Penny grew up in New Hampshire and attended Portland Baptist College in Maine, earning a B.A. in Religious Education. She completed her Masters in Divinity at Alliance Theological Seminary in New York, followed by doctoral studies at Fordham, and received her Doctorate in Ministry from San Francisco Theological Seminary in 2001.
She has served as Campus Minister at both Columbia University, New York, and San Francisco State. In between those two positions, Penny spent a year doing mission work in South Africa. She has also served as a university director in student affairs and organizational development; and as a social justice community foundation director and board president.
Most recently, Penny served at the Metropolitan Community Church in San Francisco as co-pastor (1996 - 2000), and as Senior Minister (2000 - 2006). She was responsible for five services each week for this church of more than 500 members. Penny was granted privilege of call in the United Church of Christ in April 2007. She has a passion for excellence in worship, and was recently invited by the Pacific School of Religion, Berkeley, to teach its foundation course on preaching.
Penny and Annlee, her partner of 16 years, have a 5 year old daughter.
As one called to spiritual leadership in the 21st century, my passion is to carry on the emboldened legacy of the long line of prophets who have done justice, loved kindness and walked in humility with their God and their people. Standing in the great tradition of prophetic Christianity, I believe that the spirit has anointed me to bring healing to the broken-hearted, to loose the chains of systemic oppression, to walk in peace amidst an often violent world, to help release those in fearful captivity and to preach and live the good news of liberation. Ministry is characterized by faithful service to all humanity, to the earth and all her beings, to the quest for equality and justice, and to the church gathered in community. Above all, ministry is joyful devotion to the One who is Love itself.
My particular calling has always been within and among beloved community. Together we open our mouths to be a voice for the voiceless, open our hearts to experience transformation, and open our minds to be the change we seek to see in the world. With our whole selves, we find our passion in worshiping the God of many names and in our authentic connection with one another. Within community, I view each of my servant-leader roles-- preacher, teacher, counselor, mentor, writer, administrator, theologian and community leader – as an opportunity to be a channel through which compassion, truth, peace, integrity and love are experienced so that the realm of God is visceral, real, tangible.
In a life dedicated to service the form ministry takes will change, but the essence and character of ministry abides in the life and work of the minister. Only those who have experienced ministry with me can attest to this essence and character. But here are my ideals, theology, values and beliefs about ministry:
Ministry is healing. I believe in the power of prayer, the power of healing, and the power of presence. I have witnessed what simple presence can mean at the bed of one who is dying, as loved ones were gathered with them or as I sat with them alone. A presence of joy as people are joined in holy commitment to one another. A presence of awe as children are blessed. Showing up and being fully present is the heartbeat of ministry, and it brings healing.
Ministry is liberating. I heard years ago, “if the gospel is not liberating, it’s not the gospel.” This is my preaching mantra. The good news leads to liberation, even when that news may be difficult to hear. Through the preaching of grace and the doing of justice, people are liberated from fear and selfishness, from lethargy and isolation, from suffering and despair and from all that keeps us from the fullness of our connection to divine spirit and to our own and other’s humanity.
Ministry is inclusive. More than a buzz word, more than a ministry concept, radical inclusion is the essence of a liberating and engaging ministry. Inclusion not for the sake of inclusion, but because we really believe that we do not see God’s fullness, live Christ’s revolutionary teachings, or experience spirit’s movement without it. Inclusion means taking people just as they are. My greeting to community is always—“whoever you are, wherever you come from, you are welcome.” People from all walks of life ought to feel “at home” even if their beliefs or ways are perceived as different.
Ministry is transformational. If spirit is alive in ministry, transformation happens. We are being changed, and we are unafraid to experience the power of renewal and resurrection. All of us, including myself, are transformed in our thinking, our seeing, our ways of being in the world. We listen to one another’s stories, we partner in holding the suffering of the world, we rejoice with abandon whenever justice prevails and hope is restored—and we are changed.
Ministry is passionate. I think one reason people come to church is to feel. We pray together—an intimate act; we share a sign of peace with a hug—a safe touch; we sing and as we open our mouths our hearts begin to soften—a joyful vulnerability; we share a meal and in that moment experience a state of grace—where there is enough food for everyone, and all are welcome. These holy moments of passion help us touch those deep wells of sacred humanity within and reignite in us our capacities to live fully and to dream of the possible. We remind one another that we are called, each of us, to live our one “wild and precious life” as poet Mary Oliver says.
Ministry is relevant. Sacred texts come alive and grip us with meaning as we allow them to intersect our reality. The teachings of Jesus and the wisdom of other great spiritual leaders call us to live out connection with God in our everyday interactions. How we embrace the radical gospel affects our bank accounts, our work habits, our family life, our consumerism and our individual participation in globalization and ecological sustainability. These are the realities of our North American lives and a relevant ministry speaks into the midst of those realities.
Ministry is embodied. Ministry must never let theology or doctrine be placed above bodies. We are created in the image of God and our bodies, as well as our souls, are sacred. The wars of racism, sexism, homohatred, ableism are fought on the battleground of bodies. And the realm of grace, imagination, kindness, and community are lived out and through sacred bodies, yours and mine. The gospel is not theoretical, it is practical. Orthopraxis is more important than orthodoxy. The underlying and overarching melody of my ministry is God has no hands but our hands, no feet but our feet, no face but our face.
Ministry fosters authentic community. There are few places where people can come together across race, gender, age, abilities, economic status and sexual orientations and share the truth of their lives. We come together not for ourselves alone, but for that which is far greater than all of us together. And we can do together that which we could never do alone. True spirituality is lived out in community where we practice reconciliation and forgiveness and where we dare to believe that we can make a difference.
Ministry broadens the faiths of all involved. As the world is increasingly divided along religious lines, we are called to widen our boundaries. Ministry in this century must be inter-religious. Honoring other people and their traditions serves only to enrich and deepen our own faith tradition. Beauty begets more beauty, and truth begets more truth, and all are enhanced.
Being an ordained minister in the church is a particular calling, but not a special calling. I am called to be part of the body of God in the world. After a long and beautiful relationship with my beloved community at MCC/SF, I said to them as I left—“it has been my job to serve you. But it has been my pleasure to love you.” I seek to be in each moment a Lover of God and lover of people and I pray that is how my ministry is experienced. And, it is my deep desire to share that love in a new community and to do ministry together.
