ROBERT BERGNER
Stories & Testimonials
ROBERT BERGNER
- New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Modern, Ballet, Improvisation
- Career Pathway: Episcopal/Anglican Priest
CAREER
Robert Bergner is currently the pastor of an Episcopal Church in Hamden, Connecticut, a parish known for its generous hospitality and innovative outreach programs, including the Dinner for a Dollar community supper and an ecumenical produce garden project. He is co-founder of an organization that transforms guns into garden tools and jewelry, and an active member of the greater New Haven performing arts community as a musician and dancer.
ROBERT’S STORY
“Twenty years ago, I suffered a back injury that put my dancing on hold and forced me to look at other career options. I had been thinking about attending seminary for some time and, given the obligatory pause in my dance pursuits, I decided to give theological education a try. It turned out that the energy and discipline I had brought to dance transferred well to my academic studies. I completed my Master of Divinity degree with high marks and even before graduating began working as a Chaplain for Corrections Canada. A couple of years later, I was accepted into the Chaplain Residency program at Yale New Haven Hospital in Connecticut and then worked as a healthcare chaplain for several years before taking on my current role as the pastor of a parish.
Without the retraining grant that I received from the DTRC, I am not sure that I would have had the financial resources to make a smooth transition (or perhaps any transition at all) from dance into my next career. The retraining grant, though it did not cover all the costs of a Master’s degree, was absolutely essential in getting that journey started.
I give to the DTRC because I know from my own experience how important it is to support dancers as they imagine, plan, and pursue post-dance or parallel-to-dance careers. I received generous support from the DTRC at a challenging moment in my life and want to help other dancers as they face their own challenges and make their own transitions. Thank you DTRC!”
DTRC’S SUPPORT
- Retraining Grant
