“Leave safety behind. Put your body on the line. Stand before the people you fear and speak your mind—even if your voice shakes.”
Rev. Dr. Shelley Best speaks from the heart and has served as a preacher, speaker, teacher, facilitator and storyteller. A sample of her audio programs are on Soundcloud.
Mini Introduction: Rev. Dr. Shelley Best is a pastor, visual artist, yogini and intentional community builder who is nationally recognized as a soulpreneur, community developer and creative place-maker.
Full Introduction: Rev. Dr. Shelley D. Best is a soulpreneur, visual artist, and the pastor of Redeemer’s Church in Plainville, CT. In 1991 she accepted her call to ministry at Workman Memorial AMEZ Church in Torrington, CT and four years later was appointed to serve as its pastor. In 2001, after a national search, Rev. Best was recruited to serve as president and CEO of The Conference of Churches in Hartford, CT. She is widely credited for its revitalization through the creation of The 224 EcoSpace a 3.5 million dollar social entreprise “where change makers work create and lead.”
Dr. Best is a nationally recognized leader in faith-based community development having served the Bush and Obama administrations and she is a 2020 recipient of Duke Divinity’s Leadership Education “Traditioned Innovation Award.” In 2016, she was appointed by Bishop Dennis V. Proctor to also serve as pastor of Redeemer’s A.M.E. Zion Church of Plainville, CT. With an enthusiastic team of leaders and members she has led the effort to transform the 118-year ministry through “The Meeting House Model,” of hope, healing and “radical hospitality.”
For almost 20 years, Rev. Best has hosted “Rich Answers,“ WRCH 100.5 FM’s Sunday morning public affairs program reaching a weekly audience of 75,000. Dr. Best serves as dean of New England Conference Studies and is an adjunct faculty member at Hartford Seminary. She earned a master’s degree in religious leadership from Hartford Seminary; a master’s in divinity from Yale University and a doctorate in ministry from Hartford Seminary.
Dr. Best is an interfaith and human rights ambassador whose extensive travels to Israel, Palestine, South Africa, India and the Caribbean have opened doors for her Soulpreneur Leadership Development Ministry to empower faith leaders across the globe. With a passion for yoga found after the age of 50, she is a certified Hatha yoga instructor who devotes her practice to community, individual and personal transformation.
“Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.”
