Our Minister and Staff

Our ministers and staff guide our ministries and care for our community’s people! Scroll down to meet these amazing humans!

Staff

Matthew Rasure(He/Him)

Director of Development
development@brightonallstonucc.org

Matt Rasure (he/him) is a community advocate, scholar, and clergy person who is passionate about the intersection of faith and community empowerment. Matt has deep commitment to funding sustainable and meaningful community programs to create a more just world.

Before transitioning to his new role, Matt served as Senior Minister at First Baptist Church of Medford, where he led the congregation in innovative programs for the arts, social justice, and community engagement. He also serves as President of the Board for the Center for Career Development and Ministry, a psychological supports and vocational counselling service supporting clergy throughout their lives.

Matt’s academic journey began with a fascination for patterns in mathematics and music, and eventually to scholarly work in the ancient world. His scholarly work explores the complex relationships between holiness, space, death, and mental health. In addition to a PhD from Harvard University, he also holds an M.Div. from Princeton Theological Seminary, and studied for two years at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

In his personal life, Matt shares his love of food and hospitality with his wife, the Reverend Rachael Pettengill-Rasure, an Episcopal priest in Milton, MA. Together, they are the parents of two children, Jack and Maggie. When not at work, Matt enjoys cooking, trying to keep fit, and sailing.

Fernando Michelin (He/Him)

Music Director

Fernando Michelin is our church musician. A native of Uruguay, Nando came to Boston to study at Berklee College of Music more than 30 years ago.

He leads the Nando Michelin Group and has recorded several jazz CDs, including Duende, Reencontro, When Einstein Dreams, Common Grounds, and Facing South. He is an associate professor in the piano department at Berklee College of Music. 

There are samples of his music on Myspace, or follow the Nando Michelin band on Facebook.

Lina Tellez Sarmiento (She/Her)

Sunday Song Leader

Lina’s bio coming soon!

Grace Wang

Food Justice Volunteer Coordinator

Grace has been volunteering since they were very little and found community through giving back. Since working in the food industry for many years, they are passionate about bringing awareness to food insecurities, rescue groceries, and connecting surplus food with the people who need it most.

They work to educate others about the importance of reducing food waste, supporting local pantries, and the importance of volunteering. They’re dedicated to building a space where LGBTQ+, immigrants, BIPOC, and marginalized communities feel seen.

Grace is the friendly face you see at all of Allston Brighton Food Pantry’s programming bringing energy and positivity! When not at the pantry, you can find them cooking with friends, discovering new local spots to eat, or chatting away about their cats. Grace believes food is more than just a meal but a bridge that brings people together.