Rev. Dr. Deborah Brincivalli

Executive Presbyter

It is a joy to share a little personal information with you. I was born in Chicago and raised in a devout Roman Catholic family. I attended parochial school and found that I wanted to serve God at a young age. My dad (Marc) and I moved to Colorado when I was nine and we lived on a ranch in Durango. I found joy in the beauty of nature and in the service of others, from my involvement in 4-H to my being a candy striper and a nurse’s aide.

After high school, my involvement with the church (but not God) lessened. I attended college in Durango (at over 6000 feet it truly was “higher” education). I was involved with psychology, sociology and political science - serving an internship in Criminal Justice Planning. This led to my first career involving law enforcement and managing an office that covered 11 counties in southwest Colorado for five years headquartered in Montrose.

While in this town of 5,000 I felt the yearning for a community of faith. I attended 26 churches in 26 weeks and found I felt connected to the Presbyterian Church (then UPCUSA). I became very involved and organized a Christian Teen Center for the town and administered the Presbytery’s summer camping program. I felt I was called to serve God in yet a more intentional way. My home pastor told me “I do not believe in women in ministry, but the Holy Spirit does” and urged me to apply to seminary. My journey led me to the Presbytery of Western Colorado and then to Princeton Theological Seminary in 1982. My call was affirmed in many ways and I knew in my heart I was called to serve God vocationally. My father continues to support me in my ministry as he resides in Riverside and spearheads an AIDS ministry.

I was called to the Presbyterian Church of Burlington in 1985. It has been a joy-filled experience for almost 23 years to serve God with that congregation. We lived in faithfulness seeking ways to love God, neighbor and each other as we engaged in ministry together. We created a welcoming community that is diverse reflecting the richness that is the vineyard of God. I will always cherish these years, and I am thankful for the support of the people of the Burlington Church.

In 1988 I was blessed to have found my soul mate and in 1989 James Adcock proposed to me during a worship service. Jim is a social worker for Burlington County Board of Social Services (for 34 years) in addition to being an ordained elder and deacon.

I am a breast cancer survivor since 2005 and know how powerful the presence of God, the power of prayer and the support of others truly is.

I have enjoyed serving God in the larger church and cherish our connectional nature. I have felt God’s call to serving the mid-council level of the church and have responded to that call. We began our ministry together on July 1, 2008 when I began my ministry as the Executive Presbyter for the Presbytery of West Jersey.

Thanks be to God.

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1701 Sycamore Street, Haddon Heights, NJ 08035

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