Rev. Matt Fitzgerald, Senior Minister (Matt@hillschurch.org)
Matt has served the Hills Church as our Senior Minister since January of 2007. Matt is a magna cum laude graduate of Yale Divinity School, and a high honors graduate of United Theological Seminary. An award winning preacher and essayist, he loves serving the Hills Church and takes great delight in helping relate the stories of his parishioners lives to the story of the Bible. In addition to providing pastoral care to our members, Matt is the primary preacher at the Hills Church and helps lead our congregation in his work with its lay leaders and committees. Matt is married to Kelli. Together they are raising three small children and two large dogs.
Pashington Obeng, Associate Minister (Pash@hillschurch.org)
Pash graduated from the Universtiy of Ghana, Legon, where he earned his B.A. (Honors) in English literature and from Trinity College, Lego, where he studied comparative religion. He holds a Ph.D. from Boston University, specializing in religion and cultural communication. He is also a graduate of Princeton Seminary in New Jersey, where he earned his masters degree in theological anthropology and communication.
Rev. Jim Brommers Bergquist, Associate Minister, Youth and Children’s Ministries (Jim@hillschurch.org)
Jim joined the Hills Church in September of 2007. He works with the youth groups, leads Confirmation, and oversees the Church School program. Jim’s goals include: supporting parents and families, better integrating the young people into the life of the Hills Church, empowering the young adults of the church to make a difference in the world, and helping people find the ways that God is moving in and around them. Jim is married and has two daughters: Harper 7 and Ellis 3. His interests include film, writing, travel, and an occasional round of golf (he also knows more about pop culture than he should, and has been to a U2 concert on every tour since 1987).
Rev. Dr. Bonnie Scott Jelinek, Minister at Large (Bonnie@hillschurch.org)
Rev. Dr. Bonnie Scott Jelinek has served the Hills Church as our Minister-at-Large since 2001. In September 2007, she was asked to expand her role to become a regular worship leader in the Sunday morning worship service, do pastoral care and visitation, and participate in funerals and weddings as needed. She leads women's retreats and is a resource for the women's program, "Friday After Ours." She also serves as a pastoral resource for the church, the ministerial staff, and church committees. Previously, Bonnie was Senior Minister of the Newton Highlands (MA) Congregational Church, served several parishes in Connecticut and was an Interim Minister in West Stockbridge, MA. She is the Registrar of the UCC Metropolitan Boston Association and on their Committee on Ministry. She is a graduate of Yale Divinity School, received her Doctor of Ministry from Andover Newton Theological School, and graduated from a Fellowship/Internship program at the Boston Institute for Psychotherapy. Bonnie is married to Richard Jelinek and has raised five children. She also has a private practice in psychotherapy and counseling in Wellesley, and is the Assistant Director, as well as a supervisor and therapist at the Weaver Center, in Wayland, MA.
John Finney, Director of Music (JohnF@hillschurch.org)
John has been Director of Music for the Hills Church since 1984. He holds degrees in organ performance from Oberlin College and The Boston Conservatory. He delights in playing the organ and conducting the Chancel Choir for the services at the Hills Church. He also oversees the other aspects of our church's music program, including the children's choirs and the handbell ensembles. John enjoys a very active conducting career, serving as Associate Conductor for Boston's Handel & Haydn Society, Conductor of the Boston College Chorale and Orchestra, and Conductor of Framingham's Heritage Chorale.
Lauren Lorincz, Seminarian (Lauren@hillschurch.org)
Now in her second year at Andover/Newton Theological Seminary, Lauren earned a B.A. in History from Elon University in North Carolina, a UCC school. Originally from Wadsworth, Ohio, Lauren is excited to be living and studying in the Boston area with its wealth of history and variety of cultural events.
Cynthia Gordan, Church Administrator (Cynthia@hillschurch.org)
Our Church Administrator, Cynthia Gordan, comes to us from Quaker Fabric Corporation, where for twenty years she served as Vice President and General Counsel. The mother of two grown children, Cynthia resides in Milton, where, in her free time, she volunteers as the ombudsman at Milton Healthcare, a senior care facility. Cynthia is looking forward to the joys and challenges of her work with us and is excited to “participate in the life of this wonderful institution while helping the Hills Church congregation and staff achieve its objectives.”
John Cento, Communications Coordinator (JohnC@hillschurch.org)
John has served the Hills Church as Communications Coordinator since November 2006. John is a published fiction writer whose work has been nominated for national awards.
Rev. Dr. David Stryker, Director of New Beginnings (feelstress@comcast.net)
David has served the Hills Church since 1990 as Director of New Beginnings, which is sponsored by the Hills Church Outreach Ministry. A native Canadian, David is a graduate of the University of Winnipeg and the University of British Columbia, Canada. He holds masters degrees in theology and philosophy, as well as doctorates in ministry and psychology from Boston University. David and his wife Gail, a nurse at the Boston Arts Academy, reside on the South Shore, where they enjoy all that the seaside offers, including long sails and walking their two dogs.
Leslie Petzing, Finance Office (Leslie@hillschurch.org)
Leslie has volunteered in the finance office of the Hills Church for ten years, and oversees accounting and financial reporting. Leslie and her husband Larry have two boys, Drew, a junior in college and Dean a sophomore in high school. She also spends a lot of time walking her golden retriever, Riley.
Diane Young, Financial Coordinator (Diane@hillschurch.org)
Diane has worked at the Hills Church since July 2006. She has a daughter, Jessica, and a son, Jonathon. She and her husband Gary enjoy biking, gardening and spending time at the beach. Diane has volunteered in a number of positions in the Weston Public Schools and the Council on Aging.
David Belair, Sexton (DaveB@hillschurch.org)
David Belair, Sexton, caretaker of the church building and grounds. David worked closely with Bob Bruce for five years before assuming the Lead Sexton duties upon Bob’s retirement in June of 2006. He is the father of three: Kayla (21), a senior attending Assumption College, Devin (12), and Mia (7).
David Coleman, Church School Music Director
David Freeman Coleman holds a Bachelors of Music degree in both piano performance and theory/composition from Boston University and an M.A. in music composition from Tufts University. Currently the Director of Choral Music at the Dana Hall School in Wellesley, David has been choral directing for 20 years, and is also actively involved in gospel music throughout New England. He is the director of the gospel ensemble Confirmation, and has taught at the Boston Conservatory, the Boston University Tanglewood Institute, the Walnut Hill School, and Beaver Country Day School. David is the recent recipient of the Thomas A. Dorsey Award from the New England Conservatory.
Heather Bombardieri, Nursery Supervisor
Heather is very pleased to be starting in the nursery, and is looking forward to meeting everyone at Hills Church. When she is not here, she teaches second grade in Boston, and has been a teacher for almost ten years. Heather lives in Holliston with her husband, Michael, and son Eddie. Her very favorite place in Wellesley is the wonderful library.
Cheryl Prendergast, Toddler/Preschool Assistant
Cheryl has been working in classrooms since 1998, and has most recently been the lead teacher in a preschool class in Watertown (working with 2 and 3 year olds). She brings a great deal of experience and love of children, and will be the consistent face that children and parents see every week in the 2's/3's Church School classroom. Cheryl's role is that of caregiver and consistency.
