WICKED LOCAL.com – The First Trinitarian Congregational Church of Scituate will soon welcome its second female pastor in the church’s history, and its youngest in decades.
Jen “Pastor Jen” Christianson, 35, starts her duties at the United Church of Christ parish on Oct. 1. She said she looks forward to meeting her new congregation, as well as Scituate and South Shore residents.
“I’d like the church to be a safe and positive space for all,” Christianson told Wicked Local. “I want it to be a place where we all support and encourage each other, and build each other up, then go out into the world to help and support our neighbors.”
Originally from Mansfield, Christianson spent the past seven years as a pastor at Winnetka Covenant Church in Wilmette, Illinois.
She attended Gordon College, a Christian college in Wenham, then attended the Princeton Theological Seminary in Princeton, New Jersey.
Christianson was ordained in 2018.
“We are overjoyed to share that Jen so fully embodies the very qualities we dreamed of in our next pastor,” said Sarah Smith, church moderator and member of the Search and Call Committee that conducted the search and hiring of the new settled pastor. “At FTCC, we knew how important it was to find a leader who cherishes our rich beliefs and traditions as a long-established Congregational Church in Scituate, while also bringing fresh vision and energy for what it means to be a thriving, growing church in today’s world.”
Church has been without settled pastor since 2023
FTCC Scituate has been without a settled pastor since March 2023, although Smith said the church was blessed with steady leadership from two gifted interim pastors since then, Rev. Rick Giragosian and Rev. Dr. Stan Duncan.
Christianson was selected following a interview process that included initial Zoom meetings, in-person visits and ultimately her preaching before the FTCC congregation, Smith said.
“Following this process, she was affirmed by a unanimous vote of the congregation,” Smith said.
Christianson, who will come to Scituate with her “very special rescue pit bull, Zoe,” said she plans to stay at the church for a while.
A desire to bring people together
Christianson grew up in the Covenant Church, a smaller church founded by Swedish immigrants. She initially thought she would go to school to be a history teacher, but instead felt called to the seminary, she said.
There was hesitation, however.
“I did not see women pastors when I was growing up,” Christianson said. “It took me awhile to realize it could be done. I have some very smart friends who said, ‘Women can do this.’”
While she loved her church in Illinois, spending the first 10 years of her career had her feeling a bit homesick, and she began to look for a church in New England.
“The Scituate church and I just happened to find each other,” she said.
Church was drawn by Christianson’s ‘warmth and authenticity’
What resonated with the committee was Christianson’s remarkable ability to connect with people of every generation, Smith said.
“Children, youth, and older members alike were drawn to her warmth and authenticity,” Smith said. “Watching her interact with our congregation was inspiring, as people of all ages and backgrounds found themselves naturally at ease in her presence.”
Christianson would tell members of the church who may not have attended worship in a while, or those who might be considering coming to church for the first time, that nothing is required.
“We just want you to be part of us,” she said. “You can show up with doubts, you can show up with questions or be frustrated with what the church has been or has done. It is not a place where you need to figure things out before you come, we can figure it out together.”
Worship services at FTCC Scituate are held at 10 a.m. every Sunday, with a Zoom option available for those who cannot attend in person. More information can be found at ftccscituate.org.
