Rebecca Sundquist
647 Moraine Rd. Chesterton,IN
Summary
To seek and maintain a full-time position that offers professional challenges in being the hands and feet of Jesus in the world. To be a person of belonging and becoming to all God's children through spiritual practice and faith formation, social justice and empowerment. To equip people with tools for discernment, empowerment and wholeness.
Overview
20
20
years of professional experience
Work History
Minister
First Christian Church (Disciples Of Christ)
Highland, IN
10.2017 - Current
- Develop and curate worship experiences weekly as well as special opportunities throughout year.
- Provide spiritual care through visitation, counseling and prayer.
- Oversee administration and management of all areas of ministry.
- Work with key church leaders to carry out church mission.
- Raise congregational awareness of needs in church and community and celebrate contributions by individuals and groups.
- Lead programs such as worship, study, fellowship and service opportunities.
- Officiate special services such as weddings, funerals, and baptisms.
- Supervise small staff including adding new staff position of Minister of Technology.
- Written and awarded several grants to aid in ministry projects (including technology grant at start of pandemic, faith formation grant for addition of labyrinth on church grounds, and funding for church community gardens).
- Carry out day-day-day duties accurately and efficiently.
- Implement new ministry initiatives.
- Create innovative opportunities for togetherness and mission during COVID-19 pandemic.
- Provide opportunities for education, awareness and action for justice ministries.
- Provide Biblical Studies.
- Acquired a great deal of knowledge in technology such as web design, social media maintenance, online worship and basic filmmaking.
- Nurture and support a candidate for commissioned lay ministry.
- Seek continuing education opportunities regularly (specifically with a faith formation emphasis).
- Led FCC Highland to become a Green Chalice congregation that covenants to be good stewards of God's earth in all areas of ministry.
- Create intergenerational opportunities to grow and connect together in faith.
- Engaged in ministry and partnership with the Northwest Indiana Interfaith Coalition.
Minister
South Side Christian Church
Kokomo, IN
09.2010 - 09.2017
- Cultivate weekly and seasonal worship experiences.
- Supervised staff.
- Provided spiritual care through visitation, counseling and prayer.
- Oversaw administration and management of all areas of ministry.
- Officiated weddings, funerals, baptisms and other special worship services.
- Oversaw yearly domestic mission trips.
- Cultivated awareness of important justice issues.
- Cultivated new leadership to rise up and serve.
- Provided intergenerational faith formation experiences.
- Worked with Week of Compassion on 2 recovery efforts following tornadoes in Kokomo.
- Led SSCC to become a Green Chalice Congregation to be good stewards of God's earth in all areas of ministry.
- Work with NAMI Kokomo
Associate Minister
First Christian Church (Disciples Of Christ)
Springfield, IL
08.2001 - 08.2010
- Worked under direction and leadership of Senior Minister.
- Given freedom to initiate, create and implement outreach opportunities.
- Engaged weekly in worship and seasonal worship experiences.
- Led youth ministries and intergenerational faith formation experiences.
- Organized and led yearly mission trip opportunities.
- Created partnership with area school that is ongoing today.
- Taught courses in social justice issue awareness and Biblical Awareness.
- Officiated weddings, funerals and baptisms.
- Chaplain for Springfield Chapter for National Alliance on Mental Illness.
- Participant in interfaith community group.
- Presided over the Invocation for the Illinois State Legislature.
Education
M. Div - Summa Cum Laude
The Theological School of Drew University
Madison, NJ05.2001
Bachelor of Arts - Religious Studies
Hiram College
Hiram, OH05.1998
Skills
- Public speaker;
- Program Planning for intergenerational ministry as well as specific age groups;
- Excel in Pastoral care;
- Spiritual Formation Focus;
- Blessed Tomorrow Climate Ambassador;
- Speak basic French and learning Spanish;
- Creative and innovative;
- Dependable and Responsible;
- Highly values social justice;
- Self-Motivated and self-starter;
- Teamwork and Collaboration are highly valued;
- Officiate meaningful and personal funerals and weddings;
Accomplishments
- Minister in Good Standing with the Christian Church in Indiana (Disciples of Christ)(2010 to present).
- Ordained by Hilltop Christian Church (Mantua, Ohio) in June 2001.
- Certified Urban Farmer (for purposes of the Seeds of Hope Farm and Garden at First Christian Church of Highland, IN).
- Veriditas-Trained Labyrinth Facilitator (January 2022) (I own my own canvas labyrinth that is portable.)
- Managed the Installation of a Modern Chartres-Style Labyrinth at First Christian Church of Highland, IN (July 2021)
- Chairperson for the Commission on Faith Formation for the Christian Church in Indiana (2018-2020).
- Camp Counselor and Director for the camping programs of the Christian Church in Indiana and Illinois/Wisconsin.
- Started interfaith group in Northwest Indiana to welcome Afghan Refugees (2021).
- Pilgrimage to San Luis Potosi, Mexico (October 2019) with the Christian Church in Indiana (includes learning about immigration ongoing issues).
Affiliations
- Ordained Minister of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
- Northwest Indiana Interfaith Collaboration (2019-to present).
- Working with The Welcome Network of the Greater Chicagoland area.
- Several Clergy collaborations in the Christian Church in Indiana as well as the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
- Blessed Tomorrow Climate Ambassador.
- Member of the Labyrinth Society.
- Member of the Veriditas International Association of Professionally Trained Labyrinth Facilitators.
Languages
French
Limited Working
Spanish
Elementary
Timeline
Minister
First Christian Church (Disciples Of Christ)
10.2017 - Current
Minister
South Side Christian Church
09.2010 - 09.2017
Associate Minister
First Christian Church (Disciples Of Christ)
08.2001 - 08.2010
M. Div - Summa Cum Laude
The Theological School of Drew University
Bachelor of Arts - Religious Studies
Hiram College