REV. DR. David A. Purdy
30 Bank Street Harwich Port, MA 02646
David Purdy graduated from Ardsley (NY) High School in 1956. He earned a B.A. (cum laude) from Amherst College in 1960 and a M.Div. from Yale University Divinity School in 1963. After spending an intern year at the Ecumenical Institute in Chicago, he was ordained into the ministry of the United Methodist Church. In 1980, he received a D.Min. (cum laude) from Andover Newton Theological School. During his years of pastoral ministry, he served churches in Massachusetts, and was appointed a Superintendent of the Rhode Island/Southeastern Massachusetts District for the last 5 years before retirement in 2002. For 25 years, he was a member of the Adjunct Faculty at Andover Newton Theological School.
He has contributed articles to the Progressive Christian and Zion’s Herald magazines on social justice topics. His sermons have been published, and in 1987, he was the recipient of the Ziegler Award for Excellence in Preaching in the N.E. Conference of the United Methodist Church. In 2004, he wrote “Center of our Certainty”, an introduction to a 26 volume CD of the sermons of the Rev. Dr. Wilbur Ziegler, produced by the Preacher’s Aid Society of N.E.
From the beginning of Pamela’s Icon project, David researched the history of the Movement and wrote the one page description which accompanies each Icon.
In 2011, David and Pamela were recipients of the Barnstable County Human Rights Commission’s “Cornerstone Award” for honoring the heroes of the Civil Rights Movement.
In 2012, they were the recipients of the Cape Cod NAACP “Unsung Heroes” Award. In May, 2017 Pamela and David were given “The Olive Branch Award” from the Fellowship of reconciliation (FOR), Cape Cod Chapter.
In Nov. 2017 Pamela and David received The National Center For Race Amity Medal of Honor.