He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? – Micah 6:8
Years of Experience, Creativity and Wisdom
Rev. Annie Allen is an Ordained Minister with a focus on Faith in Action, Community Building & Development, Ecumenical, Multi-cultural and Inter-faith relations.
Visiting Faculty, Northwind Institute/Seminary
Member, Network for Social Transformation
Founding Member, The Shalom Band Institute
In addition to serving as Interim Pastor of the Rutherford Congregational Church, Pastor Annie is a consultant to churches and social-profit organizations. She also currently serves as Board Member and Coach for the Ramapough Lenape Community Center in Mahwah, NJ.
Her ministry includes community development initiatives, teaching, training, group facilitation and retreats. She writes and performs liturgical ceremonies for each stage in the human journey.
Pastoral Experience
She has served as Corresponding Pastor for Brook Presbyterian Church in Hillburn NY, Senior Pastor of Turning Point United Methodist Church, in Trenton NJ, Associate Minister at Mt. Ararat Baptist Church in Rutherford NJ. She also worked at 2nd Baptist Church in Patterson, Asbury United Methodist Church in Richmond, VA, and St. Peters Episcopal Church and served on the Vestry of Church of the Redeemer – Episcopal, in Morristown NJ.
Faith-Based Community Development
Pastor Annie worked at Drew Theological Seminary, where she served as Director of the National Shalom Resource Center. Communities of Shalom is an international faith-based community development ministry, providing training in underserved communities. Sites include East L.A., Rosebud Reservation North Dakota, Macon, GA, Jackson Mississippi, Columbia SC, Richmond, VA, Newark, NJ, Nashville TN, Phar TX, Haiti, Malawi and Uganda.
She served on the Council of Higher Education of Newark (CHEN) and helped re-developed the neighborhood known as University Heights.
Higher Education Experience
She has had a twenty five year career in Higher Education as a Senior Administrator, program Director and Instructor. Her areas of expertise focus on Multicultural and International Education. Cornell University, Fairleigh Dickinson University, University of Vermont, Essex County College and Drew University.
Social Justice
She has served as the NJ State Chairperson for the Commission on Racial and Religious Violence. She Chaired the Bergen County Rainbow Coalition, worked with the National Council of Christians and Jews, the U.S. Justice Department, served as Director of Human Services for Bergen County, NJ and has worked for two state Senators, helping to write some of NJ’s Bias Crime and Education Laws.
Educational Credentials
Annie holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Labor Management Relations, from Empire State College, State University of New York, a master’s degree in Public Administration, from Fairleigh Dickinson and a Masters of Divinity degree, from Drew Theological Seminary.
Personal
Pastor Annie has two adult sons Gregory and Jeffrey and is delighted Grannie to five grandchildren. My Tribe of Five – All Under Five – Tiffany (4), Reese (2), Peter & Parker (1) and Odin (2mos). She is devoted partner to James (Big Jim) Hoffman and doggie-mom to rescue Frankie-Girl.
