The Rev. Joel Boyd, MDiv was called as Meadowbrook’s Senior Minister in May of 2021, and preached his first sermon in the congregation’s meeting house in September. Prior to serving Meadowbrook, Pastor Joel ministered to St. Jacobi Congregational Church (gathered 1851) in Richfield, Wisconsin, and at the First Congregational Church of Marshfield (gathered 1632) in Massachusetts. Joel, a Rhode Island native, completed his ministerial training at Western Theological Seminary (a Reformed, ecumenical seminary affiliated with the mainline Reformed Church in America) in Holland, Michigan, as well as the NACCC’s Congregational Foundation for Theological Studies fellowship program.
Before answering the Lord’s call to Christian ministry, Joel studied music composition at the University of Rhode Island, privately studied composition in New York, New York, and worked as music therapist at a day treatment center for developmentally disabled adults. In 2005, Joel moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin to work as a classical music editor at Hal Leonard. It was there that he met his wife, Heidi – a Wisconsin native and classically trained soprano. They married in 2008, and joined the First Congregational Church of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. Before long, the Boyds’ family began to grow: their daughter, Clara, was born. Heidi and Joel welcomed two sons – fraternal twins August (Augie) and Benjamin (Benj) – whilst Joel completed his graduate work in Holland.
The Boyds joined Meadowbrook’s covenant in October 2021, and Pastor Joel was officially installed as Meadowbrook’s Senior Minister on November 7, 2021. With the One Lord as her eternal beacon, Meadowbrook looks forward to a bright future with Joel as her captain!
