Pastor

Elaine grew up in the Rochester area, and returned in Nov. 2019 to begin a call at Summerville Presbyterian Church. She most recently spent six years serving a church in rural Northwest Missouri. Elaine is a graduate of Ithaca College, the University of Maryland, and Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. 

In this changing season in the life of the church, Elaine believes that relationships are at the heart of what it means to do ministry. As followers of Jesus, we are called to see the dignity, worth, giftedness, and beloved-ness of every person we encounter, remembering that they bear God’s image just as we do. When we are able to see one another through that lens, we can start to see where our gifts intersect, where we do have common ground even in the midst of profound differences, where we can combine our gifts and energy to do more, where we can gain vocabulary to ask new questions and wrestle with new ideas, how we can expand our understanding of what it means to love one another as Christ has loved us, and reflect that love out into the world around us. 

Elaine and her husband Nate are wanna-be foodies who enjoy cooking, trying new foods and cuisines, and finding hole-in-the-wall restaurant gems. They are enjoying exploring the Rochester area and discovering a new-to-them city with their young daughter.