Our Pastor
Rev. Christopher Marlin-Warfield is our pastor. Pastor Chris came to First Congregational United Church of Christ in 2018, after a career in nonprofit fundraising and communications. He was educated at Knox College (Galesburg, Illinois) and Chicago Theological Seminary (Chicago, Illinois), and has served organizations like Chicago Theological Seminary and Back Bay Mission (Biloxi, Mississippi). His passion, mission, and calling is bringing people together to do good, with a particular focus on people who are experiencing poverty and other forms of marginalization.
Pastor Chris lives in Davenport, Iowa, with his wife, Mariah, and their dachshund, Hildegard.
Our Staff
Administrative Assistant: Pam Schau
Director of Music: Marysia Wronka
Business Manager: Mike Wildes
Financial Secretary: Brenda Ohnemus
Nursery Director: Shannon Edwards
Custodian: Derek Fox
Our Leadership
The head of our church is Jesus Christ. The leadership of our congregation is the congregation itself. Each year, we elect representatives to our Council, Boards, and Leadership Teams. These groups work with each other and the entire congregation to realize the mission of First Congregational United Church of Christ.
The Church Council and Executive Committee
Between congregational meetings, the Council is the governing body of the church and is responsible for all policy-making, as well as overseeing the ministry and business of the church.
It determines and enforces the policies of the church, approves the church budget before it goes to the congregation, resolves issues between other committees, and nominates people to governance positions in the church.
The Executive Committee is a smaller body of the Church Council. It determines and enforces policies of the church between Council meetings. It also handles most personnel issues.
Boards
First Congregational United Church of Christ has three Boards, with each Board has oversight over a particular area of the church’s work.
The Board of Mission oversees the mission of the church. It makes sure we’re adhering to our Statement of Identity and Purpose, living into our Open and Affirming Covenant, and maintaining our relationship with the United Church of Christ.
The Board of Stewardship oversees the finances of the church. It prepares the budget, raises money, accepts gifts on behalf of the church, and manages our endowment fund.
The Board of Property oversees the church’s building, grounds, and other property. It makes sure that everything we own is clean, well-maintained, and hospitable.
Leadership Teams
Each Leadership Team provides leadership in a specific area: worship and fellowship, faith formation, generosity, and membership and engagement. Each of these teams oversees the work in their area and manages the volunteers who make our ministries run.
The Worship and Fellowship Leadership Team is responsible for all of the public worship services of the church. It makes arrangements for pulpit supply and other pastoral services when the pastor is absent. It also provides fellowship opportunities for our congregation.
The Faith Formation Leadership Team is responsible for the Christian education of children and adults at First Congregational United Church of Christ. It handles Sunday School, Bible studies, book studies, confirmation, youth group, and all other educational activities.
The Generosity Leadership Team provides members of our congregation with opportunities to share their time, talent, and treasure. This includes internal volunteering, mission trips, endowment grants, and relationships with other organizations.
The Membership and Engagement Leadership Team is responsible for the maintenance and growth of our membership. It maintains our membership rolls, publicizes the church and its events, and makes sure congregation members are cared for, included, and engaged.