NORWICH — The Broad Street United Methodist Church saw a change in leadership earlier this summer, and have welcomed the Rev. Mary Rublee as their new pastor. Rublee has served as a pastor in the United Methodist Church for ten years.

Rublee spent 25 years as an IT engineer for Eastman Kodak Company before attending seminary at the Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School in Rochester, but she said her call to faith came long before her schooling.

"Even as a child I was sort of feeling the call to be clergy, or ordained clergy, but I was raised Roman Catholic and, you know, female pastors aren't in that denomination," she explained. "It wasn't until my husband Darrell and I were in the Rochester area and had settled in and had our first child. We happened to go to a Methodist Church near where we were living and there was a female pastor. I never knew that was a possibility. That was a start for me."

From there, Rublee said she attended Colgate for three years to earn her Masters of Divinity, adding that her path to becoming clergy has "been a lifelong journey."

Being ordained clergy in the Methodist Church means that Rublee takes a vow to go where she is needed, which eventually prompted her move to Norwich in July.

"Our denomination is we take a vow that we will be sent wherever the bishop and the district superintendent, the appointed cabinet, send us. So our appointments go from July 1 to June 30," said Rublee. "That's not to say I'll be moving in a year but we are- what we're called is itinerents. We go where the bishop sends us."

Rublee explained that as pastor of the Broad Street United Methodist Church, she plans to focus on community involvement, bringing people together, and spreading the love of God.

"I would say predominantly it's that we more intentionally see our neighbors. Not just those within our church but within the community, and we see and partner with others to meet some of the more profound needs within the community," she said. "[I] want people to get a better understanding of who God is, and as a Christian, for myself it's getting people to understand how much Jesus Christ loves us and wants us to share that love with others, not only in our words but our actions as well."

She also has a focus on homelessness and mental health outreach, and hopes to partner with local and state organizations to address them.

"We have a homeless population, and people that are on the margins as it pertains to, you know, availability of resources. So living in the county seat is a good place to be able to partner with some of the state and local folks to meet some of those needs," Rublee explained.

"As we all know with COVID it has definitely been a period of time in which we really have needed to come together. And that there's been some significant gaps that have been identified, you know, mental health being one of them with the isolation," she added.

Joining her in her move to Norwich is Rublee's husband of 38 years, Darrell Rublee, who also worked as an engineer before changing vocations. He is now a licensed massage therapist and has opened Bella Bella Salon and Suites, located at 6370 County Road 32 in Norwich.

In their free time, the couple enjoys hiking, traveling, golfing, and cooking. Rublee said she enjoys outdoor activities because it allows her to take in the beauty of nature, which she calls "a love letter to us from God."

"I think it's just being in nature, you know being able to unplug. And so for me, when I go on vacation or a renewal I just literally unplug. So I don't look at emails or phone calls or any of that, and really get to immerse myself in the beauty of the surroundings," she said.

Darrell and Mary Rublee also have two children, Benjamin and Johnathan, who live in the Albany and Philadelphia areas, respectively.

Rublee said she is happy to be in Norwich and serving the community.

"My husband and I really enjoyed getting to know the city," she said. "It seems like a very welcoming community, and you know, a lot of things going on. So that's a good thing as well."