Rev. Emily Snowden: Adapt, Change, or Die

One of the most common questions pastors get asked is for help on how to read the Bible. Rev. Emily Snowden breaks down the concept of how we can take the Bible seriously without taking it literally. She reassures us that something can be true without it being “capital T true.” Emily also helps us understand why adapting is not only important - it is vital. We can either adapt, change, or die - both as churches and as a people. Change and adaptation are vital for survival. Listen in as Emily encourages us to learn how to make important shifts, how to ask important questions, all while remembering that we are wholly beloved by God.

Rev. Emily Snowden serves Congregational United Church of Christ in Arlington Heights, Illinois. She also serves as a coach with Seed to Stem Coaching, which she runs with her colleague Sean (Weston) Williams. Pastor Emily graduated from Elmhurst College where she studied History, Theological Studies/Christian Ministry, and Intercultural Studies. After graduating from Elmhurst, Pastor Emily served as a member of the Jesuit Volunteer Corps at a drop-in center for homeless young adults in Los Angeles. She then earned her Master of Divinity degree from the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, CA. Among other positions, she has served as a hospital chaplain in Michigan, a sabbatical pastor for a UCC church in Champaign, IL, and most recently as the Interim Director of the Niebuhr Center for Engagement and Reflection at Elmhurst College. Pastor Emily shares her life with her wife Sasha, her twin kiddos, and their dog. She loves drinking tea, listening to music, and cooking. She occasionally plays the guitar, practices yoga, and travels.