Who We Are
Chaplains on the Way, founded by the Rev. Joan B. Murray in June, 2008, is now a 501(c)(3) organization as a faith-based public charity. Joan serves as the Executive Director and Staff Chaplain, working with volunteers and student interns.
Mailing Address:
Chaplains on the Way
PO Box 812544
Wellesley, MA 02482
Phone: 617-504-6877
e-mail: info@chaplainsontheway.org
Chaplains on the Way Board of Directors
Joan is a member of the Board of Directors of Chaplains on the Way and works with other members, who are as follows:
- The Rev. Dr. Fran Bogle, Protestant Chaplain at Newton Wellesley Hospital and Just Peace Coordinator of the Metropolitan Boston Association of the Massachusetts Conference of the United Church of Christ
- Ms. Joy Fallon, President of the Board, member of Wellesley Congregational Church, UCC and a graduate of the Harvard Divinity School (May 2011)
- The Rev. Marc Fredette, Pastor of First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church of Waltham
- The Rev. Ms. Karen Fritz, Pastor of the Brighton Allston Congregational Church, UCC
- The Rev. Ms. Sarah Hubbell, a UCC pastor and hospice chaplain
- The Rev. Elizabeth Leavitt, Co-pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Waltham
- Ms. Helen Netos, Secretary of the Board, a consultant in the field of organizational development and adult Christian formation, a spiritual director, and a member of Trinity Episcopal Church, Boston
- Ms. Linda Smith, Treasurer of the Board and a member of Wellesley Congregational Church, UCC.
The geographic focus of Chaplains on the Way is Waltham and the Metro-West area of Boston.
Chaplains on the Way is a member of the Massachusetts Conference of the United Church of Christ (MACUCC) Task Team to End Homelessness, as well as the Metro West Interfaith Working Group on Housing and Homelessness, the Waltham Ministerial Association and the Waltham Interagency Council.
From left to right: Annie Aisenberg, Teaching Site Committee Member; Georgeanne Bennett, Andover Newton Seminarian;
Joan Murray; Nell Fields, Teaching Site Committee Chair
The Teaching Site Committee
The Teaching Site Committee (TSC) at Chaplains on the Way meets monthly during the academic year with our seminarian intern. People who have served on this Committee are
- The Rev. Nell Fields, Pastor Committee Chair, served from September 2009 through May 2011
- Annie Aisenberg, Board member and volunteer of the Community Day Center, served from September 2009 through May 2009
- Martha Creedon, member of First Parish UU Church in Waltham, served from September 2009 through May 2011
- The Rev. Katrina Jenkins, Protestant Chaplain at Bentley University served from September 2010 through May 2011
- Georgeanne Bennett, member of the Congregational Church of Natick, former COTW intern and May 2011 graduate of Andover Newton Theological School, will begin on the TSC in September 2011
Seminarians Who Have Served as Interns at Chaplains on the Way:
- Georgeanne Bennett from Andover Newton Theological School, 2009-2010
- Rebecca Sheble-Hall, from Andover Newton Theological School 2010-2011
- Helen (Holly) Tomilson, from Andover Newton Theological School will begin in September 2011
About Joan
Joan received a Master of Divinity (M. Div.) degree from Episcopal Divinity School (EDS) in May, 2000 and was ordained by the United Church of Christ (UCC) in April, 2002 and she is a member of Wellesley Congregational (Village) Church, UCC. She has completed 4 units of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) at St. Elizabeth's Medical Center and Westborough State Hospital and has chaplaincy experience at Newton Wellesley Hospital. She served as the Interim Protestant Chaplain Coordinator there in the fall and winter of 2000-2001 and in 2008-09 offered spiritual care in the Psychiatric Unit, representing Chaplains on the Way. In 2009 until April, 2010 when Westborough State Hospital closed, Joan led a weekly labyrinth-walking group for patients at Westborough State Hospital.
Joan's first call to ordained ministry was from Ecclesia Ministries where she served as Minister of common cathedral, the outdoor church combining un-housed and housed people in worship every Sunday, year round on Boston Common, for 5 ½ years until August, 2007. In addition to weekly worship leadership and preaching, she was responsible for all aspects of this Boston ministry including fund-raising, administration, programs, pastoral care and the recruitment and supervision of field education students and volunteers. She worked with a full-time administrator, a part-time program director, and in her last year with a second full-time minister whose responsibilities included fund-raising. Common cathedral programs include a weekly art program, a weekly movie, and CityReach, an overnight program run 3 to 4 times per year. As a pastoral care-giver Joan did street ministry and visited people in health care facilities, hospitals and jails. She also preached at indoor churches some Sunday mornings before the 1:00 p.m. common cathedral service as part of the mission of serving as a bridge between housed and un-housed communities, as well as part of the fund-raising efforts.
Joan's work at Chaplains on the Way draws directly on her experience in ministry and leadership at Ecclesia Ministries/common cathedral, as well as on her CPE experiences, particularly her most recently completed unit of CPE at Westborough State Hospital (September, 2007 through April, 2008). She is available to preach in area churches on Sundays, to give talks about her ministry at Chaplains on the Way, and to offer pastoral care and companionship training for volunteers.