Rev.
Ann Gibert
What are your achievements in your current position?
Surviving COVID! Learning to do online worship using Zoom and Facebook Live and other work-
arounds to stay in contact with the congregation during lockdown. Creating and supporting an
emergency food pantry. Encouraging and building connections with other agencies and
congregations in our community. Helping support and encourage a small, elderly congregation
to have confidence in themselves and their gifts. They had been through a rough stretch with a
previous pastor and there was a lot of contention and skepticism when I arrived, which has
been overcome. Active participation with our community clergy group.
What are the theological themes which guide your work as a pastor?
First, always, is looking at all things through the eyes of love and grace. I believe in the Holy
Trinity, and that therefore, like the nature of God in the form of the Holy Trinity, we are called
into relationship and community. I believe Scripture is alive and speaks to us today just as it has
to those who have gone before us. The church is always in the process of reforming and
transforming, and our job is to prayerfully discern where God is calling us.
In what specific ways have you led your current congregation(s) to fulfill its (their) mission of
making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world?
Encouraging them to use their gifts in outreach to the community through a sleeping bag
ministry, providing winter hats for those in need, emergency food pantry, special offerings to
support new, young mothers and their babies, and our community food pantry.
Describe your leadership style and any specialized trainings in which you have participated?
I was raised in the Presbyterian church and also often attended Episcopal services before I
became a Methodist. I also attended a Lutheran seminary. All those types of worship have
strengths and weaknesses. I enjoy ritual and liturgy, but not when they are done in a way that
seems cold and impersonal. I am a storyteller, and especially enjoy helping a congregation
understand how the Bible/God's story connects to our story. I am accustomed to a fairly
traditional service, but am open to other styles. I would describe my personal worship
leadership style as "traditional, informal and warm" with a strong dose of humor. I have "Holy
Humor Sunday" each year on the Sunday after Easter, and I have been known to wear quite the
collection of funny hats. Stuffy is not for me.
Career prior to serving as a pastor? Paralegal, Church secretary, Director of Family Ministries
