Rev. Freeman L. Palmer serves as the Conference Minister for the Central Atlantic Conference United Church of Church. Freeman began this call in February 2019 after serving nine years as Associate Conference Minister, Congregational Development, for the New York Conference of the United Church of Christ. Freeman currently holds ministerial standing in the Metropolitan Association of that conference, ordained in 2004 to his call as Associate Minister at Middle Collegiate Church in Manhattan, where he served for five years. A member of The Riverside Church since 1993, Freeman supports the clergy as needed, and is a member of the Inspirational Choir. Freeman is also an original contributor to the African- American Lectionary, an online worship, scriptural, and cultural resource used principally by African-American congregations.
Originally from Washington DC, Freeman is a second career minister, attending Seminary after a fifteen-year career with CBS Inc. He had several positions in television and radio financial management before serving as head of Finance and Administration of WCBS-AM News radio 880 in New York City. After graduating from Georgetown Day High School in
Washington, Freeman’s educational background includes a BA in Economics from Swarthmore College, an MBA in Finance from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and a M.Div. with honors from New York Theological Seminary, where he served as Comptroller while a student and received an award from the faculty for excellence in theological studies. He also served for two years as Chief Financial Officer for the North Jersey Community Research Initiative, one of New Jersey’s largest social service organizations serving people living with HIV/AIDS. Rev. Freeman lives with his spouse, Donal in Jersey City NJ.
In his spare time, Freeman enjoys both traditional and contemporary jazz, reading books ranging from biographies to graphic novels, enjoys movies, and as a ‘map geek’ with extensive knowledge of the US highway system, enjoys getting on a road just to enjoy it and see where it leads.
A prayer that Freeman offers daily is Psalm 143:10, “Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your Good Spirit lead me on level ground (NIV).”
Angela Megna, Administrative Assistant Contact
Prior to his retirement in 2014 as the Director of Investor Development for United Church Funds(UCF), an Associated Ministry of the United Church of Christ, Nelson served the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA and with the national staff of the Reformed Church in America. He served in those settings for 34 years, after pastoring three UCC churches, an inner city church in Milwaukee, a new church start in New Mexico, and a fast growing suburban congregation outside of Milwaukee during the first 10 years of his ministry. Before graduating from McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago, Nelson worked for a short time as a licensed stock broker in Philadelphia.
Since his retirement, Nelson has been a full-time Interim Pastor at First and St. Stephens UCC in Baltimore, a Bridge Interim Pastor at Dennis Union Church in Dennis, MA(Cape Cod), and currently as an Interim ACM with the CAC. He has also been the Administrator of the UCF’s Brown Endowment for Pastoral Scholarships since 2001.
Temporarily, Nelson and his wife Sandie live in Cape Cod while they await the completion of a new home under construction in Yardley, Pennsylvania, located exactly midway between where their five dearly beloved grandchildren (ages 4 to 14) live near Philadelphia and in central New Jersey.
Rev. Sheresa Simpson-Rice serves as the Associate Conference Minister for the western region, providing support to churches in West Virginia, Virginia, and western Maryland. A native of south central Pennsylvania, Sheresa has served rural churches in Penn Central Conference and an urban church in Heartland Conference prior to conference ministry. She completed an interim ACM role with Minnesota Conference over the pandemic. The product of the small rural church, she has a heart for this ministry and the faithful that uphold Christ’s Call to be a neighborhood church that welcomes all.
Sheresa has a passion for congregational development and the nurturing of our clergy. She has completed Lombard Mennonite Peace Center’s Mediation training and is a trainer for Peter Steinke’s Healthy Congregations program. Her work with Committee on Ministry has a foundation in multiple paths development and the creation of teams to support congregations and clergy in conflict. Additionally, Sheresa has traveled multiple times to Germany as a part of the UCC’s partnership with the EKBO and has developed long lasting relationships with ecumenical pastors both in the cities she has served and abroad.
A graduate of Pennsylvania State University and Lancaster Theological Seminary, Sheresa is married to her husband Karl. She has a son, a daughter by marriage, a beloved dog named Lola, and two grand pups. Serving Christ through the work of the church is the honor of her life.
Rev. Marvin M. Silver serves as the Associate Conference Minister for the Eastern Region-DC,
