Alan Dennis
Alan G. Dennis
The Rev. Canon Alan Godfrey Dennis was born in Cape Town, South Africa. He grew up in the suburb of Athlone, reserved for “colored’s” under the The Group Areas Act of 1950.
His passion for social justice and equality began during his high school years, leading Intentional Conversations and protests against the apartheid regime.
In his senior year at high school, following a meeting with peers of a Xhosa speaking high school, he was arrested and interrogated for a weekend before being released. It was during this time he heard the cry from 8000 miles away, “we shall overcome someday.” The witness and example of Dr. Martin Luther King jr., propelled him into “standing up,” and working tirelessly for justice, peace and reconciliation.
After qualifying as a Librarian, specializing in children and young adult work, Alan entered Saint Peter’s College, when the struggle against the horrendous evil of apartheid was peaking. The awful events of 1976, when thousands of children were killed around the country, further cemented his zeal for bringing about restorative justice for all. He graduated Summa cum laude in 1978.
His early years as a priest were hindered by challenges and racial discrimination. The appointment of a “colored” to a “whites only” parish (one of the first) created both strife and opportunity. From then on his ministry was that of a bridge builder and counselor, doing the hard and creative work of reconciliation and justice
During Alan’s 43 years of ordained ministry (now retired), he served in varied ways. As a University Chaplain he was often a peace broker between police and marching students. In the Cape Town Diocese, he served large urban, suburban, and rural parishes often working very closely with Archbishop Desmond Tutu. In his early years in North America, Alan served parishes in Toronto, and Darien and Bridgeport, Connecticut. At the diocese level, Alan was Dean of the Cathedral of St. John in Albuquerque, New Mexico and Sub-Dean of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City. He has recently has led parishes in Westchester County, New York, as well as Chelsea and Greenwich Village in New York City, guiding them through periods of stressful transition.
Whether in a local, national, or international setting, Alan has worked tirelessly, as a leader and conciliator within the interfaith community. He has facilitated numerous workshops, retreats and motivational conferences, on issues of peace, reconciliation, justice and relationship building in South Africa, Singapore, Canada, England, Botswana, Tanzania, the Republic of Georgia, Italy, and numerous states in the US.
As someone who has experienced the pain of racial discrimination, Alan is deeply committed to the healing of all who are oppressed and marginalized in any way. He has a deep passion for affirming the value of all persons, and he continues to serve the wider community with an enduring dedication to outreach and inclusion. Now, with Sawabona Sikhona, Alan is poised to assist many businesses, organizations and churches address personnel, organizational, and ethical challenges.
He enjoys music and the arts, writing, good movies, kayaking and walking. While presently engaged in numerous wood working projects, he is also an avid gardener and experiences the garden as a place to be creative, think and pray. He is enjoying the gift of retirement
Jennifer (Jenny) Dennis
Jenny Dennis
Jennifer Ann Dennis was born in a beautiful suburb of Cape Town, a brisk 30-minute walk away from Alan, in another designated “colored” community called Crawford. She had one older brother and three younger sisters.
At the tender age of 5 she developed an awareness of the disparity amongst races, not quite defining it, but asking questions about the school grounds in some areas as she passed by on public transportation, “why do these schools have grass and trees to play on and under and ours do not? Why do they have a swimming pool and tennis courts and ours do not?”
Following high school, she entered a teacher’s college for elementary school education, successfully graduating at the top of her class. She enjoyed many years as a teacher of grades 1 through 4. During these early years, she earned a second diploma in education as a Senior Teacher.
Having been the victim of discrimination, she developed a deep fervency for the marginalized and oppressed. She became an avid advocate for children with special needs and volunteered to teach children with dyslexia, mental, emotional and physical challenges. She played a vital role during a time of change when education opportunities opened for children across color lines, teaching children how to navigate an “atypical” environment, encouraging them to learn and speak English with confidence and showing them how to navigate the protocols of life.
After a 21-year career as an educator and upon the family’s move to America, Jenny transitioned to the banking industry where she has led development of training and customer service programs for major banks. Her career spanned across various positions as a Teller (Citibank – Westport, Connecticut, Branch Manager, Service and Retail Leader (Wachovia – across the Connecticut State), Director of Training (First State Bank of New Mexico – Albuquerque, NM, Utah, Arizona and Colorado) and as a Sr. Vice-President in Customer Experience (Wells Fargo – spanning across Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware).Jenny is presently employed by a non for profit.
At a local, national or international setting, Jenny has remained passionate about embracing change and unleashing optimal potential in others. As the Directing Coordinator of a college to career bank sponsored mentoring program for young women at a prestigious university in New Jersey, she enjoys putting this passion into practice.
She loves reading, writing, knitting and cooking. Her favorite quotation by Maya Angelou: “Be a rainbow in someone’s cloud” sums it all up for her because nothing gives her more joy and satisfaction than the rainbows in her life as a daughter, sister, aunt, cousin, friend, mentor, teacher, leader, motivator, relator and the three roles she treasures most as the wife of the love of her life, mother of caring children and grandma to four beautiful and happy grandchildren!
Footnote: For the last 43 years, Alan and Jenny have supported each other. Together, they had an eight-year term as the international clergy couple of Marriage Encounter for Africa. They have two married children and four grandchildren (More details of their story is featured in the book, “Towers of Hope, and “Finding Courage” by Joy Carol).
The journey from Cape Town to New York continues for them both!