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Andrew Shanafelt

Lisa Horst Clark

Lisa Horst Clark is a California native who grew up in San Jose, with a brief time in central Illinois. She grew up in the United Church of Christ at the First Congregational Church of San Jose, who nurtured and supported her discernment to ordained ministry. A graduate of Pomona College in Claremont, CA, Lisa majored in Philosophy with a senior thesis on “Ethics in Mediation.”

In 2005, Lisa moved across the country to New Haven, CT to study at Yale Divinity School. During her time there, Lisa served as a ministerial intern at a large suburban church and a smaller urban congregation. For clinical pastoral education, Lisa worked as a hospice chaplain through VITAS Hospice, ministering to patients and families in homes and facilities. At the conclusion of her time at Yale Divinity School, Lisa was awarded the Wolcott Calkins Prize for Preaching.

For the last three years, Lisa has served as Associate Minister for Children and Families at a large church in coastal Connecticut. Lisa has supported a thriving Christian Education program, led middle school youth group, and two concurrent high school Confirmation classes. In her time there, Lisa has worked with lay leadership to discern a new path for education that is fitting for the congregation and created innovative ways to connect with parents through updates in communication.

Lisa is one of 14 ministers in the United Church of Christ who have been invited to join the first class of the UCC Pension Board’s Target 2030 program. Recognizing a need to support a new generation of local church leadership, each year for the next ten years, the Pension Board is selecting a group of between 10-20 ministers under the age of 35 and within their first five years of ministry. The Pension Board is providing some funds for retirement along with 10 years of continuing education. For the first four years, the group will gather together two weeks each year for educational events focusing on issues found to be most crucial to new clergy. All costs for participation in this program are borne by the Pension Board. Lisa has just completed her first year in the program and is looking forward to nine years ahead!

Lisa and her husband Joshua Clark met at Yale Divinity School and were married last year in New Haven. Josh is originally from Frederick, Maryland and studied Hebrew Bible. Josh is a fan of golf, and DC and Maryland sports teams. Lisa has eclectic hobbies from practicing Spanish, knitting, to occasionally being a math-nerd. Lisa and Josh both enjoy reading fiction, exploring cities, discussing good television and really good food.

Kari Groves

Brenda Hounjet

Brenda Hounjet moved to Bellevue in 1998 from Canada.  She joined First Congregational in 1999 because of its Open and Affirming policy and a commitment to inter-generational activities and a questioning attitude toward theology.  Brenda served as Financial Secretary at the church from 2000 - 2007 and sings regularly in choir. 

Now Brenda is excited to serve as Parish Visitor where she can be the caring presence of our church for those who are ill or are less able to come to church.  Brenda believes we are all called to “be the hands and feet of Christ” and she is happy to spend time at BFCC facilitating that process. 

Kevin Brown

Kevin grew up as an only child in Stuart, Florida and graduated from Martin County High Schoolin 1974; in 1976 he received a B.S. in Speech Communication from the Florida State University, having served as a teaching assistant for one year in the area of non-verbal communication.

In 1977 he moved to Berkeley, CA to attend the Pacific School of Religion, from which he graduated in 1980 with the M. Div. and the M.A. in Pastoral Psychology (his thesis was entitled: Christian Theological Themes and the Psycho-Social Development of Adolescents Implications for Youth Ministry). In addition to local church work during his graduate studies, Kevin interned in a California State prison, a drop-in Center for street addicts, a juvenile hall, a counseling center in San Francisco, and completed his Clinical Pastoral Education at Herrick Memorial Hospital in Berkeley.

Ordained in 1980 by the Florida Conference, UCC, during his career Kevin has served as a Campus Chaplain (FL), Associate Pastor (KS), Pastor (AZ), and Senior Minister (KS & IL). During his tenure as the Senior Minister of First Congregational UCC in Glen Ellyn, Illinois the church was named one of the 300 Excellent Protestant Congregations in America in a Lilly Endowment funded study.

Throughout his career Kevin has continued his education and in 1992 earned a doctorate in Homiletics from the School of Theology at Claremont (CA). His doctoral project was A Form Critical Analysis of Sermons Preached in Selected Congregations of the United Church of Christ. In 2002 he was named a Bethge Resident Scholar by the International Bonhoeffer Association and lived in Berlin, Germany studying Christianity in the former East Germany. St. George’s House of Windsor Castle, England invited him to present a paper at their annual clergy convocation in 2006; he was only the second American and only non-Anglican to be so invited.

His activities beyond the local church included a UCC Peace Visit to China, pastoral exchanges with the German Protestant Church, and representing the UCC at the Synod of the Protestant Church in Germany. In addition, he has served on the executive committees for both the Southwest and Illinois South Conferences of the UCC and a nation-wide UCC visioning process. Kevin is committed to involvement in the local community and has taught at both the University and College levels and has served on civic committees such as Scottsdale Leadership, Vision Glen Ellyn, and the Literature Essential Skills committee of the Arizona Department of Education. Kevin also wrote weekly newspaper columns for the Scottsdale Progress (AZ) and the Glen Ellyn News (IL).

Kevin and Belinda (a native of Kansas) blended their families in 1995 and have three grown children – Ashley who works in human resources; Brian, a firefighter; and Carly, a hair stylist - and four grandchildren (Aubrey, Branden, Kyleigh, and Tallulah). Kevin’s hobbies include the martial arts (he actually ran his own Karate school for a couple of years) and motorcycles, while Belinda likes to golf. Since Belinda is scared of motorcycles and golf makes Kevin crazy, they have decided that it is OK for spouses to have separate hobbies! Their shared hobbies include reading, hiking, movies, and travel.

Richard Lind

Dwight Davis

Dwight Davis, who has worked with our middle and junior high school youth for a number of years, has agreed to be the Coordinator for that age youth group for the coming program year.

Sara Gillam

 

Sara Gillam is our new one-year interim Director of Christian Education. Sara has been a well known, active presence in Faith Formation for some time; she brings passion, vision, and enthusiasm to her leadership role in Faith Formation.

 

You can reach Sara at: 425-454-5001 ext. 1021 sara@fccbellevue.org

Sally Moore

Sally was born in Ohio and grew up in the Washington DC area.  She moved with her husband, Pat, and children, John and Samantha, to the Talus neighborhood in Issaquah in 2005.  Sally became a member of the church in November 2005 and joined the Children’s Ministries committee soon after.

She has a background in Economics and Finance, having worked for Freddie Mac as a Senior Analyst before becoming a full-time mom.  She will serve as the Treasurer for the PTA at her children’s school for the next 2 years.

Sally enjoys camping with her family, old movies, jazz, reading (John le Carre or anything similar), traveling, Sudoku, and all the political shows on MSNBC.  She is honored to be working as our Church Financial Administrator.

Sally's office hours: Monday, Tuesday, 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM, and Friday 9:00 AM -1:00 PM.

David Shulman

Kim Iverson

Kim’s office hours are Monday - Thursday 9a.m. - 3p.m., and Friday 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM.

Kim grew up in Waitsburg, WA, a farming community about 7 miles from Walla Walla, WA. She received her high school diploma from Waitsburg High School and went on to College at the University of Wyoming. Graduated from UW with a B.S. degree in animal science. She lived in Laramie, WY for 13 years and then moved back to Washington State.

Kim is married to Bill Iverson and the mother of 4 grown adult children. There are three sons(Reed 27, Dane 24, & Paul 24), one daughter (Laura 22), and one daughter in-law (Stephanie, Reed’s wife). Kim and her husband have lived on the eastside for 15 years, and presently live in Issaquah. Presently they have their dog Ben and cat Shelia living with them.

They enjoy living in Issaquah and having the ability to walk down town to the restaurants and visit the fish hatchery. She enjoys camping, hiking, skiing and biking. Kim has been a member of Newport Presbyterian Church 15 years.

Kim feels very blessed to be working here at Bellevue First Congregational Church.

Nancy Bent

Patrick Doyle

Patrick Doyle leads our ever-growing hand bell choirs.  The Bell Choir meets Tuesdays at 7pm for rehearsals.

Dennis Coleman

Our Choir Director is none other than the nationally recognized Dennis Coleman, who we are proud to share with the Seattle Men’s Chorus. The Chancel Choir meets Wednesdays at 7:00 pm for rehearsals. Hear a sample of the choir singing “Praise to the Living God”