Reverend Emily Bruce
781-585-3051 (O) minister@kingstonuu.org
Emily Bruce is a native of New Orleans, LA and spent her childhood in the Episcopal Church. Upon receiving her BA in Theatre from Florida State University, she left the Church and the South for New York City, spending the next thirteen years working her way up the ladder of the theatre industry. After eight years as the Associate General Manager for the New York Shakespeare Festival, it became impossible to ignore that still small voice in her heart that was calling her to something more. Her theatre experience taught her a lot about the value of community but she followed a hunger for a more spiritually expressive vocation out of New York to Rhode Island. There, she ran the administration of the theatre program at Brown while figuring out her second act. Once she found the UU church – First Unitarian Church of Providence to be exact – she realized that that still small voice was calling her to ministry all this time!
Emily received her Master of Divinity from Yale Divinity School in 2019, along with a Diploma in Congregational Leadership from Andover Newton Seminary (embedded at Yale). After a Campus Ministry Fellowship at Yale and a Ministerial Internship at the UU Area Church in Sherborn MA, she began to serve First Parish as their Minister in August 2021.
Emily is passionate about Unitarian Universalism, and believes it has the power to change the world.
Our Staff
Steven Bergman
Music Director
musicdirector@kingstonuu.org
Steven is very excited to be the new Director of Music at First Parish. He was most recently the music director for the Snug Harbor Community Chorus, as well as productions of Matilda (The Footlight Club in Boston), and Sweeney Todd (Hackmatack Playhouse in Berwick, ME.). He is currently preparing to release his second recording of art songs and vocal music, featuring The Deck. Other keyboard credits include national tours of Nunsense Jamboree (National tour with Georgia Engel, CD/DVD with Vicki Lawrence), Sunday in the Park with George and Guys and Dolls. He is on the theater faculty at Bridgewater State, and runs the choral and drama programs for the Rockland Public Schools.
Laura Sanda
Director of Religious Enrichment (DRE)
781-585-3051 (O) DRE@kingstonuu.org
Laura served on the RE Committee for four years and served as Chair for two years, prior to taking on the role of DRE. She received her BA in Economics from Trinity College in Hartford CT and worked in the financial industry for eleven years before starting her family. Now, with two kids of her own, and having been a member of First Parish for eight years, she brings a lot of experience and knowledge of First Parish to this position.
Kathy Scully
Administrator
781-585-3051 officeadmin@kingstonuu.org
Kathy has called Kingston home since 1995, the year she got married. She became a member of this church in 2014 and since 2016, has had the privilege of serving as the church’s Office Administrator. Being a part of this caring community has been especially meaningful to her. She is a proud parent of two adult children and loves to play pickleball and spend time with her friends and family when she is not at work.
Patricia Gerbis
Communications Coordinator
comms@kingstonuu.org
Patricia grew up attending First Parish Church in Scituate, and her creative nature led her to a career in marketing and communications. This new role brings together her spirituality and professional experience, and she is thrilled to give back to the UU community in a meaningful way by helping tell the stories of First Parish Church Kingston. Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, camping, snowboarding, and painting.
Michael Conway
Sexton
Michael is currently working as Sexton, after recently selling his business in Whitman, Ma. He currently resides in Halifax, where he enjoyed raising his three children, and looks forward to an enjoyable semi-retirement.