We are thrilled to introduce Elder Mary Anne Davis, PhD as our new Albany Presbytery Moderator! Take a moment to learn more about her background, ministry vision, and the hobbies that bring her joy. We look forward to her leadership and insights as she serves our presbytery!
Tell us a little about yourself.
I grew up in a suburb of Milwaukee, WI, with a brother and a sister, both older. I remember going to church in the ’60s in downtown Milwaukee, a large and packed Presbyterian congregation. I recall wearing white kid gloves and patent leather Mary Janes. I hated Sunday school and there was a small contingent of us who were given a special corner where we did crafts. There were tons of kids back then. I think I just didn’t like the crowd.
I studied art my entire life, leaving the University of Wisconsin, where I met my husband, to get a BFA in ceramics at an art school in Michigan. We moved to New York City after getting married and spending 4 years in Chicago. I went to graduate school and he continued a career in educational publishing. I received my MFA in 1987 from the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan. For a good 25 years, I stopped going to church, but I reconnected in my early 40s when a friend in AA wanted support to check out a choir at First Presbyterian Church of Brooklyn. I was like, Hey, this looks like fun! My son, then 4 years old, was totally down with joining the Sunday School there and we just kept going.
In 2000, we all moved to the Hudson Valley and discovered St. Peter’s and our home in Spencertown. I went to church there right away, joined the choir, and soon after the session. Fools rush in where angels fear to tread may be true for me! But my choices seem to have served me well.
Will you share a little about your hobbies with us?
I am a professional artist with a small pottery business that has been successful. I have no plans to retire, so there’s that. I also paint and love to cook. I take daily walks with my friend and neighbor, Elder Jennifer Thompson, who is also my partner in crime in the kitchen. We share a love of deep food prep, creating bone broths and fermented dairy and vegetables for better health and to heal our bodies. She has three rambunctious dogs who keep us walking. I have two dogs of my own, but as chihuahuas, they eschew walking and prefer to just bark us on our way. Running around the yard seems like enough for them! Our church family spills into the neighborhood!
How did you decide to get involved with serving with Albany Presbytery?
From my early days at St. Peter’s, we had a lively interaction with the Albany Presbytery. Under the leadership of Rev. Don Mairs, Elders Doris Jean Stalker and Marion Ulmer, a bunch of us would pile into a small car and drive all over upstate to attend the then-crowded presbytery meetings. It was fun! I attended a retreat at Silver Bay years ago and shared a room with my friend Lynn Brown, who, since then, has gone to seminary and is the minister at Pleasant Valley! At the same time, I went back to school to get my PhD in aesthetics and critical theory—an art degree related to the philosophy of art with a strong component of ethics. I love the small world quality of the presbytery.
Later, I was tapped by Judy Hartley, then Moderator, and Rev. Kathryn Beilke to lead the Anti-Racism Task Force with Rev. Donna Elia as co-chair. We did some dynamic work and continue to plan for the future. Somebody got the bright idea to tap me as a Moderator, and, as one inclined to say yes, well, here we are!
What kind of ministry do you enjoy working on?
My passion is actually hospitality. When I first started at St. Peter’s Presbyterian Church, I noticed all the women hanging out in the kitchen preparing feasts, working together, laughing, and generally exuding conviviality. I was like, Wow! Here’s where church is happening! Building on my understanding of relational aesthetics as I understand it in art, philosophy, and ethics, I dug in. Landing in Columbia County actually began with a farm, Roxbury Farm, which we discovered in 1990 at a farmers’ market in the West Village of New York City. We joined their CSA right then and there. They held annual farm festivals that drew us to visit upstate, and I knew in my heart that if I ever left the city, I would move here. When we arrived, I was forced to learn to cook because takeout and prepared food were virtually unavailable near us. It has been a slow road, but one which I continue to appreciate, often enjoy, and am fully energized by.
At St. Peter’s, we are working to refurbish our kitchen and have received funding from both Albany Presbytery and Presbyterian Women, as well as ample local donations. With REv. Donna Elia’s support as the minister (now half-time!) at St. Peter’s, we are dynamically reaching into the future, focusing on building community in our small town. Our mission and outreach touch our neighbors here in Spencertown through Soul Cafe and other food-related activities that enliven and enrich the health and well-being of the church as well as our community. Prioritizing locally sourced produce and meats as the raw materials with which to prepare meals and learning to improve our skill in cooking high-quality meals from scratch, we are reimagining church as a communion of souls sitting around a table. We have also begun developing a relationship with the Columbia Kitchen (a microversion of the World Central Kitchen) to address food insecurity in Columbia County.
Is there anything you are looking forward to doing/working on during your role as Moderator?
I actually just hope to help run meetings smoothly and show up when asked. I do tend to say yes, for better or for worse, and hope my enthusiasms benefit the body!
