Andrew Pakula

Rev Dr. Andrew Pakula
Born	18 December 1957 New York, United States
Residence	London, UK
Nationality	American
Education	Massachusetts Institute of Technology Andover Newton Theological School Unitarian College, Manchester
Occupation	Unitarian Minister Executive Committee Member of GAUFCC

Rev. Dr. Andrew Pakula (born 18 December 1957 in New York, United States) is an atheist Unitarian minister. He was elected in 2009 to serve on the executive committee of the General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches, the umbrella body for British Unitarians. He is the minister of two neighbouring congregations in north London: Unity, on Upper Street in the heart of Islington; and Newington Green Unitarian Church, on the village green of that name about two kilometres north.

Pakula grew up within a secular Jewish family in New York. He holds a doctorate in biology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Master of Business Administration from the MIT Sloan School of Management, and used these in his careers in biotechnology management and then in business development. He began his studies for the Unitarian Universalist ministry at Andover Newton Theological School, when he was living in Boston, Massachusetts with his wife and son. He moved to England and completed these studies at Unitarian College, Manchester, whilst also serving from October 2006 as student minister at New Unity, the single name for the two congregations mentioned above. In January 2010 he was inducted as full minister of both churches; Labour Party Members of Parliament Diane Abbott and Emily Thornberry were at the service, held at Newington Green Unitarian Church.