Janes UMC continues to make history with the appointment of Rev. Dr. Lori D. Hartman, first female pastor in its 163 years serving the Bedford-Stuyvesant community, and beyond.

 

A native New Yorker, Dr. Hartman was ordained elder in the United Methodist New York Annual Conference in 2013. She served as pastor of Mt. Calvary - St. Mark's UMC in Harlem, N.Y., St. Paul United Methodist Church in Jamaica, N.Y., First United Methodist Church of Hollis in Hollis, N. Y, and as assistant pastor of Vanderveer Park UMC in Brooklyn, N.Y.  She is the former co-director of the Center for the Study and Practice of Urban Religion at New York Theological Seminary where she continues to provide consultations and guest speaking presentations. 

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Rev. Hartman holds Doctor of Ministry and Master of Divinity degrees from New York Theological Seminary, a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Miami, Miami, FL. and an M.S. in Computer Science from Pace University, New York, N.Y.  Prior to tuning her talents to the ministry, she successfully employed her credentials in the corporate world.

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No stranger to Janes UMC, in 2013 Dr. Hartman led the service on United Methodist Women’s Pledge Sunday (now United Women in Faith) and celebrated Rev. Robert O. Simpson’s Pastor Emeritus Day at Janes.

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Dr. Hartman, an accomplished vocalist, is the daughter of the legendary jazz singer Johnny Hartman. She can be heard on “My Lord, My God,” which she describes as a musical prayer, composed by United Methodist minister, Reverend Nathaniel Dixon who turned to United Methodist ministry after a career in jazz.  Dixon, said of his music, “For me, it would be a shame to go through life and never get to know our creator and acknowledge him. If my music can help in that regard, great.”

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