REV. RUTH JENSEN-FORBELL

Reverend Ruth K. Jensen-Forbell is a native of Jacksonville, Florida. Rev. Ruth was adopted by her parents just days after her birth in St. Vincent’s hospital! She was raised in the Lutheran church and remained active throughout her adult life before coming to MCC.

Rev. Ruth felt a call to the ministry when she was only 12. She served as President of Luther League (the youth group), sang in the choir, and taught Sunday school - all before she graduated from high school!

After being told that the Lutheran church did not ordain women, Rev. Ruth set out to find other ways to serve. As an adult, she continued to sing and play the piano for Sunday School and Vacation Bible School and became involved in Lutheran Church Women (LCW). She eventually was elected President of LCW at her local church, and went on to be elected President of the Florida LCW! Through her involvement in Lutheran Church Women, Rev. Ruth preached in most of the Lutheran churches in Florida on LCW Sundays.

By 1970 the Lutheran Church in America (LCA) had begun ordaining women. As Rev. Ruth explored that avenue, she was hit with another “wall” - this time her sexuality. She was told by another mentor that she could attend seminary, but couldn’t be “out”.

Rev. Ruth attended Florida State University (FSU) for two years, majoring in Music Education. She eventually ended up at the University of Central Florida, majoring in Educational Media. While in Orlando, a friend invited her to her first MCC service - in Tampa. She was pleased to see an atmosphere of acceptance within a Christian context, but didn’t really pursue her dream at that time.

After graduating as an Educational Media Specialist, Rev. Ruth was offered a job in Jacksonville designing and selling audio visual equipment. She also worked for the school system as an Elementary School Media Specialist (Librarian). She soon found her way to MCC Jacksonville, where Rev. Michael Piazza encouraged her to consider pursuing credentials in the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches (UFMCC).

Rev. Ruth was ordained in the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Church in 1996. She served as Minister of Education and Outreach at St. Luke’s MCC before becoming the founding Pastor of FirstCoast MCC in St. Augustine in 1997. She has since served in various capacities at the local, regional, and national level within UFMCC.

Rev. Ruth and her partner of 21+ years, Elizabeth, share a home in Jacksonville that her father and uncle built with their  2 cats Zora & Tony, and 2 red Dobermans named Sydney and Libby. In 2005 they were legally married in Canada, but one day hope to be legally married in Florida.