Who is Lauren Kay?

~Not all who wander are lost~

Hello! I’m Lauren Kay (they/he). From the beginning I’ve been a wanderer and a wonderer and how that manifests in my life is ever-evolving. Currently I work as a hospice chaplain and supply priest with a home life that includes a spouse, teenagers, cats, and a dog. Usually I can be found in Maine or New Hampshire and I adventure and/or travel whenever I have the opportunity, especially if it includes hiking, kayaking, or people I dearly love. Oh, and I am an avid reader with a habit of filling my personal library with more books than I will ever have enough time to read…

My formal education background includes a variety of subjects studied at the undergraduate level, a Master of Divinity degree with emphasis on chaplaincy and pastoral care, and ongoing continuing education. Primarily I’ve worked and volunteered with non-profits and ministry-related organizations; I also worked several years in the ACE* industry, first for a non-profit, then as a small business owner/operator, and later with corporate firms. I also bring recovery and justice experience to my work, frequently asking: “What is mine to do?”

December 15, 2019 I was ordained as an Episcopal priest. I served as a rector of a family-sized parish from 2019-2023 and have been working in chaplaincy since leaving that role. In addition to full-time hospice chaplaincy I also provide overnight on-call coverage for two local hospitals and provide weekly evening spiritual care groups to the behavioral health units at one of those hospitals. As part of my hospice work I provide grief support and facilitate grief groups throughout the year.

*Architecture, Construction, and Engineering