First Parish Church gets a new minister with diverse worldview

By Alice Waugh

Multiculturalism and diplomacy are at the core of Rev. Manish Mishra-Marzetti, the new senior minister for the First Parish, who was, in his words, “raised Hindu, in a Jewish neighborhood, in a predominately Christian country.”

Before becoming a minister, Mishra-Marzetti had a different vocation—the Pittsburgh native served in the U.S. Diplomatic Corps after graduating Phi Beta Kappa from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. Working in Oman, Finland, Switzerland and Washington, he acquired a deep understanding and appreciation of cultures shaped by Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam and Christianity. He has also been a teacher of religious studies.

“Religious pluralism and cultural bridge-building were inherent to who I was,” he said.

Mishra-Marzetti graduated from Harvard Divinity School in 2005 and was ordained a Unitarian-Universalist minister. He subsequently worked in six Unitarian-Universalist churches, most recently as a senior minister in New Jersey and Florida. In Lincoln, he succeeds Rev. Roger W. Paine III, who retired last year.

Mishra-Marzetti contributed a chapter to “Wrestling with Adulthood: Unitarian Universalist Men Talk About Growing Up.” YouTube videos include his 2013 sermon on “When Failure Finds Us” and another in a less formal setting where he takes the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. There are also audio recordings of him delivering sermons at the First Parish last spring titled “Bringing Alive the Prayer” and “Living a Life of Prayer” on the church’s website.

Mishra-Marzetti will open First Parish’s church year this Sunday, Sept. 13. Regular Sunday services are at 10 a.m., with Sunday School and child care offered concurrently.