The Rev. Pauline Farrington began ordained ministry in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in July of 2009 . Originally from Georgia, she has served with congregations in Tennessee, Alabama and is currently serving with Trinity Lutheran Church in North Bethesda, Maryland since January 2024. With a Master of Divinity degree from Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, Pauline has a hunger for knowledge of scripture and a deep love for the Christ in all of creation. Pastoral care, preaching, curating worship, and loving people are the most life-giving parts of her ministry.
She and her husband, Eric (also an ELCA pastor, on leave), completed the Living School at the Center for Action and Contemplation in 2022. They both practice a robust contemplative prayer life.
Pastor Pauline and Eric enjoy hiking and exercise, hosting and attending dinner parties, art museums, travel to new places, robust theological conversations, curating liturgies together, and making their home a haven.
Here are some words from Pastor Pauline about her own evolving spirituality and understanding of Christ and Christ's Church:
In Christ, God revealed God’s self to humanity. That revelation was Love and the ultimate healing of all creation, including every person without exception. I am committed to making this good news known through preaching, teaching, and loving people as they wrestle with a gospel that is difficult to apprehend.
An image that most describes my vision of the church is that of a school of love for all people, a concept developed in the 4th century by St. Benedict. The mission of the school of love is to equip the whole community to practice a ministry of love in their daily lives. Following examples of Christ's daily life (prayer, contemplation, teaching, debating, healing, advocating, serving, feeding, challenging), we can learn together how to love and can increase our capacity to love as we walk through daily life. It is a process of learning that will extend through every year and day of our lives.
Jesus’ mission was to embody Love, live Love, and teach Love to every person he encountered. Thus church is not a thing we do in close proximity to one another as much as a school of life, following a Teacher — and the lesson of this school is Love. It’s a relationship in which the community intentionally gathers to learn how to love God, self, neighbors, enemies, and all of creation in their daily lives. Martin Luther saw the people as embodying Christ, being little Christs to each other. What is more foundational to that than intentional, active loving?
