Rev. Abigail A. Henrich, CEO and Pastor

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Abby is the pastor and chief evangelist at Grace Community Boston. But mostly she is just a fellow traveler wondering how to live faithfully and follow Jesus in the 21st century. She loves God, has been claimed by a guy named Jesus even though she tried to resist, and is passionate about the emergent progressive christian church.  

Abby is a graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary and Colgate University. She is married to the theologian below, is the mother of three, and spends a great deal of time doing dishes and sorting lunch boxes. She is a collector of stories, a baker, and a terrible knitter.



Rev. Jon Paul Sydnor, PhD, Theologian in Residence

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Jon Paul is resident theologian at Grace Community Boston. But really, everybody at Grace is a theologian, and everybody’s opinion counts, and no one is expected to tow any party line. Jon Paul is just the member who thinks about God professionally. "It’s fun and challenging to do theology in a community where experience is a lot more important than belief, and where feeling the spirit is more important than thinking the right thoughts."

Jon Paul is a graduate of the University of Virginia, Princeton  Seminary, and Boston College. He teaches world religions at Emmanuel College in Boston, and he happily includes what he learns from other faiths into his Christian practice. When not teaching or writing or unloading the dishwasher he spends as much time as possible with his beloved family. He is also obsessed with his netflix queue and soccer. 

Owen Akeley, Music Director

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Owen is a man of many hats— educator, singer, yogi, surfer, skater, guitarist, world traveler, and so much more. At Grace, he brings his musical talents to the forefront, using his gift for song and performance to spread joy through the community. 

Each week, he prioritizes finding contemporary, accessible, and thought-stirring music that can be enjoyed by all, from the hardcore theologian to the fidgety pre-teen. Having long considered music to be his “mother tongue,” he thrives off the energetic interaction between performer and audience, knowing it to be a two-way street— whenever someone thanks him for playing, he’s always sure to thank them, in turn, for listening.

A native of Walpole, MA, Owen graduated from the Roxbury Latin School in 2012 and earned his BA in English from Vanderbilt University in 2016. He is a RYT-200 Yoga Instructor, and spends his weekdays working as a school teacher.





Kathy Schlecht, Spiritual Companion in Residence

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Kathy is a lively, retired social worker whose current call is as Spiritual Director and companion in Residence at Grace Community, as well as on Facebook and Zoom. Kathy has been practicing Spiritual Direction for 9 years, and has a certificate in Spiritual Direction from Cardinal Stritch University and San Damiano House of Prayer. She has a Masters in Social Work from Boston University, and loved her 32 year adventure in School Social Work.

Kathy delights in being an active and involved member at Grace. She is active in many facets of Grace Community’s life, outreach, community support, and loves to cook dinner!   Kathy has a deep history in social action, facilitating groups and retreats, and an eclectic prayer life. She is pursuing additional training in working with grief, trauma and belonging, and life transitions through Spiritual Directors International.
 
Kathy enjoys cooking, knitting, paddleboarding , swimming, traveling with her wife Sue, and spending time with friends and family.