[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 182 (Tuesday, December 20, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1731]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                IN RECOGNITION OF REVEREND ANN KANSFIELD

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 20, 2016

  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise in 
recognition of Rev. Ann Kansfield, FDNY Chaplain and Pastor at the 
Greenpoint Reformed Church in Brooklyn, who is being honored for her 
achievements as part of Women's History Month. The Church holds a 
special place as part of the Greenpoint Historic District. Under Rev. 
Kansfield's leadership, the Church offers space for worship, is used by 
community groups like Alcoholics Anonymous and Nar-Anon, and has been 
featured in several film productions. It is also known for its 12-step 
recovery groups, children's music classes, and a hunger program that 
feeds over 300 people per week.
  Rev. Kansfield has loved and served the people of North Brooklyn ever 
since the Greenpoint Reformed Church called her to be their pastor in 
2003. Prior to her arrival, demographic shifts over the previous 
century had caused the once large Dutch Reformed congregation to 
dwindle to less than a dozen people. The remaining congregants believed 
that the church had a bright future in the community, and invited Rev. 
Kansfield to help revitalize their ministry. With energy and 
hopefulness, she has succeeded beyond anyone's fondest dreams, bringing 
new parishioners and their families to the church. Rev. Kansfield's 
work at the church includes worship, evangelism, theology, improving 
the church building, fundraising, as well as public and community 
relations.
  Much of Rev. Kansfield's time is spent feeding the hungry. When an 
increasing number of people began coming to the church asking for food, 
the congregation began a soup kitchen and food pantry under Rev. 
Kansfield's guidance in October 2007. Rev. Kansfield works with caring 
volunteers, colleagues, and donors to ensure that the soup kitchen and 
food pantry are able to keep up with an unprecedented demand for 
emergency food. Today the soup kitchen regularly serves 90 people a day 
and hundreds more get food from the food pantry.
  Rev. Kansfield holds degrees from Columbia University (BA, with 
honors) and New Brunswick Theological Seminary (MDiv, summa cum laude). 
Before her ordination, she built car batteries on an assembly line for 
AC Delco and punched in stock trades for TD Waterhouse. Nevertheless, 
Rev. Kansfield believes that a four-week long bartending course that 
she attended in college gave her the most useful skills in preparing to 
be a pastor.
  Rev. Kansfield is married to Rev. Jennifer Aull, who also officiates 
at Greenpoint Reformed Church. They have a son, John, and a daughter, 
Grace. She is ordained in the United Church of Christ. In the spring of 
2015, Rev. Kansfield was sworn in as an FDNY chaplain by Commissioner 
Daniel Nigro, fulfilling her lifelong dream. Rev. Kansfield is the 
first female and openly gay chaplain of the FDNY, and was voted the New 
York Times ``New Yorker of the Year'' in 2015.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the 
extraordinary work of Rev. Ann Kansfield and her unwavering dedication 
to her community.

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