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REV. SUSAN SPARKS

Senior Pastor

  As a trial lawyer, turned standup comedian and Baptist minister, Rev. Susan Sparks is America’s only female comedian with a pulpit. After ten years as a lawyer moonlighting as a standup, she left her practice and spent two years on a solo trip around the world, including working with Mother Teresa’s mission in Calcutta, climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro and driving the Alaska Highway. Upon returning home, she entered Union Theological Seminary in New York City where she earned a Master of Divinity and wrote an honors thesis on humor and religion.  In May 2007, Susan was installed as MABC's fifteenth Senior Minister and the first woman in its 162 year history.

Susan’s work with humor has been featured in O (The Oprah) Magazine, CBS New The Early Show, the New York Times, on such networks as ABC and CNN, as a regular guest with country music star Naomi Judd on “Naomi’s New Morning” on the Hallmark Channel, and in numerous comedy clubs, including Caroline’s in New York City.  She was recently honored by Intersections International for her interfaith work to promote justice, reconciliation and peace among diverse communities.  

Susan is a featured blogger for Huffington Post, Psychology Today and Day 1.  Her new book, Laugh Your Way to Grace: Reclaiming the Spiritual Power of Humor, was named one of the best spiritual books of 2010 and has sold over 10,000 copies. 

If you are totally bored and looking to surf further, check out www.susansparks.com.

   
 

 

PAUL STEPHAN

Minister of Music

  Paul Stephan is a graduate of Ithaca College, the University of Utah, and the BMI – Lehman Engle Musical Theater Workshop.  His one act musical A Unicorn in the Garden, based on the fable by James Thurber, was performed at the Festival of Musicals in Miniature at St. Paul’s Church.  He directed productions of La Cenerentola, La Clemenza di Tito, and La Scala di Seta; musical direction includes Free to Be You and Me, Godspell, Brigadoon, Stop the World I Want to Get Off, and the New York premiere of Heroes.  He served as artistic director for Cooper OperaWorks and wrote English performing translations for several productions, including Le Astuzie Femminili (The Crafty Women) by Cimarosa, and Il Mondo della Luna (The Man in the Moon) by Haydn.  His choral setting of the 23rd Psalm was sung at the anniversary services sponsored by the New York Annual Conference of the UMC remembering 9/11, and he recently received a Bistro award for his collaboration on Three Tenors… In Search of an Act.  He works as a freelance musician and teacher in New York City and his first CD, Sue & Edd's Fabulous Christmas, was released in 2007.  For more info see http://www.pstephan.com/.
   
 

 

Leslie Jackson

www.lesliejackson.com

Assistant Minister

  Leslie grew up in Houston, Texas and has been involved in the “church” practically all of his life.  His church experience includes a wide range of different denominations and worship settings.  He jokingly calls himself a bapta-pentacosta-palian.  Although he has had an opportunity to worship in a variety of ways, his family, however, was firmly rooted in the Baptist tradition.  He is passionate about issues of poverty including homelessness, affordable housing, hunger, and education.  Leslie served in the United States Navy for five years and is a graduate of the University of Phoenix.  He is currently pursuing a Master of Divinity professional degree from Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York.  He plans on declaring a focus in the area of Pastoral Ministry and Theology.
 
   
  PASTORAL STAFF
  • Rev. Susan Sparks, Pastor
  • Leslie Jackson, Assistant Minister
  • Paul Stephan, Minister of Music
  • Faith Grill, Moderator
  • Faith Grill, Chairperson, Trustees
  • Melvin Bell, Chairperson, Community Ministries
  • Frieda Lane, Chairperson, Deacons
  • Lane & Ana Bivians, Chairpersons, Christian Education
  • Melvin Bell, Coordinator, Shelter for the Homeless
  • Andrea Bell, Clerk
  • Nancy Rivera, Treasurer
  • Brian Crowson, Administrative Assistant
  • Jamie Rodriguez, Bookkeeper
  • Troy Gordon, Sexton
 
  MUSIC
  • MABC Choir:
    • Alexandra de Suze
    • Brian Long
    • Richard Binder
    • Erika Buchholz
    • Karen Rich
    • Doug Shapiro

     

 

   

 

 

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