From the Last Pew to the Pulpit

When Reverend Pamela Patton founded the Buddhism and Mindfulness program at All Souls NYC back in 2016, it was the first program of its kind in the church’s 207 year history.

Patton’s involvement with All Souls began long before that. Over the past thirty years, Patton transformed from a congregant to a congregationist minister there.

Raised Roman Catholic, Patton became interested in Unitarian universalism after reading an interview between agnostic journalist Bill Maher and theologian Forrest Church. “What he [Rev. Church] conveyed made so much sense to me,” Patton said. “When I moved to New York City – and I knew almost nobody here – I looked for a spiritual community that was progressive and welcoming.”

She found that community in All Souls, where Church ministered.

While experiencing a series of hardships, Patton leaned the reverend for support. But then Church died, early, of esophageal cancer in 2009. Pamela’s best friend also passed away. Reverend Church was succeeded by Reverend Galen Guengerich, who became Patton’s mentor during this difficult time, and she decided to go back to school to obtain a Master’s of Divinity.

She attended Union Theological Seminary – a place she describes as “the progressive, liberal, theological seminary in the City associated with Columbia.”

Initially intent on pursuing clinical chaplaincy in hospital settings, Pamela discovered that she could lead a more creative spiritual life by pursuing congregationist ministry. So, after fifteen years of sitting in the last pew at All Souls, Pamela became an ordained minister preaching in the front of the church from its pulpit. For the next fifteen years until the present day, Reverend Patton has preached, served parishioners and organized programs at All Souls.

While her role at All Souls has changed over the years from Director of Congregational Ministries to Assistant Minister, her responsibilities seem only to have expanded.

“I am at work every day of the week,” Patton said. “Every time there’s an event, if I can, I show up. I see my work as creating a place of refuge for people.”

She runs the Mindfulness, Meditation and Buddhism program as well as The Dharma Study Group. She finds guest speakers to preach in All Souls interfaith pulpit – recent guests have included Jewish Chaplain and cantor Sarah Diamant and Dharma teacher and Engaged Buddhist Kaira Jewel Lingo.

“We try to help everyone who comes our way,” added Patton. “Whether they are guests at our soup kitchen or the people who just walk in our doors.”

Reverend Patton’s advice to fellow New Yorkers: “Get involved in as many communities as you can – whether they’re spiritually based or they’re for the shake of music or the shake of bowling or pickleball or... whatever the case may be.”