Meet our New Student Cassidy Anderson

My name is Cassidy Anderson. I live in my hometown of Surprise, AZ. My husband Cameron and I have been married for almost eight years. We love to go to movies and baseball games and travel together – especially to national parks, Disneyland, or to the pines and mountains of Northern Arizona to escape the heat. We also live near my parents and two of my three younger sisters, who we are quite close with. And we visit Cameron’s family as often as we can in Lancaster, PA.

We are members of Foothills Christian Church in Glendale, AZ, where we have been attending for about three years. Foothills is a beautiful, inclusive, justice-oriented church, and I am incredibly grateful to be a part of this community! I recently joined the staff as a part-time Children’s Ministry Coordinator, and I’ve loved working with parents and volunteers to create a welcoming environment for kids. Outside of this part-time role, I also work as an office administrator for a church management software company.

I am currently attending Claremont School of Theology, and I am halfway through pursuing a Master of Divinity. While I had considered attending seminary for some time, I was motivated to begin my M.Div. in the wake of a painful season of separating from the church I grew up in and was on staff with. Seminary has been a part of my process to discern my vocational next steps and work through my deconstruction and healing journey after that transition. While I’m still working through what my next steps will be after seminary, I am currently under care for ordination with DOC and considering congregational ministry.

Much of my reconstruction process has been allowing myself to discover/rediscover what I am passionate about, particularly in faith and ministry, as so many of my beliefs and my relationship with God and church have shifted. Right now, I am passionate about exploring ways to see the Bible, church, and faith in new ways, particularly ways that honor, uplift, and affirm the marginalized and acknowledge how theology impacts our practices and community life, and vice versa. I am also passionate about the church being a place for accepting, authentic community where spiritual wondering and exploration are welcome, and we are committed to joining together to tangibly care for our neighbors and the earth.