Hello My Siblings of Berkeley Methodist United,

I am humbled and pleased to begin my pastoral ministry with you in July.  I look forward to worshiping God in Christ with you; hearing your stories, the history of BMUC and what you are hearing from God about BMUC’s future ministry in Berkeley and in the world. I love all types of music and music styles and am pleased that BMUC is quite diverse in its music and music video styles for worship.

I want to share a bit about myself so that you might have some context about who I am today and how I listen for God’s call on my life and my ministry as pastor.

I have been a Christian for almost/most of my life, having been raised as a Catholic.  I left organized religion for a few years in my latter university years.  As I entered law school, I began a slow return to organized religion, experiencing different denominations.  I found my home in the United Methodist Church primarily because of the local church’s openness to and inclusion of everyone; because its history and formation (accidental, as it were) and call on the hearts of people for justice and mercy for the marginalized and impoverished.  I feel very connected to the connection of the head and heart, the personal and the communal, and the belief that the spirit yearns to grow more in love with God.

I am a single person.  I have two young adult daughters.  My eldest has just graduated from Lewis & Clark College in bio-chemistry.  She is preparing to attend medical school in 2024.  My youngest is a student UCSD studying cognitive science, with a focus on neural technology and a minor in data science.  They are both doing research and internships this summer.

As some of you know already, I live on my sailboat, which is located in Emeryville Marina.  Every since learning to sail in 1994, and sailing in several places for two weeks or so at a time, I have wanted to live on a sailboat.  Finally, in the spring of 2020 (of all times!) I was able to purchase a sailboat and transition to living on it, sailing in between times.

I am excited for our ministry together and looking forward to growing in faith and love with you all.  Blessings.

Shalom, Salaam,

Rev. Pamela L. Kurtz, Pastor

She/Her/Hers