beloved, a unique event which shows her commitment to ecumenical work.

Saturday, October 8th, 5:30-7:30 PM: Join Jennifer for pizza and conversation at Beloved. We will have time to mingle, as well as a question and answer period with Jennifer at 6 PM. Respond here to let us know if you plan to attend so that we’ll order enough food!

Other opportunities: If you would prefer to meet one-on-one with Jennifer, you can contact her to make arrangements.

Sunday, October 9th, 6 PM: Hear Jennifer preach, and vote on the recommendation to call.After church on Sunday October 9th, we will have a congregational meeting to hear a full report from the Search Committee, discuss the terms of the call agreement and vote on the recommendation to call Jennifer Sanders as a settled pastor. Only members of the church will be able to vote.

We believe that God has led us to this exciting moment in our ministry, and so does Jennifer. We look forward to growing together as a faith community, serving others, and proclaiming the good news of God’s love as we begin the next step on our spiritual journey. We hope that you will make every effort to attend this important congregational meeting on October 9th.

With gratitude,

Robyn Hyden
Chair, Beloved Community Search Committee

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