About Us

About the United Parish

Finding us

Coolidge CornerConveniently Located Near Coolidge Corner on Harvard Street The United Parish is located at: 210 Harvard Street Brookline, MA 02446 tel: (617) 277-6860 fax: (617) 730-5897 Send us email here

Our Sanctuary and Buildings

United Parish Church: On Harvard StreetOur current building was originally known as Harvard Church, before the merger of three Brookline congregations created United Parish in 1970. Harvard Church was founded in 1844 and built its first building on the current site in 1873. The congregation replaced that church with the current building in 1933, after a fire in 1931 destroyed the original sanctuary.

Who We Are

The 220+ members of the United Parish are affiliated with the United Church of Christ, United Methodist, and American Baptist denominations. A number of our congregants come from a variety of Christian and other traditions, or have limited experience with organized religion. All are welcome on our spiritual journey together.

Our History

The United Parish was formed from the association of three churches that had been located in the Coolidge Corner area for many years. The Baptist Church in Brookline (American Baptist) had been founded in 1828 and had been located on the corner of Beacon and Park Streets since 1907. St. Marks Methodist (United Methodist) was founded in 1873, and had been at the corner of Park and Vernon Streets since 1896. The Harvard Church (United Church of Christ) was founded in 1844 and built its first building on the current site of the United Parish in 1873.

Annual Stewardship

The Financial Development Committee manages the annual Stewardship Campaign and other fundraising. The Stewardship Campaign is the United Parish’s process for obtaining pledges from church members and friends for financial support of our annual operating budget and mission giving. It occurs in the late winter and spring, and concludes in time for the Deacons to finish preparing the budget for approval at the June All-Parish Meeting. Financial Development Committee Chair: Ed DeAngelo

Boards and Committees

Board of Worship: Pat Howkinson

Board of Membership: Ricardo Austrich

Board of Administration: Barbara Lianides-Chin

Board of Christian Education: David Hodgkins

Board of Outreach: Bill Coughlin

Service Board: Mary McConnell

Nominating Committee: Nancy Winterbottom

Financial Development Committee :Wendy Foster

Memorial Fund Committee : Mary McConnell

Church Officers

Church officers include a Moderator, Treasurer, and Clerk, all of whom are elected annually.
Moderator: Jack Pirozzolo
Treasurer: David Rockwell
Asst. Treasurer: Gwen Lindquist
Clerk: Bob Phenix

Board of Deacons

The Board of Deacons is the executive body of the church, charged by the church members with:

- Establishing church program and policies
- Overseeing the individual boards and committees
-Preparing the budget and managing church finances
- Developing laity leadership

All decisions and actions of the Deacons are subject to review at the All-Parish Meetings.

Deacon Leadership: Lisa McElaney

Governance and By-Laws

The Church Members as a whole have ultimate responsibility for the policies and conduct of affairs at the United Parish. The congregation exercises that responsibility by participating in three annual All-Parish Meetings and by serving on one of our parish boards and committees.

By-Laws
To view a copy of the by-laws please follow this link: United Parish By-Laws

All-Parish Meetings

Our Pastors and Church Staff

Senior Pastor

Patricia Coughlin: Senior PastorPatricia Coughlin grew up in Worcester, Massachusetts, in a devoutly Catholic household. She attended Mass daily and came to treasure the rich liturgy and traditions of the Catholic faith. From a very young age, she knew that she wanted to serve God and the church. A month after high school graduation she entered the novitiate of a religious order to become a sister. After two years of study, she left the novitiate and enrolled at Clark University.

Associate Pastor

Suzanne Bossert: Associate PastorSuzanne Woolston Bossert grew up in South Carolina, in what she describes as an "unabashedly Baptist home--full of Jesus picture books, songs in Sunday school, and eloquent prayers before meals." Like Jonah, Rev. Bossert took a circuitous route in answering her call to ministry.

Music Director

Susan DeselmsSusan Rogers DeSelms grew up in Knoxville, Tennessee, in a musically talented family. Her father is the Director of Music at Church Street United Methodist Church in Knoxville, her mother a semi-professional mezzo-soprano, and her sister and her sister's husband professionally active opera singers. Susan's husband, Jim DeSelms is a semi-professional tenor here in Boston and a software engineer.

Church Administrator

Cathy HaddadCathy Haddad, our church administrator. Cathy manages the day-to-day operations of the church office and oversees the care of the church building and grounds. Or, for that matter, without Esteban Hernandez, Gerardo Alcazar, and Tom O'Reilly, our invaluable sextons.