Newman Church Welcomes Its 22nd Settled Pastor

East Providence, RI — Newman Congregational Church has called Rev. Sam Lovett to serve as its twenty-second settled pastor. Rev. Lovett will begin in ministry with the church’s Ash Wednesday “drive-thru ashes” offering on March 5 (6:30–9:00 a.m. and 4:30–6:30 p.m.), and his first Sunday leading worship will be Sunday, March 9 at 10:00 a.m. All are welcome to attend.

Sam Lovett is a graduate of East Providence High School, Boston College (BA), and Boston University (MDiv). He was ordained in the United Church of Christ in 2021. Lovett comes to Newman Church from St. Paul’s School in Concord, NH, where he has served as chaplain and teacher of humanities since 2020. He previously worked as a Protestant chaplain at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA.

“I’m excited to begin this new season of ministry in East Providence,” said Lovett, “joining an active community of people at Newman Church who are doing justice, seeking kindness, and walking humbly with God, inspired by their faith.”

Throughout the process of seeking a new settled pastor, Rev. Lovett’s background in teaching, community organizing, and restorative justice were seen as aligned with the congregation’s own vision for the future. When asked what he is looking forward to at Newman Church, Lovett points to being a part of the local community, leading nourishing community worship, accompanying families during major life events like weddings, baptisms, and funerals, and getting involved with Newman’s ongoing justice and music ministries.

Lovett is also the son of former Newman Church minister Rev. Dr. S. C. Campbell Lovett who served the congregation from 1996 to 2012. Sam’s ministry will seek to build on the work of former ministers Rev. Timoth Sylvia—who served Newman Church from 2013 to 2022—and Rev. Dr. Laurene Bowers—who served the church on an interim basis for the past two years. Sam is married to Grace Palmer, a public-policy professional from North Kingstown; the couple met while working at the Rhode Island State House.

As Newman Church approaches its 400th birthday in 2043, the church sees its deep roots in East Providence as a source of strength to help the community navigate the challenges of our time.

Newman Church is an inclusive Christian community dedicated to living Jesus’s message of love, peace, and justice through joyful worship, compassionate service, radical hospitality, and responsible stewardship. Shared commitment and study inform our way of being as we seek to live the love of Jesus in the world.