Pastor: Rev. Kathleen O'Keefe Reed
Designated Term Minister
Pastor Kathleen, a Lutheran pastor rostered with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) has served in diverse ministry settings including most recently for nine years as the Senior Pastor of University Lutheran Church, Cambridge, and the Chaplain to Lutheran students at Harvard University. Here’s what she says about why she “jumped at the chance” to serve Hough’s Neck Congregational Church.
It’s an opportunity to embrace the ecumenical commitments of the ELCA and the United Church of Christ (UCC) and do something I’ve never done before. Next, when I was ordained in 1982, my husband and I served a congregation in tandem as co-associates and we haven’t had the gift of working together since. Lastly, from the sidelines as the partner of the music director, I’ve been impressed with how a congregation small by some standards can have such a powerful, positive impact on the lives of both members and neighbors.
I answered the call to ordained ministry because first, no one can hear that they are unconditionally loved by God often enough. And second, assured by the Gospel of Jesus Christ of our own lovability, we are liberated from fears of about our own self-worth and freed to figure out how best to love our neighbors. While neighbor-loving is the central command of scripture, it is also some of the best fun we can have together—celebrating one another as precious gifts of God. In this way, Hough’s Neck Congregational is a church that knows how to have serious fun!
Pastor Kathleen grew up on Evanston, IL, received her bachelor’s degree in communications from Boston University, and her Master of Divinity from the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg (LTSG). She has served congregations in Connecticut, Vermont, and Greater Boston. Non-congregational calls include eight years as Assistant to the Bishop of the New England Synod, and seven years heading development department at LTSG. Her love of sailing dates back over 50 years to the year that she and Steve started dating. She takes great pride in the areas of service embraced by their children—a pastor, a soldier, and a scientist. And she envies grandparents with grandkids who live close by, as her three are on the West Coast.
Minister of Music: Steve Reed
When Steve accepted the position of Music Director at HNCC in 2014, he got to cross a life-long aspiration from his bucket list—service in an oceanside congregation with a gifted core of singers. Steve brings decades of experience in keyboard and choral conducting. He received classical training on the organ at Boston University where he majored in music and religion. With a Master of Divinity degree, theological doctoral work in Germany, and study in African American Sacred Music with Horace Clarence Boyer, Steve adds cultural breadth to the congregation’s music ministry. His wide-ranging musical interests run the gamut from Baroque to Blues, and names as his main musical influences JS Bach, Muddy Waters, and Duane Allman. Steve is married to our pastor, Kathleen 0’Keefe Reed. Empty-nesters, their Quincy household includes two cats who prefer to remain nameless and an Australian Cattle Dog mix named for Duane Allman a.k.a. Skydog.
Chair of Diaconate: Ralph Jacobs
Church email: hncc@comcast.net
Designated Term Minister
Pastor Kathleen, a Lutheran pastor rostered with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) has served in diverse ministry settings including most recently for nine years as the Senior Pastor of University Lutheran Church, Cambridge, and the Chaplain to Lutheran students at Harvard University. Here’s what she says about why she “jumped at the chance” to serve Hough’s Neck Congregational Church.
It’s an opportunity to embrace the ecumenical commitments of the ELCA and the United Church of Christ (UCC) and do something I’ve never done before. Next, when I was ordained in 1982, my husband and I served a congregation in tandem as co-associates and we haven’t had the gift of working together since. Lastly, from the sidelines as the partner of the music director, I’ve been impressed with how a congregation small by some standards can have such a powerful, positive impact on the lives of both members and neighbors.
I answered the call to ordained ministry because first, no one can hear that they are unconditionally loved by God often enough. And second, assured by the Gospel of Jesus Christ of our own lovability, we are liberated from fears of about our own self-worth and freed to figure out how best to love our neighbors. While neighbor-loving is the central command of scripture, it is also some of the best fun we can have together—celebrating one another as precious gifts of God. In this way, Hough’s Neck Congregational is a church that knows how to have serious fun!
Pastor Kathleen grew up on Evanston, IL, received her bachelor’s degree in communications from Boston University, and her Master of Divinity from the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg (LTSG). She has served congregations in Connecticut, Vermont, and Greater Boston. Non-congregational calls include eight years as Assistant to the Bishop of the New England Synod, and seven years heading development department at LTSG. Her love of sailing dates back over 50 years to the year that she and Steve started dating. She takes great pride in the areas of service embraced by their children—a pastor, a soldier, and a scientist. And she envies grandparents with grandkids who live close by, as her three are on the West Coast.
Minister of Music: Steve Reed
When Steve accepted the position of Music Director at HNCC in 2014, he got to cross a life-long aspiration from his bucket list—service in an oceanside congregation with a gifted core of singers. Steve brings decades of experience in keyboard and choral conducting. He received classical training on the organ at Boston University where he majored in music and religion. With a Master of Divinity degree, theological doctoral work in Germany, and study in African American Sacred Music with Horace Clarence Boyer, Steve adds cultural breadth to the congregation’s music ministry. His wide-ranging musical interests run the gamut from Baroque to Blues, and names as his main musical influences JS Bach, Muddy Waters, and Duane Allman. Steve is married to our pastor, Kathleen 0’Keefe Reed. Empty-nesters, their Quincy household includes two cats who prefer to remain nameless and an Australian Cattle Dog mix named for Duane Allman a.k.a. Skydog.
Chair of Diaconate: Ralph Jacobs
Church email: hncc@comcast.net
Houghs Neck Congregational Church (UCC)
310 Manet Avenue
Quincy, MA 02169
Church office 617.479.8778
310 Manet Avenue
Quincy, MA 02169
Church office 617.479.8778