Rev. Lynn Hasley joined our staff on July 1, 2004 as a second-career pastor. Before graduating from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, Lynn had spent most of her career as a health care and seminary executive, most recently as Vice President for Administration at Ecumenical Theological Seminary in Detroit. Lynn says, “I began to understand that God had other work for me to be doing in about 1998, after the death of a close friend. At that time I began a spiritual and educational journey that has finally led me to First Church, where I am pleased to have responsibility for the areas of Pastoral Care and Spiritual Formation.”

Lynn helps to organize a wide range of ministries here at First Church, including programs for persons experiencing grief, divorce, hospitalization, or other life challenges, Stephen Ministry, a Traveling Tea Party and Just Friends (friendly visits for shut-ins), and Living Single, as well as leading programs offering educational and spiritual growth for women and men.

Lynn is married to Gary, an engineer who took an early retirement from General Motors in order to run a small custom-machining business. Gary loves to sing and to play golf, not necessarily in that order. They have two adult daughters, Alisa and Stephanie. Alisa is a newly-graduated physician who is married and has one young daughter, with another child expected soon. Stephanie is director of marketing for a small company in the Lansing, Michigan area.

Lynn is looking forward to building relationships with members of the congregation of all ages, and helping them to form lasting relationships with one another. “I want to help us to learn one another’s stories, and to reflect upon how our stories are a part of God’s story. What difference does it make in our lives today that our God created us, loves us, redeems us, and offers us opportunities for transformational living? What does God call us to do within our community and in the broader world, as a result of our spiritual relationship with God and with one another?”