Rev. Nancy Raabe (Submitted photo)
Rev. Nancy Raabe's final service at Grace was Sunday
Rev. Nancy M. Raabe has retired from full-time ministry following her final service as pastor at Grace Lutheran Church on Sunday.
Since arriving at the Hatfield church in 2021, she has led efforts to revitalize the congregation’s activities after the pandemic, enhance worship through music, and expand the church’s digital presence on Facebook and YouTube, according to a release from the church.
She also launched the popular “Thursday Soup Suppers,” further strengthening ties with the local community.
Before her time in Hatfield, Rev. Raabe served congregations in Wisconsin and provided virtual worship services and music commentary to a wider audience. Her academic background includes theological studies at Trinity Lutheran Seminary and Wartburg Theological Seminary, and she was an Engle Preaching Fellow at Princeton Theological Seminary.
Beyond her pastoral work, she is known nationally for her leadership in church music and liturgy.
An accomplished writer, composer, and speaker, Rev. Raabe has authored five books on church music and contributed to major publications including “The New York Times,” “Opera News,” and the “Boston Globe.”
Her musical compositions have been performed at institutions such as Duke University Chapel and the Institute for Liturgical Studies.
A Southern California native and Pomona College graduate, she lives in Hatfield with her husband, William, and is the mother of two adult children and grandmother to two.
