The stone facade First Church in Cambridge
church staff persons sitting around a tbale

Staff & Lay Leaders

Clergy & Staff

Carla Arevalo

Pastoral Associate

email hidden; JavaScript is required

Read Bio

Bruce Dillenbeck

Office Assistant

617-547-2724, ext. 41

email hidden; JavaScript is required

Read Bio

Sarah Higginbotham

Director of Creative Worship & Arts

617-547-2724 ext. 42

email hidden; JavaScript is required

Read Bio

Jean Dany Joachim

Poet in Residence

email hidden; JavaScript is required

Read Bio

Rev. Kate Layzer

Minister of Street Outreach

email hidden; JavaScript is required

Read Bio
a women's headshot

Mónica Maher

Community Minister in Latin America

email hidden; JavaScript is required

Read Bio

Kirsten Manville

Director of Operations

617-547-2724, ext. 21

email hidden; JavaScript is required

Read Bio
headshot

Rev. Karen McArthur

Minister of Stewardship & Finance

email hidden; JavaScript is required

Read Bio

Lee Prouty

Facilities Manager

email hidden; JavaScript is required

Read Bio

Jim Stewart

Director of First Church Shelter

617-661-1873

email hidden; JavaScript is required

Read Bio

Rev. Daniel Smith

Senior Minister

(617) 547-2724, x23

email hidden; JavaScript is required

Read Bio
a man talking to a woman

Carlyle Stewart

Community Minister for Racial Justice

email hidden; JavaScript is required

Read Bio

Peter Sykes

Director of Music

617-645-0833

email hidden; JavaScript is required

Read Bio

Emma Thomas

Ministerial Intern

email hidden; JavaScript is required

Read Bio

Lay Leaders

At the heart of historic Congregationalism is the belief that the best, most faithful decisions are worked out in groups where each person has a voice. This belief shapes First Church’s approach to decision making. Like all churches with Congregational roots, First Church is governed by its members in trusting partnership with its pastors—guided and inspired by the Holy Spirit. Members prayerfully call ministers to serve, discern directions for ministry, draw up and approve budgets, and organize ourselves for ministry and mission in the world.

Learn more about serving the church as a lay leader

First Church is led by the following Officers, Boards, and Committees. The Executive Council, which meets once per month, is made up of the church’s officers and the chairs of each committee.


OFFICERS

Moana Bentin – Moderator

Meredith Quinn – Vice Moderator

Chris Reynolds – Clerk

Treasurer – Rich Goode

James Cairns – Associate Treasurer

Art Anger – Asst Treasurer

Connie Pyle – Asst Treasurer

Rachel Carlson – Controller

Claire Morgan – Member at Large

 

BOARD OF DEACONS

Adam Weiss – Co-Chair

Dean Eaton

Nora Willcutts

Leslie Pelton-Cairns—Co-Chair

Jean Dany Joachim

Peggy Bendroth

Casey Marsh

Laurie Williams

Audrey Bellinger

 

FELLOWSHIP COMMITTEE

Caitlin Anderson – Chair

Phil Jones

Fellowship Coordinators: Martha Dyer, Sara Hendren, Brian Funck

Cookie Solicitors: Sara Hendren, Brian Funck, Lisa DiNardo

 

MISSIONS AND SOCIAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE

Molly Baker – Chair

Deb Cunningham

Sally O’Brien

Alice Kidder

Holly Marple

Kathy Williams

Susan Hayward


CHRISTIAN FORMATION COMMITTEE

Ingeborg Haug

Susan Reynolds

Beth Spaulding

Heather Stanford

Carol Wilson-Braun

 

SHELTER OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE

Jan Lo – Chair

Brian Funck

Claire Cocroft

Marianne Jensen

Hanna Bliska

Lisa DiNardo

 

BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS COMMITTEE

Peter Byerly – Chair

Cathy Garnett

Robb Morgan

Dave Torrey

Johanna Wendelin

 

STEWARDSHIP COMMITTEE

Joanne Paul – Chair

Winnie Yip

Susan Ohman

Caroline Newton

Anne McClintock

 

GIFTS DISCERNMENT/NOMINATING

Beth Loomis – Co-Chair

Mary Robinson – Co-Chair

Gail Breeze

Jenny Stuart

Dave Kidder

 

FINANCE COMMITTEE

Rich Goode, Treasurer – Chair, ex officio

Rachel Carlson, Controller, ex officio

James Cairns, Associate Treasurer, ex officio

Joanne Paul, Chair of Stewardship, ex officio

Laurie Burt, Chair of Investments, ex officio


INVESTMENTS (SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE)

Laurie Burt – Chair

Marc O’Brien

Rich Goode, Treasurer, ex officio

Elizabeth Lovance

Stephen Weller

William Hsiao

 

FINANCIAL OPERATIONS (SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE

James Cairns, Associate Treasurer – Chair, ex officio

Rich Goode, Treasurer, ex officio

Rachel Carlson, Controller, ex officio