FIRST PRES STAFF
The First Pres Staff Team
First Pres staff is a dedicated team of servant leaders called to love and serve God through this congregation.
Join an amazing team and make a real difference in the mission and ministry at First Presbyterian Church of River Forest!
OFFICE MANAGER POSITION DESCRIPTION
To apply, please send a cover email and resume to search@firstpresrf.org
Paul has been at First Pres since 2016. A native of Ohio, he began ministry as a church musician with degrees in sacred music from Illinois Wesleyan University and Concordia Chicago. He received his theological training from Boston University School of Theology. In addition to pastoral ministry, Paul has served as Associate for Worship on the PC(USA) National Staff and as Executive Director of Presbyterians for Renewal/The Fellowship Community. Paul is a published author and composer, and blogs at reformedworship.org.
Donna and her family are excited to be part of the First Pres community, and would love to get to know you! Donna came to First Pres as co-pastor in November 2023. She will serve as co-pastor through June 2024, and then will become senior pastor at First Pres. Donna holds degrees from Smith College and Princeton Theological Seminary, and is currently enrolled in the Doctor of Ministry program at Wesley Theological Seminary. Before being called to First Pres, Donna served as Executive Pastor at National Presbyterian Church in Washington, DC. She has been involved with The Fellowship Community for nearly two decades, and currently serves on its Advisory Board. When she is not at church, Donna loves bookstores, beach towns, bakeries, exploring Chicagoland, and watching football with her family. She will be delighted to introduce you to her husband Ken, daughter Lauren (a sophomore at Northwestern U.), and daughter Jamie (a high school junior).
Jack Bell has attended First Pres his entire life. During high school, Jack got involved with small group and DMI after a life-changing mission trip. He attended Calvin College and graduated in 2018 with a History-Philosophy double major. Jack is currently working on his Masters in Teaching, Secondary Ed at Concordia University. Jack helped lead First Pres summer youth trips and has been a consistent leader within the youth group for many years before accepting the position of Director of Youth Ministry at First Pres.
Maggie was born and raised in Oak Park. After graduating from OPRF High School, she finished college in Oklahoma and then moved to the Fort Lauderdale area. She served a Presbyterian church in various Christian Education roles for 10 years and then moved back to Illinois. She worked in the southwest suburbs of Chicago at a Presbyterian church for 20 years as the Director of Children’s Ministry and began with First Pres in 2019. She enjoys reading, music, walking the forest preserve trails, visiting the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and spending time with family and friends.
Position Open
FACILITY MANAGER
Jane grew up in Michigan but has spent her adult life residing in Wheaton with her husband, David Weck. Jane has served as Director of Music Ministries at First Pres since 1996 where she oversees the choral program, handbell choir, brass ensemble, and worship planning which continues to be one of her greatest joys. Upon graduating from Olivet Nazarene University, she continued her studies at the University of Kansas and went on to receive a doctorate of music from Northwestern University. She is former editor with Hope Publishing Company, where she came on board to edit their hymnal, Worship & Rejoice. She stays busy as an arranger, clinician, organist, pianist, concert artist, and grandmother of two.
Julia joined First Pres in October 2018. She spent the first decades of her career in various corporate communications roles at technology consulting companies. She then spent several years at home with her two boys before joining the First Pres staff. She enjoys spending time with family, vegetarian cooking, and any time on a boat or with horses.
Josh Ring joined First Pres as Associate for Music Ministry in 2023. He has been a professor at Olivet Nazarene University in the School of Music since 2019 and enjoys working with students in the classroom and on the stage. In addition to his many accolades, he has taught music theory, aural skills, organ, composition and piano. He has been featured on the radio program Pipedreams and has performed at the Cologne Cathedral in Germany as well as in the Netherlands, Brazil and across the Midwest. He and his wife Abby welcomed their son, Malachi James, in February 2022. They love spending time with friends, family, and their dog Poppy; playing board games together; and exploring the outdoors.
Kim joined First Pres in November 2003, just before marrying long-time member, Tom, in 2004. She spent more than 15 years in IT project management for large financial corporations before staying at home to raise their daughter. In addition to many volunteer roles over the years, Kim received her masters in Biblical Studies at Moody Theological Seminary in 2020, which allows her to be a great addition to the preaching bench as well. From the beginning of the pandemic, Kim took on
the role of audio-visual production manager and implemented our livestream broadcast before officially joining First Pres staff. She enjoys problem solving and puzzles, studying and teaching the Word of God, vegetarian cooking, and spending time with family and friends.
First Pres Nursery Attendant
We are seeking a Church Nursery Attendant to join our team! You will assist in the development and supervision of children.
Responsibilities:
- Supervise and interact with children in a safe and compassionate manner
- Create a positive and nurturing environment for children
- Perform a variety of tasks, such as feeding, changing diapers, and overseeing play
- Work Sunday mornings 8:30-11:30 am (other times may also be available)
Qualifications:
- Previous experience with childcare or other related fields
- Passionate about working with children
- Ability to build rapport with children and their parents
- Positive and patient demeanor
- CPR/First Aid certified (will provide training if needed)
- Willing to support the beliefs of this congregation
For more information, contact Maggie Downs, Director of Children Ministries, First Presbyterian Church of River Forest at maggie.downs@firstpresrf.org, or (708) 366-5822.