1048 Main Street
Worcester, MA 01603 508-755-2867 All Are Welcome! |
Meet our Staff
Rev. Nancy J. Collins, Pastor
Biography of Reverend Nancy Collins
Rev. Nancy Collins at 61 years of age has a variety of experiences that she brings to her ministry with us. She has taught 16 years in private and public school. For ten of those years she was a Deaconess/Missionary appointed to the Red Bird Mission School at the Red Bird Missionary Conference in southeastern Kentucky.
Her experience in teaching ranged from teaching second through eighth grade. She was a Supervising teacher for student teachers. She was also a Head Teacher of the Elementary School at Red Bird Mission School.
She has a Bachelor’s of Science degree from Nebraska Wesleyan University in Social Work. She has Teacher’s Certification credits from Annhurst College, Woodstock, CT. She also has a Master’s in Theological Studies from Boston University School of Theology and a Master’s of Divinity from Andover Newton Theological School. She has been trained through the New England Conference of the United Methodist Church to be a Spiritual Retreat Leader, a coach in the Natural Church Development and has taken the Tending the Fire courses.
Her experience in the church began when she was young, growing up in the Methodist tradition. Her father is a retired United Methodist minister and her brother is a minister in another tradition. She has a sister who is a nurse in Springfield, Massachusetts and her mother is a wonderful woman who has helped her mature in her faith. She was Lay Leader in the church in Beverly, Kentucky when she heard the call to ordained ministry. She has gone through the Candidacy process in the United Methodist Church and became an Elder in the New England Conference in 2005.
Rev. Nancy has served in East Templeton, Mass. as a ¼ time pastor two years and then in South Athol and Orange, Massachusetts as a yoke parish for two years. She graduated in the second year of this appointment from Andover Newton Theological School. She was appointed unexpectedly to the Centenary United Methodist Church in Skowhegan for one year. Then she served on Martha’s Vineyard in the two-point charge of Chilmark and Edgartown United Methodist churches for the three years. While there she helped them in the process of identifying their goal for the four United Methodist Churches of Martha’s Vineyard to become The Cooperative Parish of Martha’s Vineyard and developed programs and plans to meet this goal. She served as the pastor of Grace UMC in Keene, and The Chapel by the Lake UMC in Munsonville for two years. Then continued in Keene and took on Richmond UMC for another year. She then served Centenary UMC in Attleboro, MA for four years. Her most recent appointment has been to the North Grafton UMC for the past year. Now she is serving the Aldersgate UMC in Worcester, MA.
Rev. Nancy grew up in Wilbraham Massachusetts. Her parents lived in West Brookfield, Massachusetts until recently. She has a cat and a dog. She loves being creative and does quilting along with many other activities. She is a painter and walks and kayaks. She builds miniature dollhouses and uses her interior decorating skills designing the insides of them. She enjoys singing and drumming as well as sacred (liturgical) dancing.
God has blessed her with many gifts and graces, which she brings to her ministry here. Some of them are: visitation, administration, faith, hospitality, ability to work with all ages, including children, and a love of God and mission.
Rev. Nancy enjoys planning and creating inspiring worship. Her preaching style is very scripturally based and comes from a Methodist perspective. She enjoys being innovative in worship and encourages her parishioners to step out of their comfort zone and connect with those in the world around them to share the love of God and help people meet their basic needs both physically and spiritually. She has a strong desire to serve God by serving her congregation and helping them to serve the world through mission and service outside of their doors in their daily lives. Rev. Nancy has recently begun to create Guided Meditations to share with those that are interested, helping them find their spiritual center through meditation.
Biography of Reverend Nancy Collins
Rev. Nancy Collins at 61 years of age has a variety of experiences that she brings to her ministry with us. She has taught 16 years in private and public school. For ten of those years she was a Deaconess/Missionary appointed to the Red Bird Mission School at the Red Bird Missionary Conference in southeastern Kentucky.
Her experience in teaching ranged from teaching second through eighth grade. She was a Supervising teacher for student teachers. She was also a Head Teacher of the Elementary School at Red Bird Mission School.
She has a Bachelor’s of Science degree from Nebraska Wesleyan University in Social Work. She has Teacher’s Certification credits from Annhurst College, Woodstock, CT. She also has a Master’s in Theological Studies from Boston University School of Theology and a Master’s of Divinity from Andover Newton Theological School. She has been trained through the New England Conference of the United Methodist Church to be a Spiritual Retreat Leader, a coach in the Natural Church Development and has taken the Tending the Fire courses.
Her experience in the church began when she was young, growing up in the Methodist tradition. Her father is a retired United Methodist minister and her brother is a minister in another tradition. She has a sister who is a nurse in Springfield, Massachusetts and her mother is a wonderful woman who has helped her mature in her faith. She was Lay Leader in the church in Beverly, Kentucky when she heard the call to ordained ministry. She has gone through the Candidacy process in the United Methodist Church and became an Elder in the New England Conference in 2005.
Rev. Nancy has served in East Templeton, Mass. as a ¼ time pastor two years and then in South Athol and Orange, Massachusetts as a yoke parish for two years. She graduated in the second year of this appointment from Andover Newton Theological School. She was appointed unexpectedly to the Centenary United Methodist Church in Skowhegan for one year. Then she served on Martha’s Vineyard in the two-point charge of Chilmark and Edgartown United Methodist churches for the three years. While there she helped them in the process of identifying their goal for the four United Methodist Churches of Martha’s Vineyard to become The Cooperative Parish of Martha’s Vineyard and developed programs and plans to meet this goal. She served as the pastor of Grace UMC in Keene, and The Chapel by the Lake UMC in Munsonville for two years. Then continued in Keene and took on Richmond UMC for another year. She then served Centenary UMC in Attleboro, MA for four years. Her most recent appointment has been to the North Grafton UMC for the past year. Now she is serving the Aldersgate UMC in Worcester, MA.
Rev. Nancy grew up in Wilbraham Massachusetts. Her parents lived in West Brookfield, Massachusetts until recently. She has a cat and a dog. She loves being creative and does quilting along with many other activities. She is a painter and walks and kayaks. She builds miniature dollhouses and uses her interior decorating skills designing the insides of them. She enjoys singing and drumming as well as sacred (liturgical) dancing.
God has blessed her with many gifts and graces, which she brings to her ministry here. Some of them are: visitation, administration, faith, hospitality, ability to work with all ages, including children, and a love of God and mission.
Rev. Nancy enjoys planning and creating inspiring worship. Her preaching style is very scripturally based and comes from a Methodist perspective. She enjoys being innovative in worship and encourages her parishioners to step out of their comfort zone and connect with those in the world around them to share the love of God and help people meet their basic needs both physically and spiritually. She has a strong desire to serve God by serving her congregation and helping them to serve the world through mission and service outside of their doors in their daily lives. Rev. Nancy has recently begun to create Guided Meditations to share with those that are interested, helping them find their spiritual center through meditation.
Elliott Lockwood, Organist
Elliott Lockwood, organist at Aldersgate, attended Sunday School here and has been our organist since November 2003 upon the passing of our regular musician. At the age of 15 he became the organist in the arena across the street for roller and ice skating. He attended neighborhood schools, graduating from South High School in 1953. He retired after 40 years with M. Steinert & Sons, the local piano and organ dealer, and still performs professionally several times a month
Elliott Lockwood, organist at Aldersgate, attended Sunday School here and has been our organist since November 2003 upon the passing of our regular musician. At the age of 15 he became the organist in the arena across the street for roller and ice skating. He attended neighborhood schools, graduating from South High School in 1953. He retired after 40 years with M. Steinert & Sons, the local piano and organ dealer, and still performs professionally several times a month
Sharon Nelson, Administrative Assistant, Lay Leader
Sharon has been a professing member of Aldersgate United Methodist Church since November of 2009. Since then, she has been on several committees such as Nurture, Outreach & Witness (NOW) committee, Church Council, Staff Pastor Parish Relations Committee (SPPRC), Membership and Trustees. She has been the churches Lay Delegate since 2012 as well as the churches Lay Leader.
Sharon has taken several courses since being in a leadership role including Welcoming Ministry 100, Methodism 101, Turning Connectional Living into Connectional Giving, Communicating Faith in the 21st Century, Lay Servant Ministries and other assorted informative webinars.
She has also been the churches administrative assistant since November of 2013 and is currently assisting the pastor teaching a “Spirituality Class” for men in a local, residential recovery program.
Sharon is the technical coordinator on Sunday mornings and enjoys maintaining the churches website.
Sharon has been a professing member of Aldersgate United Methodist Church since November of 2009. Since then, she has been on several committees such as Nurture, Outreach & Witness (NOW) committee, Church Council, Staff Pastor Parish Relations Committee (SPPRC), Membership and Trustees. She has been the churches Lay Delegate since 2012 as well as the churches Lay Leader.
Sharon has taken several courses since being in a leadership role including Welcoming Ministry 100, Methodism 101, Turning Connectional Living into Connectional Giving, Communicating Faith in the 21st Century, Lay Servant Ministries and other assorted informative webinars.
She has also been the churches administrative assistant since November of 2013 and is currently assisting the pastor teaching a “Spirituality Class” for men in a local, residential recovery program.
Sharon is the technical coordinator on Sunday mornings and enjoys maintaining the churches website.