Leah Lonsbury

Our congregation voted to call Rev. Leah Lonsbury as associate pastor at a special congregational meeting on Oct. 25. She began work at Memorial on Jan. 4, 2010. Here is an introduction. You can also read an essay she wrote about her views on ministry by clicking here.

Leah grew up in the Kansas City area and originally set out to be a high school English teacher. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa in 2000. Her studies included a semester abroad at the University of Sussex in Brighton, England. She taught from 2000 to 2002 in Kansas City as a communications arts teacher and spent summers working as camp staff and editing curriculum.

But the world of faith has deep roots in her life.  Her grandfather was a pastor in the American Baptist church – the liberal side of the Baptist tradition in this country. In college, not only did she major in English, she also minored in religion. She did an internship at a church leading Bible study and youth events.

Then in 2002, she responded to the call she felt to explore vocational ministry. She entered Candler School of Theology in Atlanta, Ga. to pursue a Master of Divinity degree. Candler has its roots in the Methodist tradition and is one of the leading theological centers in the nation. She was a staff member from 2003 to 2005 in the Office of Worship at Candler. While she was at Candler, she became part of the community at Oakhurst Baptist Church, one of the congregations on the cutting edge of creating a progressive movement among Baptists in this country. She interned there in 2003-2004.

Leah’s experience in Clinical Pastoral Education was a bit outside the usual. CPE usually takes place in a hospital or nursing home or hospice. Leah’s CPE was at a program in Atlanta serving that city’s diverse homeless population.

After earning her degree and receiving ordination in 2005 at Oakhurst Baptist Church, Leah received a call to be minister of discipleship at First Baptist Church in Madison. She has been there since August 2006, providing leadership in worship planning, helping develop lay leaders for ministry, guiding their Christian education program, providing pastoral care and working with youth.  She has also been deeply involved in the community groups like Dane County United, the Greater Isthmus Group and Madison-area Urban Ministry.  Along with Rev. Tisha Brown of Community of Hope UCC in Madison, she did the worship planning in 2008 for the nationally-renowned annual Washington Island Forum in Door County.  Leah currently sits on the board of the Alliance of Baptists, an ecumenical and progressive fellowship of faith communities that has a partnership with the UCC and the Disciples of Christ.

Leah, 31, is married to Justin Lonsbury, who is working on his doctorate in educational policy studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. They have two children – four-year old Aiden and 9 month-old, Mara. She likes to cook, travel, read, and spend time with family and friends. She says, “I very much look forward to the opportunity to serve and journey with the people of Memorial UCC.  I am excited to know you, to grow with you, and to seek God with you.”