08/30/2026
Announcing St. PJ's New Pastoral Care Associate: Kelly Park!!!
A NOTE FROM REV. NATHAN
As announced in church this morning, I am delighted to share that St. PJ's has offered the role of Pastoral Care Associate (half-time) to our friend Kelly Park, and Kelly has answered the call!
Please see below for a personal re-introduction from Kelly to the parish. She will officially step into this new role on Tuesday, September 15.
Kelly is already well known to many St. PJ's members, who came to love and trust her as our 2025-2026 seminarian intern. In that previous role, her focus was on adult formation with a side of hospitality -- but her talent for pastoral relationships also shone through. We began to discuss the possibility of her applying for this new position in early spring, as soon as I learned that her family had decided to stay in New Haven after her graduation from Berkeley Divinity at Yale.
In her new position as Pastoral Care Associate -- previously called the Minister for Spirituality and Aging -- Kelly will be the parish's primary point-of-contact for pastoral care* while also leading the volunteer Pastoral Care Team, coordinating our Safe Church Training requirements, creating special programming for senior citizens in the parish and neighborhood, and building multigenerational community at St. PJ's.
(*Rev. Nathan is also available for pastoral care when Kelly is away or a priest is needed.)
After Kelly's second-round panel interview during the application process, our panelists were all smiles. Asked "What do you think?", David T. didn't miss a beat before immediately replying, "When can she start?" Tudy H. added, "Ten thumbs up!" and Judy L. vigorously nodded her agreement: "Yes to all of that, all of that!"
This will be an exceptionally good thing for us all. Please congratulate and re-welcome Kelly and her family the next time you see them!
AN INTRODUCTION NOTE FROM KELLY
Greetings, St. PJ’s! I am so excited to be writing to you as your new half-time Pastoral Care Associate. For those who don’t know me, I am Kelly Park. I’ve spent a lot of my working life as a nanny and housekeeper. Domestic work where I can care for people, brighten their days, and make life feel just a little easier is work that I really love. I’m very much looking forward to being able to do those things in a new way, in a ministerial context in this next chapter.
I graduated in May from Yale Divinity School with my Master of Divinity degree, as well as a Diploma in Anglican Studies from Berkeley Divinity School. In school and out, I love learning about church history, participating in devotional practice as part of a close community, and imagining what the future of the church could look like. While at YDS, I served as a member of Berkeley’s Hospitality Ministry Team. Coordinating and cooking for a weekly Community Dinner, daily Coffee Hour breakfasts after Morning Prayer, various special events and lectures, and welcoming guests to the newly renovated Berkeley Center on St. Ronan St.
In addition to my role at St. PJ’s, I will be working this year as the new half-time Hospitality Coordinator at Berkeley, helping the new student team to continue in this work of welcome.
I was born and raised near Cleveland, Ohio, but have also lived in Cincinnati, OH; Pittsburgh, PA; and Big Sur and San Diego, CA. My family and I moved this spring from New Haven's West River neighborhood to the Fair Haven / East Rock area. We love having people over for dinner, trying local coffee shops, walking around our new neighborhood, and visiting the library. I enjoy reading and writing, asking questions and having conversations, and thinking about and acting on what takes a group of people and creates belonging and community among them.
I am thrilled to be beginning this work of care and connection with you all. Please do reach out with any questions or concerns, dreams or ideas, needs or invitations - I would love to talk with you!
