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Rev. Ann Kansfield

Biography

Ann Kansfield was born in Holland, Michigan, the daughter of Reformed Church of America (RCA) minister Norman and his wife Mary Kansfield.  Her childhood was shaped by the Calvinist church and its conservative heritage. She enjoyed attending church, but influenced by the negative messages from TV evangelists was conflicted about her sexual identity.  She attended Columbia University graduating with a degree in Women's Studies and History. 

After college, she worked as a stockbroker at TD Waterhouse and later as an independent financial advisor. However, the 9/11 attacks prompted her to reflect on her career and ultimately led her to pursue a path in ministry. She earned a Master of Divinity degree from RCA New Brunswick Theological Seminary, where her father was president.   She was ordained through the United Church of Christ, which allowed her to serve as a Reformed pastor despite the Reformed Church of America's stance against gay clergy. 

She was married to Jennifer Aull in 2004, her father, Rev. Dr. Norman Kansfield officiating.  The RCA was convulsed by the marriage and the issue of welcoming LGBTQ to their communion. Dr. Kansfield was defrocked but eventually reinstated.

Since 2003, Ann has been a pastor at Greenpoint Reformed Church alongside her wife. Their inclusive and socially just approach has significantly grown the church's congregation. Ann successfully revamped a struggling food pantry program, which now serves about 150 people weekly in the Greenpoint community. She attributes the program's success to collaboration and bringing in experts to ensure it thrives.

In 2015, at the age of 39, Ann Kansfield became the New York Fire Department's first female chaplain and the first openly gay chaplain. She was inspired by the story of Father Mychal Judge, who was killed on 9/11 and sought to follow in his footsteps. She described Father Mychal as "a great saint of NYC" and listened to stories about him to "teach her about his work from the grave." Ann met Chris Keegan, a Franciscan chaplain and FDNY chaplain, during her recruitment for field placements. Although she initially thought she needed "at least 20 more years" before being ready for such a role, she was determined to pursue it. In 2016, Ann was chosen as the New York Times Person of the Year. 

Ann's commitment led her to research the chaplaincy role and actively seek opportunities by engaging with her city council members. The FDNY's desire to diversify its chaplaincy coincided with her efforts, and she eventually learned about the job opening through a colleague on the Young Clergywomen’s Project Facebook group. Through connections, she reached out to the FDNY and secured the position.

As an FDNY chaplain, Ann focuses on the needs and concerns of firefighters and EMTs. Her role involves ensuring that they are in the best condition to perform their challenging duties during emergencies. "These are the people that God sends to answer people’s most significant prayer," she explains. Her first book, Be the Brave One, was published in 2021, where she writes about "values and Jesus and transformation" and "living out your convictions and how that radically changes us and those around us."

(This biographical statement written by Amy Archambault from the sources below.)

Biography Date: December 2024

Additional Resources

Chaplaincy Innovation Lab. (2015, October 15). Ann Kansfield. Chaplaincy Innovation Lab. Retrieved June 1, 2024, from https://chaplaincyinnovation.org/projects/ann-kansfield

Kansfield, A. (2022, March 20). Values: Anchors or God code? The Reformed Journal. https://blog.reformedjournal.com/2022/03/20/values-anchors-or-god-code/

Scahill, J. L. (1989). Oral history interview with John L. Scahill. Columbia University Libraries. Retrieved June 1, 2024, from https://oralhistoryportal.library.columbia.edu/document.php?id=ldpd_13618471

Swarns, R. L. (2015, March 2). New York fire dept., diversifying ranks, is set to swear in first lesbian chaplain. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/03/nyregion/new-york-fire-dept-diversifying-ranks-is-set-to-swear-in-first-lesbian-chaplain.html

The Uplifters. (2023). From “Wall Street Jerk” to the First Female Chaplain of the FDNY. The Uplifters Podcast. Retrieved June 1, 2024, from https://www.theuplifterspodcast.com/p/from-wall-street-jerk-to-the-first

Tags

Reformed Church in America (RCA) | Women and Religion | Clergy Activist | Judge, Mychal | Kansfield, Norman | New York City | New York

Citation

“Rev. Ann Kansfield | Profile”, LGBTQ Religious Archives Network, accessed February 10, 2025, https://lgbtqreligiousarchives.org/profiles/ann-kansfield.

Remembrances

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