Keith Anderson (Twitter, Facebook) is the pastor at Redeemer. Keith first felt called to parish ministry at the age of 17. He graduated with a B.A. in Religion and Philosophy from High Point University (NC) in 1996. He attendedHarvard Divinity School where he earned his Master of Divinity degree in 2000, and The Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia where he earned a Master of Sacred Theology degree in Lutheran Studies in 2002. During his preparation for the ordained ministry, Pastor Anderson served at The Memorial Church at Harvard University, St. Francis House Homeless Shelter in Boston, First Lutheran Church in Lynn, and The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Lutheran Children and Family Service in Philadelphia, and St. Paul Lutheran Church in Arlington, MA.
Pastor Keith spent his summer 2008 sabbatical on contemplative spirituality with an emphasis on the spirituality of daily life. He is married to Jennifer, also an HDS graduate. They have four children and one dog. Keith is a Reconciling Lutheran.
Diane Young is the Deacon for Newcomers and Spiritual Gifts at Redeemer. Diane gained her theological and pastoral training through diakonia, a two-year program of the New England Synod for lay leaders, and Clinical Pastoral Education at Beverly Hospital. She has degrees from Columbia University (library service) and Hebrew College(Jewish studies). Diane helps newcomers get connected to the Redeemer community and finds ways for the church to support each member’s calling.
Guest Preachers
The Reverend Dr. Ronald Thiemann, Bussey Professor of Theology at Harvard Divinity School preached on Reformation Sunday 2008.
Timothy Pantoja is an Master of Divinity student attending Harvard Divinity School. A native New Yorker, he is the son of a Baptist minister and an elementary music school teacher. At Divinity School he has spent his time studying the ways in which the sacred can be found outside of church through music, art, and even popular culture. He is preparing for ordination in the American Baptist Churches USA and hopes to continue his education with a Ph.D. degree in religion. Tim preached on Holy Trinity 2009.
Rakesh Peter Dass grew up in a coal-mining village in India, led his Lutheran church’s youth group, applied his MBA studies toward church growth, worked for an ecumenical organization involving eighteen countries, studied Asian church theologies at Yale. He is currently a Th.D. student at Harvard Divinity School. Rakesh preached on Pentecost 2, 2009. He also presented an Adult Forum on his work in ecumenical and interfaith movements in South Asia.
Shaunda Cunningham is a student at Harvard Divinity School with research interests in systematic theology, popular culture and religion. She is a graduate of the University of South Carolina where she served as the president of NAACP and worked with MTV’s Choose or Lose campaign during the 2004 presidential election. Last year, Shaundra served as president of Harambee, Harvard Divinity School’s Black Student Union, and organized a conference on hip hop and religion. In 2007, she was dually licensed to preach by the National Baptist and American Baptist Churches. Currently, she serves as the youth minister at Messiah Baptist Church in Brockton. In May, Shaundra was awarded the prestigious Billings Prize, the award given each year to the best student preacher at Harvard Divinity School. Shaunda preached on Pentecost 3, 2009.
