On Sunday, August 18th, our new Vanderbilt Divinity School student pastor, Laura Hodges, joins our pastoral team! We are delighted Pastor Laura will be joining us! Laura and her spouse are new implants to Nashville from Cleveland, Ohio. Laura is starting her second year at Vanderbilt Divinity School where she is pursuing her M.Div. degree. She is a Member in Discernment with the United Church of Christ, seeking ordination and planning to pursue congregational ministry. Laura is “incredibly excited to get to know each of us and to learn what it means to be a part of Brookmeade!”
BIO
Laura Hodges (embraces all pronouns) grew up in Avon Lake, Ohio attending Avon Lake United Church of Christ. Her early faith formation was heavily influenced by her times spent at Temple Hills church camp as well as her passion for reading which included children’s Bibles and prayer books. Disillusioned with the church at thirteen, Laura spent time exploring other religions and spirituality before having a conversion experience at a Southern Baptist Church at sixteen. Since then, Laura returned to the UCC tradition where she feels she can reconcile her deep love for Jesus Christ and her commitments to love and seek justice for people of all racial/ethnic backgrounds, sexual orientations, gender identities, abilities, and socio-economic situation. Having attained her undergraduate degree from Calvin University, in Grand Rapids, MI, Laura began her ordination process with Avon Lake UCC and enrolled at Vanderbilt Divinity School where she hopes to graduate with her Master’s of Divinity in the spring of 2021. In her free time, Laura loves to draw, write, read, play with her dog and cat, rock climb, and spend time with her husband James.
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