Meet the Team

A native of Washington, DC, Amanda and her husband Bill moved to Southern California in August of 2010.  Amanda graduated from Princeton Theological Seminary in 2005 and completed a Doctorate in Ministry from McCormick Theological Seminary in 2014. She began her ministry in Michigan serving churches first in Ann Arbor and then Fenton.  In her first years in LA, she served as Parish Associate at Brentwood Presbyterian Church. Then Amanda and a colleague began a Worshiping Community in Playa Vista, California. She met Rev. Anna through her church planting work and like so many others fell in love with the vision, work and mission of the Garden Church. Amanda joined the Garden Church board in 2016 and recently took on the role of Chair of the Board. She is also currently serving as Parish Associate at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles, is active in the Presbytery of the Pacific, and is co-author of the book The Girlfriends’ Clergy Companion. Amanda is a proud mother to two active boys, and lives with her husband and sons and dog in Redondo Beach, CA.

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“I met Rev. Anna and heard about the church long before setting foot in the garden. The first time I attended, I was blow away by what had been created from dry abandoned ground. God is truly present in this place, and through the people who unpack the tabernacle each week and share in worship, work and a common meal together.  When my family and I left the church that first day, my eldest son began referring to The Garden Church as “the church with no roof.” After just one visit he saw what so many of us see—that this is a unique and special place where “church” transgresses the bounds we have made for it into the every day of our lives reaching people in a way we haven’t before.

After joining the board and learning even more about the mission and ministry of The Garden Church and the new Feed and Be Fed organization, my excitement for what is happening here grows with each passing day. I am honored to be part of the transition team this fall, and look forward to the days a head as we continue make church together and to watch God’s Kingdom unfolding in our world.”