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Rev. Derek White and Wife, Carolyn

At an early age I discerned a call in my life for ministry. In 1994 1 decided to pursue a path for ordained ministry. I attended North Park University in Chicago Illinois where I received my bachelor's degree in Biblical Theological Studies with a minor in Music and Philosophy. While in College I was actively involved in several campus ministries. After College I returned to Massachusetts and began serving a church in Quincy, MA as a Youth Pastor/Associate Pastor. After serving the Quincy church for two years I decided to return to Chicago to pursue Masters of Divinity. While in Seminary I served three churches in the Chicago area as Youth Pastor and Pastoral Associate. In April 2005 1 began In-Care with the Chicago Metropolitan Association of the U.C.C. In May 2006 1 became licensed with the Chicago Metropolitan Association as a Minister of Word and Sacrament in the U.C.C. In October of 2006 1 was approved by the Chicago Metropolitan Association of the U.C.C. to accept a call to Ordained Ministry

My wife Carolyn and I have been married for 4 years. Carolyn has two degrees. One is from the University of Illinois in Food Science, Human Nutrition, and Hospitality Management. Her second degree is from Le Cordon Bleu School of Cooking from their affiliate campus in Chicago, the Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Cooking. Carolyn is a Chicago native. I grew up in Massachusetts just south of Boston. We have a dog named Roxy and a rabbit named Chloe.

Education:

Master of Divinity (M Div) Chicago Theological Seminary. May 2006 Biblical Thelogical Studies (B.A.) North Park University. May 1999

Youth Ministry Skills (Continuing Education) Eastern Nazarene College. 2000

Allison Flaherty, Seminary Student Intern

My faith has always been a very important part of my life. I served in nearly every lay position in the churches I have belonged to, but it wasn’t until my husband was dying of cancer that I heard God’s call to ministry. I enrolled in Bangor Theological Seminary in September 2009 on a part time basis as well as taking two units (800 hours) of Clinical Pastoral Education at Maine Medical Center. I have three semesters of school left and will finish the final year at Andover Newton Theological School in Newton, MA, graduating with a Master of Divinity (M Div), in May of 2014. I am currently an on call chaplain at Maine Medical Center and a volunteer at Gosnell Hospice House in Scarborough. I discerned my initial call as a call to chaplaincy, but in the three months I have been here at First Congregational Church I have really come to enjoy parish ministry and I believe that parish ministry is where I am truly called to be. I am very blessed to be part of such a loving and affirming faith communit.

I raised three sons in Vermont who still all live there with their families, and while you can’t get there from here, we enjoy visiting back and forth as often as possible. I spent nearly thirty years in the telecommunications industry, most of it in field sales selling transmission and central office equipment to large independent telephone companies and the Bell companies. My career took me all across the United States, but mainly in the northeast. I received my undergraduate degree (BS Business Administration) from Lebanon Valley College in Annville, Pennsylvania.

Kay Whitehead, Organist-Choir Director

Kay is a graduate of Indiana University (B. Music Ed.) and the University of Kentucky (Master Music). Kay has over 30 years' experience teaching voice and piano and conducting church choirs, having recently retired as assistant professor of music at Charleston Southern University, Charleston, SC.

Paul Gauthier and his Wife, Joan

Paul Gauthier is custodian of First Church. Paul is a Trustee and the previous Church School Superintendent. His wife, Joan, is one of the Sunday School teachers.. Both have been very active within the Church. Paul is a retired machinist and Joan is skilled in Arts and Craft.

Moderator, Eric Vaughn

Rev. Derek White and Wife, Carolyn
At an early age I discerned a call in my life for ministry. In 1994 1 decided to pursue a path for ordained ministry. I attended North Park University in Chicago Illinois where I received my bachelor's degree in Biblical Theological Studies with a minor in Music and Philosophy. While in College I was actively involved in several campus ministries. After College I returned to Massachusetts and began serving a church in Quincy, MA as a Youth Pastor/Associate Pastor. After serving the Quincy church for two years I decided to return to Chicago to pursue Masters of Divinity. While in Seminary I served three churches in the Chicago area as Youth Pastor and Pastoral Associate. In April 2005 1 began In-Care with the Chicago Metropolitan Association of the U.C.C. In May 2006 1 became licensed with the Chicago Metropolitan Association as a Minister of Word and Sacrament in the U.C.C. In October of 2006 1 was approved by the Chicago Metropolitan Association of the U.C.C. to accept a call to Ordained Ministry
My wife Carolyn and I have been married for 4 years. Carolyn has two degrees. One is from the University of Illinois in Food Science, Human Nutrition, and Hospitality Management. Her second degree is from Le Cordon Bleu School of Cooking from their affiliate campus in Chicago, the Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Cooking. Carolyn is a Chicago native. I grew up in Massachusetts just south of Boston. We have a dog named Roxy and a rabbit named Chloe. Education: Master of Divinity (M Div) Chicago Theological Seminary. May 2006 Biblical Thelogical Studies (B.A.) North Park University. May 1999 Youth Ministry Skills (Continuing Education) Eastern Nazarene College. 2000
Allison Flaherty, Seminary Student Intern
My faith has always been a very important part of my life. I served in nearly every lay position in the churches I have belonged to, but it wasn’t until my husband was dying of cancer that I heard God’s call to ministry. I enrolled in Bangor Theological Seminary in September 2009 on a part time basis as well as taking two units (800 hours) of Clinical Pastoral Education at Maine Medical Center. I have three semesters of school left and will finish the final year at Andover Newton Theological School in Newton, MA, graduating with a Master of Divinity (M Div), in May of 2014. I am currently an on call chaplain at Maine Medical Center and a volunteer at Gosnell Hospice House in Scarborough. I discerned my initial call as a call to chaplaincy, but in the three months I have been here at First Congregational Church I have really come to enjoy parish ministry and I believe that parish ministry is where I am truly called to be. I am very blessed to be part of such a loving and affirming faith communit. I raised three sons in Vermont who still all live there with their families, and while you can’t get there from here, we enjoy visiting back and forth as often as possible. I spent nearly thirty years in the telecommunications industry, most of it in field sales selling transmission and central office equipment to large independent telephone companies and the Bell companies. My career took me all across the United States, but mainly in the northeast. I received my undergraduate degree (BS Business Administration) from Lebanon Valley College in Annville, Pennsylvania.

Kay Whitehead, Organist-Choir Director
Kay is a graduate of Indiana University (B. Music Ed.) and the University of Kentucky (Master Music). Kay has over 30 years' experience teaching voice and piano and conducting church choirs, having recently retired as assistant professor of music at Charleston Southern University, Charleston, SC.

Paul Gauthier and his Wife, Joan
Paul Gauthier is custodian of First Church. Paul is a Trustee and the previous Church School Superintendent. His wife, Joan, is one of the Sunday School teachers.. Both have been very active within the Church. Paul is a retired machinist and Joan is skilled in Arts and Craft.
Moderator, Eric Vaughn