The Rev. Emily Bowen-Marler (she/her) has served at Brentwood since October of 2001, and became the associate minister in 2004. After growing up in southern California, she moved to Indianapolis to attend grad school, then moved to Springfield to work for Brentwood. Her primary responsibilities include the cultivation of vibrant, rich expressions of worship, music, and the arts, as well as offering oversight to outreach and justice initiatives, along with support to congregational care, children’s ministries and church administration.

While she is an accomplished singer and musician (she has led worship at the Disciples of Christ General Assembly and previously served as the music director for the Disciple Women’s Ministries event Quadrennial), she is just as well-known for using her voice to advocate for local causes related to justice and equality. A frequent speaker at community events, she also helps organize local advocacy initiatives related to LGBTQ+ rights and inclusion. She’s served on the board for Aids Project of the Ozarks and is a member of the Musgrave Foundation Grantmaking Advisory Committee. She holds degrees from Phillips Theological Seminary (MDiv), Christian Theological Seminary (MA), and Chapman University (BM). She is the co-author with Phil Snider of Toward a Hopeful Future, winner of the Mayflower Award for Best Book in Church & Society.