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REV. SUSAN SPARKS
Senior Pastor
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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. |
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PAUL STEPHAN
Minister of Music
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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/. |
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Leslie Jackson
www.lesliejackson.com
Assistant Minister
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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.
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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
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MUSIC
- MABC Choir:
- Alexandra de Suze
- Brian Long
- Richard Binder
- Erika Buchholz
- Karen Rich
-
Doug Shapiro
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