The Rev. Bryan Hooper will never forget Dec. 10, 2002. He spent several hours of International Human Rights Day in jail--one of 100-odd demonstrators, including many religious leaders, arrested for blocking the entrance to the U.S. Mission of the United Nations in protest of a possible war with Iraq.

Social activism is nothing new for Hooper or the members of his Washington Square congregation. "This church has an almost legendary position of supporting social causes. Our location in Greenwich Village puts us at the heart of progress."

The church was the first reconciling congregation program in The United Methodist Church, meaning it is open and affirming of gay and lesbian membership. Church leaders and members regularly participate in gay pride marches and political protests. Twice a week, the church opens its doors to help feed the hungry. This month, Hooper has helped organize a pro-choice event marking the 30th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade.

"We see ourselves connecting personal faith with social concerns," he says. "As the founder of Methodism John Wesley said, "we know no holiness apart from social holiness." There are many ways we see our faith expressed in the social climate in which we are living."

After serving as associate pastor at Park Avenue United Methodist Church in Manhattan for three years, Hooper was appointed senior pastor at Washington Square last July. At the 2002 New York Annual Conference, he was commissioned as a probationary member of the Annual Conference. "Essentially it means that I will be ordained as an elder in three years if nothing goes wrong--like getting arrested too many times."

Hooper grew up in Houston, raised "marginally Methodist, marginally Southern Baptist." He came to Southwestern to study accounting and computer science, but studying religion under Farley Snell, former University chaplain and Chair of the Department of Religion and Philosophy, inspired him to go to seminary. "Studying religion in an academic way was enlightening and important for me. I was lucky to have a mentor like Dr. Snell."

Hooper attended Union Theological Seminary in New York with aspirations of going into academia, but he left Union to take a job with the communication agency for the United Methodist Church. He says, "The two years I spent there helped me decide that ministry in the Church was my calling." He completed his seminary work at Drew University in New Jersey.

"Ministry allows me access to people's lives. The trust and confidence they show me is surprising, sometimes scary, but ultimately rewarding. I enjoy knowing I will have the opportunity to impact someone's life."

While he admits that the church is his life, Hooper says he enjoys following the music scene, especially when Texas folk bands make their way up to New York. He likes to dabble in web sites every now and then and continues to get more involved in the peace movement. "Organizing and working with people to promote social change in our communities is very fulfilling, and I am glad I'm at a church that allows me that opportunity."