|
Gretchen was born and raised, the oldest of two, in the city of Chicago, where her parents still live. She received her B.A. in Religion at Denison University in Granville, OH prior to moving to New York City, where she received her Masters of Divinity at Union Theological Seminary and her Degree in Anglican Studies from General Theological Seminary.
Gretchen has an abiding concern and interest in issues of hunger and homelessness. This was especially developed in college and while working for two years for the Appalachia Service Project, an emergency home repair organization in the mountains of Appalachia. While in New York, Gretchen served as Pastoral Associate at the Church of the Holy Apostles, a unique church in Manhattan that hosts the second largest soup kitchen in the country. Gretchen worked most closely with the Soup Kitchen by leading Morning Prayer, a service attended largely by the kitchen's guests. These faithful people taught Gretchen how to lead worship and how to truly use the prayer book.
At Trinity, you will most likely find Gretchen coordinating with her fabulous Christian Formation leaders, talking with children, parishioners, and youth, furiously writing emails, dreaming about youth group and confirmation, sermonizing, and trying to live in the now. Almost always you will find her accompanied by Jello: her adopted, anxiety-ridden 10-year-old German Shepherd, whose trust can be bought with treats.
She lives in Minneapolis with her husband John, who is currently in his medical residency at the University of Minnesota. In her spare time, she enjoys walking, running, and biking, exploring her new city - especially the trail system; cooking, reading, watching bad TV, and spending time with her husband.
|
