Greenfield Hill Church Marks Pastor Ward's 25 Years of Service

Spiritual leader and long-time minister Rev. Dr. Alida Ward will be honored for her 25 years of service to the community as pastor of the Greenfield Hill Congregational Church. The community is invited to a service on June 1 with a picnic lunch immediately following on the Green.

Rev. Ward has been integral in the church's growth and fostering social outreach both near and far -- from serving the greater community to end homelessness and others in critical need.

The church community will celebrate Rev. Ward on her 25th anniversary as Pastor on Sunday, June 1st at a special worship service to be held at 9:00 a.m. The June 1 event will launch a three-part celebration that will continue into the Fall.

Rev. Ward began her tenure at Greenfield Hill Church immediately after her graduation from Yale Divinity School in 1989. She is the third-longest serving pastor in the church's almost 300-year history.

Born in Providence, Rhode Island, Rev. Ward grew up in Charlottesville, Virginia, where her grandfather and father were on the mathematics faculty of the University of Virginia. She graduated magna cum laude from Bryn Mawr College with a degree in Religion, followed by her Masters of Divinity from Yale Divinity School. While at Yale, she served the historic First Church of Christ in New Haven, and St. Bernard's Parish in Edinburgh, Scotland. In 2000, Rev. Ward received her Doctorate of Ministry from Princeton Theological Seminary.

During her Greenfield Hill pastorate, the Church has experienced significant growth in ministry, active and varied within its walls and engaging the community and world beyond.

Dr. Ward has twice served as President of the Board of Operation Hope, and is currently on its Board. She was appointed last year by Fairfield First Selectman Michael Tetreau to the Human Services Commission. She is also a member of the Fairfield Cares Community Coalition, the Storm Sandy Recovery Committee, and the Fairfield Advisory Committee for the Center for Family Justice.

One of Rev. Ward's main passions is youth ministry, which culminates each year with a mission trip to Appalachia through the Appalachia Service Project. This summer's trip will involve 225 participants. Ward is also Vice President of Friends of Christ in India, leading an annual mission team to India. Her ministry is distinguished by its commitment and compassion with young people and the needy.

Alida is married to Rev. Dr. David Rowe, co-pastor of Greenfield Hill Church; they have four children and step children, Brigitta, Andres, Camaron and Aaron.

About Greenfield Hill Congregational Church

The Greenfield Hill Congregational Church is located at 1045 Old Academy Rd, Fairfield, and was founded in 1725 and has grown to a membership of almost 1000 members. Led by Rev. Dr. David Rowe and Rev. Dr. Alida Ward, the church is a vibrant and effective community with the feel of a small town. Members come from many religious backgrounds and find their church home at Greenfield Hill where they are greeted with the respect and encouragement needed to grow a "can-do" spirit. With a very active mission serving others from their own backyard to halfway around the world and through a very lively Sunday school, legendary youth work, and numerous volunteer opportunities, anything is possible within the Greenfield Hill Congregational Church. For more information, visit www.GreenfieldHillChurch.com or www.facebook.com/greenfieldhillcongregationalchurch, email info@greenfieldhillchurch.com or call 203.259.5596.