Rev. Amanda M. Hendler-Voss 05T
When I applied to attend Candler School of Theology, I almost didn't submit an application for the Woodruff scholarship. In my head, I said, "Oh this is for folks who have earned a 4.0 in college, and that's not me." My mentor encouraged me to apply for it, and I was so grateful she did. I have since told every young person I can: always apply. It's not just about your grades.
My time at Candler was rich. Having HBCU's that feed directly into Candler against the backdrop of a city with deep history in civil rights made so much possible. I decided to pursue the Black Church Studies certificate program although I am white. I learned so much. I also was able to work while in school, working at Women's Action for New Direction, a women's peace organization that enabled me to organize and protest in the run up to the Iraq war. One of my class projects resulted in a curriculum called Faith Seeking Peace that was utilized nationally by WAND.
In my time since graduation, I co-founded an amazing community of faith called Land of the Sky UCC in Asheville, NC, where I co-pastored with another woman in a power-sharing model. The church was open and affirming of LGBTQ+ individuals and families, welcoming them into the full life and leadership of the church. When marriage equality came to NC, I was blessed to officiate one of the first gay marriages on the steps of the Register of Deeds.
I am now on the precipice of beginning a new position as designated Senior Minister at First Congregational UCC of Washington, D.C., a community that was founded in 1865 on the heels of the Civil War and was one of the first integrated churches in the nation. In the mean time, I've also had the opportunity to participate in sacred activism, including Charlottesville, where I served as an on-call chaplain to those directly impacted by the horrific violence that killed Heather Heyer.
That's a little bit of my story. The Woodruff Scholarship made so much possible for me, and I will always serve in gratitude to the education I received at Candler School of Theology as a Woodruff Scholar.