About Our Presenter

The Rev. Rebekah Simon-Peter is an ordained Elder in the Rocky Mountain Conference of the United Methodist Church, earning an M.Div. (‘95), and M.A.R. (‘98) from the Iliff School of Theology in Denver. She is also a graduate of the Center for Pastoral Effectiveness (’01) and The Climate Project Training with former Vice President Al Gore ('07). 

Born and raised a Reform Jew, she later became a member of the Orthodox Jewish community.  A surprise vision of Jesus resulted in her spiritual journey into Christian discipleship.  But not without some hard lessons along the way about obstacles to understanding between Christians and Jews.

Rebekah earned a B.S. in Environmental Studies at the University of Vermont (’85), and worked on the State of Vermont’s water quality and acid rain studies.  As a trained and experienced naturalist and scientist, she bridges the gap between faith and action in the care of Creation.   

BridgeWorks brings together her various passions and life-experiences:  a rich and exciting spiritual journey, science and faith, a commitment to wholeness, and various cultures and ethnicities.  It has been an enriching ride for her and she hopes to enrich your ministry and understandings as well.  She is passionate about turning barriers into bridges of understanding and inventing the possibility of reconciliation between peoples.

Over the last 11 years she has served in three diverse settings: as Associate Pastor in an African-American congregation in Denver, as Co-Pastor of a large, primarily Anglo, suburban congregation in Parker CO, and as Senior Pastor of a midsize church in rural Rawlins WY.

She is happily married to Jerry Gonzales, an Hispanic Roman Catholic and native Wyomingite.  Jerry is an avid golfer and a mentor of young men.  They have a French poodle named Amigo and are proud participants in the local chapter of Big Brother Big Sister.