Rebecca Sommer-Petersen is a resident of Newton Centre, MA. Her full-time, permanent job is keeping up with her husband, Rev. Dr. Rodney L. Petersen and their children, Caleb, Max and Bethany. Rebecca is a 1986 graduate of Ithaca College (B.A. in Drama). Her graduate studies were completed at Boston University, where she obtained a Master of Divinity and a Master of Sacred Theology (basically, she completed a thesis on student ministries, and someone handed her another diploma). Rebecca’s ministry has focused mostly on students and young people. She has worked with many different populations of youth including residential schools, summer camps and day care programs. Rebecca most recently directed a national program for high school students, entitled “Faith Youth Institute”. Rebecca began attending NPC with her family in 1993. She and her husband accepted a call to serve a church in Allston, MA from 1994-2001. After returning to worship in Newton, Rebecca has continued to assist local congregations. She has worked at the Eliot Church and with the Newton Highlands Congregational Church, both in the capacity of Christian Education Director and youth ministry advisor. She looks forward to serving at NPC in the coming months and hopes to cement the relationships she has built with parents and children during her two years directing the Vacation Bible School.