This is how Pastor Laura Kigweba frequently speaks of her first formal pastoral appointment: 

• A benefit and a privilege to cultivate a life with others.
• A beautiful place to witness the circle of life.
• A lens that comes with so much responsibility and a unique glass to be looking through.
• A blessed life.

The 2015 Master of Divinity graduate is serving as the pastor of Mount Vernon Place United Methodist Church, Baltimore.

“I’m called to Baltimore. I was working for a human rights organization when the protests in Baltimore began last spring. Many of us on campus and at work responded with great conviction. This caused me to want to do more, serve more, be called into something more,” she says. At the same time, she feels called to ask how to make people feel a different way for those who look differently or live in a different community.

Transformed for Ministry

“Before I came to Wesley, I was very involved in matters of social justice. Yet, I never saw the church as a place to address those matters” says Kigweba.

“Wesley for me taught me to see the connection between faith and justice.",” she says.

“Wesley for me is transformation. When I first came to campus, I was very quiet. Coming to Wesley allowed me to find my voice,” she says.

“Conversations with professors, staff, within the intentional community, all were transformative. Wesley expresses, ‘we want you to know you are loved and cared for in this place.’ I can only say the things I do with such conviction because I felt it at Wesley first.

A Ministry Made Possible with a Scholarship

“Because of the scholarship I received, I was able to live in the heart of D.C. and see the diversity of humanity near Wesley Downtown. “The gift and support of scholarship funds equipped me with the experience and preparation to learn in an urban setting, in order for me to lead, teach and serve in an urban setting  as a pastor.

“Not often do we get the chance to rewrite the human experience. At Wesley, everyone looks at the world through the context of the loving community. Even through our imperfections – our broken pieces – we can realize a loving community,” she says.

Laura’s story was made possible due to generous contributions to Wesley’s Luminary Scholarship Fund. Please consider giving a meaningful gift of $250 towards this fund. It is a gift towards the next generation of pastors and ministry leaders.