Category: Uncategorized

April 2018

Greetings in the name of our risen Lord Jesus the Christ!

I am filled with joy on the occasion of my appointment to serve as the United Methodist pastor in the village of Red Hook. The Holy Spirit is restlessly leading us forward; where will this faith journey take us? Prayerfully, and resting on the sure foundation of being cradled by God’s grace, we will discover the Way together. I am eager to build relationships with the community as we seek to respond to the call of Jesus upon our lives.

I come to this community as a first-time head pastor, but with a rich and varied experience of service to the church. I have 3 years of experience as a student pastor and pulpit supply preacher under my belt. Prior to that I was a very involved layperson in my local church and the greater United Methodist Church. Highlights of my past include developing and leading a contemporary worship service, designing and leading a confirmation class and adult bible studies, and engaging my passion for mission work both in my immediate neighborhood and globally.

I am a recent Master’s in Divinity degree graduate of Drew Theological School in Madison, NJ, finishing my coursework with academic award recognition. I also recently completed a unit of Clinical Pastoral Education at the Westchester Medical Center, where I served as a chaplain intern. I am a certified candidate for ordination in the New York Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, and have successfully completed coursework and earned my Local Pastor’s license. God has definitively called me into pastoral leadership! I left behind an eight-year career as an engineer at IBM to answer this call, and I bring the gifts of a scientific and corporate background to impart upon the ministry.

A significant role I fulfill is to care for my two children, Jocelyn, age 12, and Zane, age 10. They are bright, athletic, and compassionate children, and it is a true gift to be their mother. I give thanks for them each day. In my spare time, I enjoy running, hiking, cooking and baking, enjoying nature, and gardening. I find that one of life’s true gifts is friendship, and so I dedicate some of my time each day to developing relationships with dear friends.

I look forward to welcoming all to the Red Hook United Methodist Church! Let’s discover together just how far our faith adventure may take us. I pray God’s blessings upon the community of Red Hook!

Much peace,

Pastor Nikki Edleman