The Pennsylvania Southeast Conference Consistory is pleased to introduce Rev. Dr. Susan Minasian as the Interim Associate Conference Minister for Search and Call. Susan’s selection concludes a search that began Dec. 1 after the announcement of Rev. Sharon Morris’s resignation. The Consistory created a brief interim profile, solicited potential candidates, conducted interviews and selected Susan for her considerable gifts and skills for ministry gleaned from more than thirty years of experience.Susan is no stranger to our Conference. She was the pastor of Tabernacle United Church in Philadelphia at the beginning of her Ministry. She has served on the staff of Lancaster Theological Seminary (Adjunct Professor and Director of Admissions), was the chaplain of Franklin & Marshall College, the founder of Disciples Community Church in Lancaster and most recently pastored Sojourners United Church of Christ in Charlottesville, Virginia. Susan will begin her work on February 24th to provide leadership for pastors and congregations in the Search and Call process and to work closely with the Conference Staff and Consistory during the interim period to discern the future pastoral, spiritual leadership needs and structures of our Conference.
Writing about her sense of call Susan shared, “I believe my call to authorized ministry began with my baptism into the church. I was nurtured in an Armenian family that embraced God as love and my parents found that embodied in this denomination. Later I was confirmed and then ordained to Word and Sacrament in the United Church of Christ… It was through theological education that this call by God took on a different shape. I was launched into spiritual practices that have shaped my identity as a clergy person. I was steeped into the love of learning and now as one who has earned my Doctor of Ministry degree I feel as though lifelong learning is a spiritual practice I will always embrace as a way of deepening my understanding of the mysteries of God. I have experienced moments in my life that could have sent me into total despair. In spite of that, there has always been this spark of God that has been my constant nudge to not only survive the challenges and suffering in life but to thrive. I believe that this call is one of healing, justice and empowerment because I have not only read about these miracles in the sacred texts but I have lived them in my life. When I meet people full of despair I don’t talk them out of it. I do however, remind them that we are never alone and that we are not only made in God’s image but we are called to an abundant life.”
Please pray for Susan and our Conference ministries as we prepare to embark on this new and exciting relationship and this time of Spirit-led transition and transformation.
Ms. Jennie Strauch, Conference Moderator
Rev. Bill Worley, Conference Minister
