Ginger E. Gaines-Cirelli is a life-long United Methodist who is passionate about sharing the good news of God’s liberating love in Jesus Christ.
For over 20 years as a pastor-theologian, her ministry has encouraged spiritual growth and engaged discipleship—emphasizing radical hospitality, shared ministry, spiritual practices, and solidarity with the poor and oppressed. With this focus, Ginger brings depth, health, and growth to every community she has served. In 2014, Ginger became the first woman to serve as Senior Pastor of Foundry.
A graduate of Yale University Divinity School, Pastor Gaines-Cirelli is a featured teacher and speaker at local, district, conference, jurisdictional, and international connectional events. She is the author of Sacred Resistance, a practical guide to Christian witness and dissent in troubled times and contributed and served on the editorial board for The CEB Women's Bible.
Ginger is married to Dr. Anthony Gaines-Cirelli, a Catholic theologian, currently serving as a Director of Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. They live in Washington, DC with their cat Annie Rose and dogs Harvey and Daisy. Ginger enjoys gardening, yoga, poetry, the Smithsonian National Gallery of Art Museum, ice cream, hiking, skiing, travel, beaches, and going barefoot.
