Rev. Dr. G. Stanford Bratton

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Rev. Dr. G. Stanford Bratton,

Executive Director/CEO of the Network of Religious Communities. Buffalo, NY

Dr. Stan Bratton is the Executive Director/CEO of the Network of Religious Communities.  It is an interfaith organization of denominations, congregations, and religious organizations located in and serving Western NY and the Niagara Peninsula of Southern Ontario.

He previously served as Pastor of a large intercity congregation, affiliated with the American Baptist Church USA and the Presbyterian Church USA in Rochester, NY.  Constituents included long-term blue-collar neighborhood residents and recent arrivals from Haiti, Cuba, and Brazil.

Prior to that, he was Director of Interfaith Urban Ministry in Providence, RI, serving students from Brown University, Rhode Island School of Design, and youth throughout the Providence Area.

Stan was born and raised in the coal mining region of Southwestern, PA.  He is married to Marietta Bratton, a retired BOCES special education teacher.  They have two daughters and six grandchildren.

Rev. Dr. Skip Ferguson, retired, Presbyterian Church USA, Buffalo, NY

The Rev. Dr. Skip Ferguson is an Honorably Retired minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA).  Prior to his retirement, he pastored churches in Northern Virginia and the Hudson River Valley, and also served as a hospital chaplain.  He earned his master’s degree and doctorate from Princeton Theological Seminary.

Since retiring and returning to the Buffalo area, Skip has been active at Westminster Presbyterian Church, where he leads the weekly “Bible & More” class.  He also served for two years as interim Pastor at Orchard Park Presbyterian Church.

He began his career practicing law, first in Chicago and then Buffalo, before shifting to the business world, where he worked as a consultant, and then as Editor of management and finance publications at the Economist Group in New York City, prior to enrolling at Princeton Seminary.

Skip’s family has a long history with the Chapel: his grandparents were devoted congregants for many years, and his Uncle Don sang in the choir.  One of Skip’s first services after he returned to Buffalo was presiding at a wedding at the Chapel! 

Rabbi Alex Lazarus-Klein, Congregation Shir Shalom, Williamsville, NY.   

Rabbi Alex Lazarus-Klein came to Buffalo in the Fall of 2008 to serve as the rabbi of Temple Sinai, now called Congregation Shir Shalom.  He brings warmth, creativity, and compassion to the role of synagogue rabbi.  A trained chaplain and gifted teacher, he is actively engaged in all aspects of communal life, from helping people with their everyday struggles, to intricate details of synagogue governance.  

Rabbi Alex is a respected leader in the Buffalo area, serving on many local boards including: the Buffalo Board of Rabbis, the Network of Religious Communities, Jewish Family Services, the Bureau of Jewish Education, Jewish Community Center, and the Coalition of Economic Justice.  He has served as president of the Network of Religious Communities.  He is also on the national board of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association out of Wyncote, Pennsylvania.  He works with leaders of all faiths, to improve the quality of life in Western New York and beyond.  

A 2004 graduate of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College he also holds Masters and Bachelor Degrees from the Jewish Theological Seminary, as well as a Bachelors degree from Columbia University.  Before coming to Buffalo he served as rabbi of Temple B´nai Abraham in Bordentown, New Jersey, and directed the Community Partnership Program for the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia.  

He currently resides in Amherst, with his wife Ashirah, and three young children, Jarah, Boaz, and Noam.  

Rev. Dr. Jacob C. Ledwon, 

Retired Pastor of St. Joseph University Parish, Buffalo, NY.

Father Ledwon was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Buffalo in 1972.  He has a B.A. in Philosophy, an M.A. in Theology from St. John Vianney Seminary and a B. Mus. in Piano Performance from Manhattanville College.  He earned a Ph.D. in Musicology from SUNY Buffalo where he specialized in the study of medieval chant manuscripts.  

Father Ledwon had been the Pastor of St. Joseph University Parish for the past 33 years, of which he recently retired.  St. Joseph University Parish has been cited in national publications as a model of engaging liturgy for young people.  Recently it was one of twelve parishes from across the country invited by Parish Catalyst in California to participate in a cohort to address the question of outreach to young adults, and it was chosen by Daniel Markham for his book, 52 Masses, as the parish to represent New York State as a model for vibrant worship.  

In 2005 Father Ledwon was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Niagara University for his “contributions to the religious and cultural life of Western New York.”  He is currently working on his “bucket list,” completing a book, entitled Twenty Questions: I’m thinking about life, and preparing songs for his third CD, Songs for Goodnight and Goodbye.

Rev. Dr. Melody Rutherford, 

Director Spiritual Care, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY.   

As a fully endorsed, board certified chaplain, Rev. Dr. Melody Irene Rutherford currently serves as Director of Spiritual Care at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo, NY.   Dr. Rutherford has several years of experience in healthcare in areas such as chaplaincy services, palliative care, end of life care, clinical pastoral education, and mission services.   As an ordained minister, she maintains ecclesiastical endorsement in chaplaincy through the American Baptist Churches.  She served as Adjunct Professor teaching “Care & Counsel” for the master’s degree program at Northeastern Seminary at Roberts Wesleyan University in Rochester, NY. 

Within the Spiritual Care Department, Dr. Rutherford leads a large team of spiritual caregivers (paid & volunteer) from various faith traditions and perspectives.   She facilitates the quality-of-life Bereavement / End of Life Program, Life Recorded Program, regular (General) Grief Support Groups, Young Grieving Spouse Grief Support Groups, Caregivers Support Programs, Annual Spring Grief Retreat, Annual Patient and Caregivers’ Retreat, multiple education days for local chaplains and spiritual caregivers, two Annual Patient Remembrance Services, Summer Staff Remembrance Service, 15-Week Spiritual Care Volunteer Visitors Training Program, and spearheads the Interfaith ENRG Committee while also participating in a variety of other interprofessional committees within the center.  Dr. Melody works closely with area pastors to ensure that there is adequate representation from the many faith traditions available to patients, their caregivers and Roswell Park staff members. Additionally, she connects with many community organizations to assist in areas of spiritual care, grief, and / or community building concerns. 

Since 1992, Melody has served in various capacities, including host of a live Christian radio broadcast and as Interim Lead Pastor in Clarence, NY and Associate Pastor in Cheektowaga, NY.  In the church setting, she designed and led programs within women’s ministry, children’s ministry, Sunday School, executive office administration,  community faith liaison, praise and worship leader, and even drama and arts director.   Dr. Rutherford provides supply preaching and conference facilitation across the region and beyond on numerous ministerial and professional topics.  

With certification through the Board of Chaplaincy Certification, Inc. (BCCI) a division of the Association of Professional Chaplains (APC), Melody graduated from SUNY Empire State College with an undergraduate degree in Business (concentration in Organizational Communications).   She earned a Master of Divinity degree (concentration in Transformational Leadership) from Northeastern Seminary in Rochester, NY, and a Master of Science degree in Management (concentration in Leadership) from Excelsior College.  Her completed Doctor of Ministry Degree in the Leadership Cognate was completed at Liberty University. 

Currently, Dr. Melody Rutherford serves on the Board of Trustees for the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra (BPO) and as Chair for the BPO’s Diversity Council.   In addition, she is a Board Member for the Buffalo City Mission and The Baptist Manor and several other committees.  Previously, Melody served as Trustee Member for the Buffalo Bible Society before its closing.

A resident of Amherst, NY, Melody resides with her husband of 35-years, Rev. Rodney Rutherford.   Together, they are the proud parents of three adult children, Rodney (Krystal), Chloe (Shaquille), and Joy; and loving grandparents of nine. 

Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Wilson, Lead Pastor, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Buffalo, NY.

The Reverend Doctor Jeffrey M. Wilson has been a pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) since July 2002.  He served the majority of his ministry as part of the Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Synod where he led three congregations: Redeemer – McLean, VA; Bethel – Manassas, VA; and St. John – Riverdale, MD.  Pastor Jeff was called to serve Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in downtown Buffalo, NY in October 2023.

Pastor Jeff was raised in Orange, TX.  He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Computer Information Systems from Stephen F. Austin State University – Nacogdoches, TX.  After working as a programmer for six years in Houston, TX, he began attending the Lutheran Seminary at Philadelphia (now United Lutheran Seminary) where he earned a Master of Divinity degree.  In May 2012, he matriculated in the Doctor of Ministry program at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN, with a concentration in Congregational Mission and Leadership.  He successfully defended his doctoral thesis in March 2017.

Pastor Jeff believes that faith is a part of every aspect of our lives.  He enjoys cooking and experimenting with food, especially Mediterranean and Texas BBQ.  His blog brings faith, food, and curiosity together at epicuriouslutheran.blog.  He enjoys food, good music, good wine, and being outside.  He has been a beekeeper since 2022.  He has a daughter, Caroline, who lives in Northern Virginia, and a tuxedo cat named Gatsby.