04/14/2026
Author to speak at St. Paul’s
On Sunday, April 19th at 11:45, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Lancaster will be hosting author Polly Merritt Ingraham who will be talking about her book, Unconverted: Memoir of a Marriage. Polly is a graduate of Dartmouth College and the Bread Loaf School of English and is an “extroverted agnostic” whose husband is Bishop of the New Hampshire Episcopal Church. Throughout their thirty years of marriage, three children, and four relocations, she has remained steadfast in her personal interests and love of family. At the same time, she has deepened her understanding of herself, her husband, and their marriage. In this reflective and candid book, Polly talks about her marriage to the devout Divinity student even though she does not practice religion. She tells how overtime they built their life of family and community, and how she created a comfortable life as a clergy’s wife.
Polly and her husband, Bishop Robert Hirschfeld live in Hopkinton, New Hampshire. Over the years she has taught high school English and managed job training development programs for adults and teenagers. She is now managing a “School to Career” program in a NH high school. Growing up she was immersed in the natural world as she followed around four older brothers. She also acquired a love for sports which she has maintained through her adult life.
About 18 years ago she started jotting things down in a journal she called her “clergy wife journal.” After a while, she started sending essays to newspapers. While living in Massachusetts, Polly launched a blog called “The Panorama of a Pastor’s Wife.” This is her first book written with a voice that is candid and warm.
“I found the story moving way beyond any traditional clergy wife tale, asking deep questions about faith and commitment, and offering a hopefulness for the future of diversity.” (Mary Carroll Moore, bestselling author of A Woman’s Guide to Search and Rescue.) The book will be available for purchase or it can be found at local libraries. All are welcome to come and listen to this presentation on the 19th at St. Paul’s in Lancaster.
