The Rev. Gordon Webster arrived as Co-pastor of Downtown Church in March 2001. Gordon has a passion for ecumenical / interfaith involvement and urban ministry, and preaches out of a deep concern for community, Christian spirituality and justice.

Born in Huntington, Long Island, Rev. Webster graduated with honors from Hamilton College, Clinton, New York, with a major in Philosophy and a minor in psychology and religion. He earned his Master of Divinity degree at Union Theological Seminary in New York City. Contributing to that degree were his studies middler year at the Divinity School of the University of St. Andrews, Scotland, and his development of a senior level curriculum course on war and peace in his intern year with the Long Island United Ministries in Higher Education. He was ordained by the Presbytery of Long Island in Old First Church, Huntington, his home church, in 1973.

After serving in the ecumenical ministries in Syracuse, New York, Rev. Webster became the Associate Pastor of First Presbyterian Church, Syracuse. In his community outreach he developed an ecumenical church ministry to the homeless, created dialogues between African American and white church leaders, and co-founded the Syracuse Area Middle East Dialogue (SAMED), which celebrated its 25 year in 2005.

Rev. Webster in 1983 was called by the Mission Board of the Presbyterian denomination to serve in an international church peace effort to global “hot spots”. He responded to become with his wife Gloria, “Peace Associates in the Middle East”. In 1983-1984 he served with the Middle East Council of Churches, Beirut, Lebanon, with assignments in Cairo, Cyprus, Damascus, Amman and Jerusalem. In 1985-1986 he continued as a missionary-in-residence at the Stony Point Mission Conference Center, Stony Point, New York, designing and conducting workshops on Middle East Christianity and the conflicts, with a focus on “terrorism”, the Israeli-Palestinian, and Israeli-Arab tensions. He authored the lead article for the 1986 Mission Year Book of Prayer and Study, “The Middle East: The Birthplace of Christianity”, and designed the Montreat Peace Conference in the fall of 1985, with the Rev. Ben Weir, Dr. Edward Said and Rabbi Arthur Hertzberg as keynote speakers.

Upon arriving in the Presbytery of Genesee Valley, Rev. Webster was included in the fourth edition of the Marquis “Who’s Who in Religion” (1992-1993) and in “Who’s Who in America” (1998- 2005).

While serving a ten year pastorate at the Ogden Presbyterian Church, Spencerport, Rev. Webster led a successful renovation and building campaign, which added to the sanctuary’s attractiveness and the church school’s classrooms. The congregation during his concluding month of ministry welcomed their 300th member.

Since 1996, Rev. Webster has served on the Stewardship Council for the City of Rochester. He worked with Mayor William Johnson to create the Mayor’s Commission on Race and Ethnicity, and actively participated in its primary program, Biracial Partnerships. From 1998 to 2001 he was
Executive Director of the Common Good Planning Center, working on smart growth and urban renaissance. He continues in leadership with the Greater Rochester Community of Churches, having served as President from 1994 to 1997. City Newspaper named him a 1995 Peacemaker of the Year. Since 2004, Gordon has served on the board of the American Friends of Neve Shalom / Wahat al Salaam, which supports the Oasis of Peace village in Israel. He plans 2006 study leave at the village in April-May.

Currently, Rev. Webster is a Presbyterian denominational delegate to the National Council of Churches of Christ General Assembly (1999-2007). He served as the Presbytery of Genesee Valley clergy commissioner to the 2004 General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) in Richmond, Virginia, where he was an Advocate for the Baltimore Overture to eliminate the exclusivity in ordination standards, which forbids ordination or installation of otherwise prepared Presbyterians,
who happen to be gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender.

Rev. Webster shares his life with his wife, Gloria Webster, and their children. He is an avid reader and loves music. Occasionally, his tenor voice is heard from within the Downtown Church choir and dramatic musical presentations.