On Sunday, June 1, members of The Congregational Church of New Canaan unanimously voted to call Kelly Antonson as the church’s Associate Minister for Children, Youth, and Families. Kelly will begin in her new role effective immediately.
Antonson preached a sermon, “Write It on Their Hearts,” at the 10:00am service of worship that morning. Immediately after the service, a special meeting of the
Congregation was convened, and members voted to affirm the nomination of Antonson and call her as the Associate Minister for Children, Youth, and Families.
Kelly Antonson received her Master of Divinity degree from Yale Divinity School in May 2025. While at Yale, she also earned a diploma from Andover Newton Seminary, the embedded seminary at Yale that forms ministers for congregational life. During her studies, Kelly was honored to serve as a Raymond Preaching Fellow for three consecutive years, an opportunity that equipped her with tangible preaching skills as she preached regularly in churches throughout Connecticut.
Kelly has been a part of The Congregational Church of New Canaan community since 2010 and has served as Senior Youth Director since 2019. Her ministry here has focused on walking with youth and families through life’s joys and challenges, leading meaningful service opportunities, and creatively shaping worship and spiritual formation. She now seeks to continue her pastoral call within this beloved church as the Associate Minister of Children, Youth, and Families.
Originally from New Jersey, Kelly first felt a call to ministry through service – both in her active church involvement and volunteering with Michael’s Feat, a nonprofit that supports seriously ill infants. She graduated from St. John Vianney High School in
2007 and subsequently earned a B.A. in Political Science and Religious Studies from Sacred Heart University in 2011. While at Sacred Heart, Kelly served as Student Body President, led numerous service initiatives, and first discovered the vibrant community of The Congregational Church of New Canaan.
After graduation, Kelly was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to Albania, where she piloted a literacy program using e-readers in local schools. Upon returning home, she worked in nonprofit development with Habitat for Humanity of Coastal Fairfield County and Inspirica, Inc. in Stamford, before stepping into full-time church ministry.
Kelly brings a warm, thoughtful presence to her ministry and is passionate about helping people of all ages explore their faith, deepen their relationships, and live out God’s love in community. She believes ministry begins with listening—creating space for people to show up as they are, loving them as they are, and helping them discover that they are already held by grace. Kelly seeks to lead with authenticity and a deep conviction that the Church is where lives are transformed, and love takes tangible form.
She lives in New Canaan with her husband, Steve, and their three young children.
Outside of the ministry, you will find her chasing her toddlers, cooking dinners for friends alongside Steve, sneaking in time at the Jersey Shore for salty air and soulful rest, and every so often, humbly working her way through a beginner’s golf swing.
