The Rev. Dr. Stephanie May will be the next settled minister of First Church Boston—the first woman senior minister in its almost 400-year history.
After a lengthy search process that began with congregational discussions and surveys, First Church Boston’s Ministerial Search Committee proposed Rev. Dr. May as the minister best suited to the needs and aspirations of First Church.
Enthusiasm built throughout Candidating Week as Rev. Dr. May led worship services on April 30 and May 7, met with church leaders and committees, and led in-person and Zoom discussions with the congregation, sharing her experience, her enthusiasm for First Church, and her awareness of both opportunities and challenges.
At the special church meeting following the May 7 service, the congregation voted unanimously to call Rev. Dr May and she accepted the call to become the next settled minister of First Church Boston, beginning in fall 2023. Throughout the congregation, there is a shared sense that Rev. Dr. May is the right minister for First Church Boston at this pivotal moment.
She is a builder of community and a preacher of compelling sermons. She is engaged both with partnering on large issues and meeting individual needs.
Rev. Stephanie balances hands-on engagement with exploration of life’s questions through religion, philosophy, and personal reflection. Her knowledge and scholarship are deep, with a Masters in Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary and a Doctorate in Theology from Harvard Divinity School. Her central beliefs, her interest in history, her experience as a teacher and scholar as well as a minister—these combine with engaging warmth and energy in both worship and daily interaction.
Rev. Stephanie’s website provides an opportunity to hear from her directly, to know her better through her ministry at First Parish in Wayland, to learn about her leadership in public ministry and her commitment to social justice, in particular issues of domestic violence, racial equity, and climate change.
Rev. Stephanie is a proud native of Michigan. She and her longtime partner Bill Churchill currently live in Lincoln, and her son Alek is a student at UMassBoston. When not at church or home, you’re likely to find Rev Stephanie at a campsite or in a kayak enjoying the outdoors.