Clergy & Staff

If you watch Pam as she leads the youth programs, you get the feeling that teenagers really like her. They walk up to her and give her a hug. They open up to her. And then they open up to each other. She asks them questions with genuine curiosity and then listens with respect. Once a youth herself at Village Church, she remembers her confirmation path and the impact that year had on the development of her faith and her trust in the community.

As an associate pastor of Village Church since 2006, Pam has been successful in nurturing a community for youth that feels safe and inviting. As they navigate the pressures of peer groups and grades, teenagers find a nonjudgmental space to be themselves, to explore their biggest questions, and to reflect on the deeper meaning of their lives. Pam gives the teenagers the strong feeling that she is always in their corner. She loves to laugh with them. And she recognizes their strengths and talents, of all shapes and sizes.

Every teenager in youth group knows the steps that Pam guides them to take on their journey with each other: first, holy listening, then, appreciation, and finally, forgiveness. It is a remarkable path that Pam observes in her ministry with adults as well and is the basis for the Discernment Ministry that was created in 2018.

Pam earned her master of divinity degree from Andover-Newton Theological School in 2006. During her time in seminary, she completed a spiritual guidance course at Silver Dove Institute in Burlington, Vermont. Her approach to ministry is also informed by her experience in meditation while living in Colorado and in teaching in an emotional awareness program to men in prison.

Pam loves spending time with her husband, Dave Emslie, who supports the youth group and confirmation program as an advisor, as well as their children and grandchildren.