About Elisa (pronounced “Eh-Lisa”)
Elisa Angela Lucozzi (she/her)* grew up in an Italian Catholic family and lived her early childhood years in the inner city of Boston before moving to a suburban community. She graduated from Lesley University with a Bachelor of Science in Human Services, and received her Masters of Divinity from Andover Newton Theological School in 2010. She was drawn to work centered around people and service from an early age. Previous to being called to serve as pastor, she enjoyed twenty years working in higher education and then supporting and advocating for survivors of domestic and sexual violence. She comes to us from the United Community Church in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, where she has been the pastor for the past three years.
Elisa is passionate about “living out the gospel following Jesus’ example of reaching out to those on the margins, to those others would not see or who would be ignored.” What drew the Pastor Search Committee to her were her presence, her warmth, her spiritual commitment, her commitment to social justice, and her ability to see each one of us as individuals. In our first interview, Elisa asked us if we had talked to the children about Lise’s retiring and our search for a new pastor. This question inspired us and led us to ask Sander Scott—not so much a child as a young man—to come with the committee on our neutral pulpit visits and give us his perspective.
Additionally, she asked us (the Search Committee members) to mention one area where we thought GCC had challenges or conflict. We were each impressed with her clear-headed understanding that doing our good work and being in community as a congregation necessarily comes with a need to find solutions to difficulties as they arise.
Elisa is married to Roshe Hebert (they/them)*, a registered nurse who developed a Faith Community Nursing program and a free foot care clinic as a ministry of United Community Church. Their family is made complete by their cat named Ben who they describe as “a dog in a cat costume.”