First Lutheran Church of the Trinity is blessed to announce that they have called a new pastor.  Nicolette ‘Nic’ Peñaranda (she/ her/ hers) will begin serving the people of God at First Trinity on Sunday, July 14.  Nicolette is a New York native and Chicago resident for the past two years. She is recently married to Dennis Peñaranda and raises two cats, Penne and Rigatoni. Nicolette completed her undergraduate degree in Sociology (concentration in Social Work/ Family Studies) and History with a minor in Gender Studies, her Masters of Business Administration in Management, both from Wagner College. She completed her Masters of Divinity with a concentration in Black Church Studies from the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia. During seminary, Nicolette served as a field student for two years at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in the West Oak Lane neighborhood of Philadelphia. Before coming to Chicago, Nicolette was selected to be a Horizon International Intern at Iglesia San Lucas in Grand Bourg, Argentina. Outside of parish ministry, Nicolette has served as an Americorp member in the role of Community Projects Coordinator at YouthBuild Philadelphia Charter School where she developed and managed a substance abuse support program for students. After a six month role as a Trauma Chaplain resident at Advocate Christ Medical Center, Nicolette has spent her time in Chicago as the Program Director for DOOR Network, a faith based service learning program. When Nicolette is not working, she serves as the correspondent secretary of the African Descent Lutheran Association- Metro Chicago Chapter, a supply preacher across the Metro Chicago Synod, Chaplain of the ELCA’s International Students Retreat, and as the Creative Expressions Manager of the National Youth Gathering of 2021.