Worship Leadership
Worship that is meaningful and accessible to people of all ages — including children who might otherwise feel that church is something to endure rather than look forward to.
Pastor · Public Theologian · Community Organizer
Rev. Leslie Moughty
Eleven years of pastoral ministry in a stubbornly welcoming congregation — and a public witness that reaches well past the sanctuary doors.
Practice
How I Show Up.
Eleven years of pastoral ministry have shaped four overlapping practices — the things I show up to do, in the pulpit and out of it.
Justice & Public Witness
Organizing and speaking on housing, immigration, and inclusion alongside clergy across Minnesota. Most recent: MARCH clergy resistance, Minneapolis, January 2026.
Inclusion & Pastoral Care
Trained Our Whole Lives Sexuality & Faith facilitator at every level. Officiating Transgender Day of Remembrance annually since 2015, and walking with a stubbornly welcoming congregation.
Leadership Development
Selected in 2016 for the UCC's Next Generation Leadership Initiative — a ten-year cohort for younger local-church pastors — and mentoring colleagues new to ministry.
Experience
Eleven Years, Briefly.
Full CV and references live on the About page.
2015 — present
Pastor
First Congregational UCC · Brainerd, MN
2016
Next Generation Leadership Initiative
United Church of Christ · ten-year cohort
2013 — 2015
Director of Children, Youth & Families
United Church of Christ · greater Seattle
2013
Master of Divinity
Pacific School of Religion · Berkeley, CA
Ongoing
Our Whole Lives facilitator — all levels
Sexuality & Faith curriculum
Selected
Work.
It's time to start flipping tables
"To comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable." When I think about Jesus's ministry, that phrase seems to describe his actions and teachings perfectly.
Read the column →A Brainerd pastor takes a stand against ICE
"Speaking truth to power and bearing witness is not meant to be easy." Leslie joined roughly 1,000 clergy at MSP airport for a day of non-cooperative resistance.
Listen to the interview →Faith, public witness & the work of welcome
Talks and workshops for congregations, clergy cohorts, civic gatherings, and university audiences — on housing & municipal policy, trans inclusion, and organizing across difference.
Book a conversation →"It's such an unusually open and accepting church. Leslie is such a good pastor for that. She's open to everybody."
— a congregant, to the Brainerd Dispatch
Get In Touch
Let's Have a Conversation.
Search committees, denominational staff, speaking-engagement organizers, and journalists — I'd be glad to hear from you.
Email
leslie@lesliemoughty.com
LinkedIn
/in/lesliemoughty
Phone
On request
Location
Brainerd, MN · willing to relocate