Meet Pastor Erin Jacobson

Erin’s greatest passions in ministry are pastoral care and faith formation for all ages.  Both of those passions take many forms; hospital and nursing home visitation, special services emphasizing growth through prayer and the sacraments, equipping church members with the skills and tools to provide pastoral care to one another, and providing fellowship, learning, and growth opportunities for every person connected with our congregation.

Erin earned her Master of Divinity degree from Princeton Theological Seminary.  She also holds a Master of Science degree in Early Childhood Education and Human Development from the Warner School of Education at the University of Rochester, and New York State teaching certifications for birth-second grade and grades 1-6. 

Prior to attending seminary, Erin taught Kindergarten for four years in Alexander, New York.  During her time in New Jersey, she completed a unit of Clinical Pastoral Education at Princeton-Plainsboro Medical Center (now PENN Medicine Princeton).  She has also served churches in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and East Bethany and Staten Island, New York in long term pastoral supply positions. 

Erin has served both the First Presbyterian Church in Ithaca and the First Presbyterian Church in Batavia, New York as Youth Ministry Director.  As one of her field education placements she served as an intern with 1,001 New Worshipping Community “Breaking Bread” – a ministry of Princeton Presbyterians (college student ministry) at Nassau Presbyterian Church in Princeton.  While living in New Orleans in 2005-2006, Erin also served as a youth ministry volunteer at St. Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church.

Erin is currently the chairperson of the Committee on Representation (formerly the Nominating Committee) for the Presbytery of Genesee Valley, and has a long relationship with the Presbytery, serving as the Vice Moderator in 2004 (as a Ruling Elder). 

A cradle Presbyterian, Erin was nurtured in her faith, confirmed, and ordained as a Ruling Elder at Corfu United Presbyterian Church until departing for undergraduate studies in 2001.  She credits the congregations and pastors of Corfu, First Presbyterian Church in Ithaca, St. Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church, and First Presbyterian Church in Batavia (who sponsored her during the ordination process) for walking with her on the long path to her call and ordination as a Teaching Elder in the PC(USA).

Erin and her husband Steven (a clergy tax accountant) have been married since 2014, and live together with their three adopted dogs; Teddi, McTavish, and Sammy.  In their free time they enjoy gardening, traveling, and spending time in the Finger Lakes.