Southminster Presbyterian's new pastor aims to support young families

A former Chicago architect is switching her focus from constructing buildings to helping people construct their faith, by becoming the new designated associate pastor at Southminster Presbyterian Church in Arlington Heights.

Before her religious career, Liz Nickerson worked as an architect in Chicago, for the award-winning firm of Carol Ross Barney Architects. She began teaching in the Interior Architecture department as adjunct faculty at Columbia College Chicago in 2001.

"As an architect I wanted to improve the world and peoples' lives through building. My call to ministry was an extension of that, wanting to help build up the church and improve peoples' lives through service in the church." Nickerson worked on many public projects where the aim was to bring good design to underserved communities. She sees the church as an important agent for change both personally and corporately.

"For me faith calls us to, love each other, help those in need and improve the world."

One of the first things that Nickerson, the mother of two elementary-age children, wants to do is start a mom's group at the church, and reach out to young families. "Being a parent is one of the hardest jobs in the world and I don't think parents get enough support today."

Nickerson will be one of two pastors at Southminster, joining head pastor Steve Pierce. She comes to Arlington Heights after working as a program director at Chicago's Fourth Presbyterian Church, the noted Gothic church across from the John Hancock Building. While there she created a series of groups for parents, an educational series called Parenting in Faith, Jazz and special worship services. She is on the Ecumenical and Interreligious Work Group at the Presbytery of Chicago and likes bringing people of different faiths together for united service to their communities.

Liz Nickerson was ordained by the Chicago Presbytery and installed in her new position in a ceremony at the church on April 19. The church is at 916 E. Central Road, one-half mile east of Arlington Heights Road.

Nickerson is not new to Arlington Heights. She interned in 2002-2003 at First Presbyterian Church in downtown Arlington Heights, 302 N. Dunton Ave., while she was a student at McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago.

Her husband also once worked in Arlington Heights. He was a copy editor at the Daily Herald in the 1990s.

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