Rev. Leslie Dowdell-Cannon

Rev. Leslie Dowdell Cannon has served as the Senior Associate Minister at Peoples Congregational Church of the United Church of Christ in Washington, DC since 1997. Prior to the ministry, she was employed with Northwest Airlines Inc. While in Chicago, she served as the Associate Minister at the Congregational Church of Park Manor and, also as Program Associate with the Community Renewal Society. With the Community Renewal Society, she developed their Senior Ministry Network in collaboration with the Retirement Research Foundation.

Rev. Cannon was very active in the metropolitan Chicago area serving on many boards and committees and in organizations such as Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Co- President Chicago Theological Alumni Association, Fisk University Alumni Association, the board of the Oasis Foundation and Ministers for Racial, Social, and Economic justice, in the United Church of Christ. Since relocating to Washington DC, she has served on the Local Church Development Committee of the Potomac Association and the Environmental Justice Advisory Group. She now serves on the Women's Coordinating Committee of the Potomac Association and was the Chair of the National African American Women in Ministry Retreat for the United Church of Christ.

Rev. Cannon is a contributing writer to the book "What Can Happen When We Pray", Augsburg Fortress Press. She is also a contributing writer to "Reparations" a study guide for local congregations developed by the Justice and Witness ministries of the United Church of Christ.

Rev. Cannon's ministry at Peoples Church covers a wide spectrum of congregational life. Aside from programming and preaching, she is presently giving leadership to a church based cultural arts initiative. The vision is to use the Fine Arts as a medium for hope, healing and spiritual renewal by exposing the creative talents of church and community residents. The intention is to bring cultural exhibits, performance and other arts programming to non- traditional sites such as churches and community centers. She has received a Bachelor of Science in Art from Fisk University and a Master of Divinity degree from Chicago Theological Seminary.

Rev. Cannon has a step son Taylor III, who attends St. Augustine College. She and her husband Taylor W. Cannon Jr. reside in Washington, DC.