Chelsea Boyden (they/them) is serving First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) as the Seminary Intern for the 2024-2025 academic school year. Chelsea has also served as the youth minister at SpringHouse Ministry Center in Minneapolis, MN since February 2023, where they focus on creating engaging, socially just, and spiritually rich programming for young people. Chelsea earned their Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Philosophy, and Peace, Justice, & Conflict Studies from Gustavus Adolphus College in 2021 and will graduate with their Master of Divinity at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities. Their academic journey is driven by a deep commitment to fostering inclusive, justice-centered ministry.
Chelsea has extensive experience in both ministry and education. In addition to their role at SpringHouse, they work as an Academic Advisor for TRIO Upward Bound at Dakota County Technical College, where they design and implement programming to support low-income high school students who would be the first in their family to go and graduate from college. Their work focuses on providing equitable opportunities and support for students, especially those from marginalized communities.
Along with their work with SpringHouse, Chelsea has been deeply involved in ecumenical ministry, particularly as the Spiritual Director and Board Member for Southern Minnesota Teens Encounter Christ (TEC). In this role, they are passionate about creating a welcoming and spiritually transformative environment for youth, as well as fostering ecumenical partnerships that unite diverse Christian traditions. Chelsea’s work at TEC focuses on providing emotional and spiritual support during pivotal moments in young people’s lives, leading retreats and faith-building activities that encourage deep personal and spiritual growth. Their commitment to ecumenism is central to their ministry, as they actively collaborate with partners across Christian denominations to address key issues affecting youth and to cultivate spaces of healing and community.
Chelsea lives in Burnsville, MN, with their fiancée, Olivia Brammer, and their pets—a cat named Kiwi and a dog named Minnie. Outside of their professional and ministerial roles, Chelsea enjoys connecting with their community through meaningful service and activism.