Joy Ducree Gregory’s Candler School of Theology roots run deep: her father, the Rev. Edward Ducree, was Candler’s first Black graduate in 1968. But Ducree Gregory herself didn’t set foot on campus until 2018, when she accompanied her dad to Candler’s diploma ceremony where he was honored on the 50th anniversary of his milestone graduation.
She says something shifted during that celebratory visit.
“I felt such a peace and a longing to be in this type of space,” she recalls. “It felt very authentic and real, from the dean to the faculty to the staff. It was just a great experience.”
Ducree Gregory had considered seminary in the past, but imposter syndrome took hold. Instead of attending seminary, she earned a master’s of education degree in counseling psychology.
“I thought, ‘Let’s do that instead of ministry, because I’m a mess. I am not worthy of this whole ministry thing, but I can still help others.’ So that was my way of giving back.”
But ministry has always been part of her story.
She’s the daughter of a pastor and licensed as a minister in the African Methodist Episcopal Zion (AMEZ) Church. She’s also shared the gift of her singing voice in countless worship settings. And she’s had a career performing in professional musical theater productions, including “Hello, Dolly!,” “Rent,” “Into the Woods,” “Hairspray,” “The Color Purple” and “Caroline, or Change” (which earned her a Broadway World nomination for Best Actress in a Professional Musical).
After visiting Candler with her father, Ducree Gregory says a seed was planted: she wanted to return as a student herself.
“I didn’t apply to any other schools. It was only Candler,” she explains. In 2022, she enrolled in the master of divinity program and was selected as a Woodruff Fellow.
Losing her voice, but finding her purpose
This new chapter collided with health obstacles that threatened to derail everything. Following a recurrence of brain tumors that had first been removed in 2017, Ducree Gregory learned she had thyroid cancer. She underwent a full thyroidectomy only a month before starting school and lost her ability to sing.
“I’ll never forget my first chapel service, not being able to utter a sound,” she says. “Tears just fell down my face. I remember praying to God, ‘Please, just give me a voice again, and I promise I will serve you and use it to worship you.’”
A fellow new student, now a dear friend, encouraged her in that raw moment: “She told me, ‘You’re going to sing again. You will.’”
Ducree Gregory connected to her faith differently in those first months at Candler. “God showed me that it's not about our ability … it’s about our availability. Losing my voice required me to rely on God so much more, and to pray more.”
Her friend was right: with time, vocal exercises and lots of prayer, Ducree Gregory regained her singing voice. Though she says it lacks the strength it once had, she has gone on to lead and perform in worship often during her Candler years.
“Joy has been such a meaningful presence in our worship life,” says Khalia Williams, associate dean of worship and spiritual formation. “Beyond her incredible musical gifts, she had led with a calm willingness and a pastoral spirit that really anchors the space.”
Ducree Gregory’s pastoral spirit has been helpful in an intergenerational space like Candler. As a second-career student, she’s walked alongside peers of different ages and stages. “I've tried to serve as a big sister to younger students, create a soft place for them to land.”
There’s “a great give and take” throughout the Candler community, she says, which extends to relationships with faculty. “I've had professors pray for me, encourage me, literally anoint me. It’s been remarkable.”
Her musical theater background has also reemerged afresh at Candler, as she’s discerned a call to minister to performing artists, who often can’t attend church regularly due to their grueling schedules.
Ducree Gregory knows firsthand the dark places performers can go within themselves to reach a character’s truth, and the important role a spiritual advisor could play in that experience.
“How do you come out of that place? And what happens to you in the process? Not to mention dealing with the industry itself.”
Colleagues in the field have affirmed her instincts. “They said, ‘Joy, this is a need. This is important.’ That was really encouraging.” With its abundance of film and theater productions, Atlanta is a rich environment where she can cultivate this work after graduation.
Coming full circle
On May 10, Joy Ducree Gregory will enter the Glenn Memorial sanctuary for another Candler diploma ceremony. Her father — now 88 years old — will be with her. But this time, it’s his daughter who will wear the cap and gown, 57 years after he crossed the stage. She also hopes to wear his graduation cords in homage to his historic achievement.
“When you think about what Candler looked like in 1968, it's very different,” Ducree Gregory says. “He's been on campus with me; I’ve had him sit in on classes. The diversity of the faculty, staff, student body is remarkable to him. And he's excited about this generation of theologians who are coming from a place that really means a lot to him.”
Now Ducree Gregory has her own Candler story. And what would she say to her 2018 self who walked through these same doors?
“I would tell her: It’s going to be okay. Trust God. You're worthy. Just show up — God will do the rest.”