Shawn Brace has been the pastor of the Bangor Seventh-day Adventist Church since January, 2011. A native New Englander born in Massachusetts, he pastored in New Hampshire and Vermont before moving to Bangor.

His greatest passion in life is his family. He has been married to Camille since 2005, and they have two beautiful children - a son, Camden (born in 2009), and a daughter, Acadia (born in 2011).

Shawn received his Bachelor's degree in theology from Andrews University, graduating in 2004. He also received his Master of Divinity degree from Andrews University in 2007, with an emphasis in Old Testament studies. He was ordained to the gospel ministry in the Seventh-day Adventist Church on July 2, 2011.

Shawn's greatest joy in ministry is preaching, writing, and ministering to young people - especially those on secular college campuses. While in New Hampshire, he began an active ministry at Dartmouth College, and soon after arriving in Bangor he started a growing ministry to students at the University of Maine's main campus in Orono.

When it comes to preaching and writing, his primary passion is uplifting the message of "Christ our righteousness." Ever since he learned the principles of this beautiful message at his pastor-father's knee, he has made it a priority to bathe every message he shares in the "matchless charms of Christ." Such a priority has led him to write two books, Waiting at the Altar, released by Teach Services in 2007, and Pursued, released by Pacific Press in 2011.

Along with his dad, he also started and edits the bi-monthly magazine, New England Pastor - a magazine focused on promoting revival and encouraging pastors in New England (though it is also available to pastors and laypeople around the world). He has also written for such publications as Ministry, Insight, Adventists Affirm, and Adventist Today, and he is a frequent contributor to the Adventist Review. He also authors a blog called "Convergence" for the Bangor Daily News, and will be contributing columns periodically for the print edition of the newspaper. 

Among others, Shawn cites the ministries of the late Robert J. Wieland, Richard M. Davidson, Lael Caesar, Dwight Nelson, Herbert E. Douglass, Rick Kuntz, and, of course, his dad, Bill Brace, as the greatest personal influences in his ministry. He has also been blessed incredibly by the literary contributions of, among others, Ellen White, A.T. Jones, E.J. Waggoner, Ty Gibson, Donald Short, Carsten Johnsen, Philip Yancey, and Ravi Zacharias. Outside the Bible, his favorite book is Steps to Christ, frequently reading it 2-3 times a year.

Shawn also loves the outdoors, traveling, spending time with his friends and extended family, and especially photographing the unsurpassed beauty and charm of New England (to view some of his photography work, click here).

You can also follow him at his personal blog, newenglandpastor.blogspot.com.