My official name is the Reverend Linda M. Peabody. I prefer to be called Pastor Linda. I grew up in Arlington MA in a small house with my Mom, Dad, Grammy Robinson, my sisters Jane and Dorothy and my brother Bud (Clinton Jr.). I attended the Arlington Public School System and ended up teaching there for many years. I graduated from State College at Boston in 1967 with a Bachelors of Education degree and in 1973 with masters of education degree.

I attended the Arlington Heights United Methodist Church from age four or five. I felt called into the ordained ministry from my participation in the church – Sunday school, youth group, church camp, and times in my growing years when I felt God's presence, guidance, love, and a strong nudge ( Is that an oxymoron?), a powerful push from God to go into the parish ministry. I didn't listen. I finally did and entered seminary – Boston University School of Theology at the age of 40. I graduated in 1989 and was ordained a Deacon in 1989 and an Elder in 1994. I have served four churches before coming to St. Paul's I was in Vernon, CT, Hull, MA, and Chicopee, MA. I retired in 2008 and was appointed to the United Methodist Church of Bolton, CT.

During my teaching years I traveled during the summers. I have been across the country three times, to Florida more times than I can count (Disney World), and to England and South Africa. Most of the traveling I did in this country was done in my car pulling a pop-up camper behind.

I am also interested in music – If I can understand the words and find the beat I like it. I have tried playing the guitar and the banjo and have ended up with the African drums. Long before I entered seminary I developed an interest in miniatures – making the houses and the furniture. Most recently I have been learning how to assemble, wig, and dress the dolls. All this is to 1 inch scale. I love animals. My preference is cats and I have two cats and my sister has two. My sister and I live with our four cats in our home at Pine Valley Plantation in Belchertown.

I always loved my work as a teacher. I even miss it sometimes. But I know that working in the ministry is where God wants me to be. There are so many people in the world who do not even know God let alone how much they are loved. We must let them know of this love and that they are never alone. Simply put my call is to make sure all God's children know that they are loved by God. Isn't that what the church is all about? We are to accept the love God has for us, love God in return, and to love others as God love us.