Rev. Toby Jones

Pastor
toby@chxucc.org

Toby Jones has an amazingly eclectic background. After graduating Cum Laude from DePauw University and then earning his Master of Divinity from Princeton Seminary, he was ordained as a pastor back 1987. He has been a prep-school teacher and coach, an adjunct college professor in two different disciplines – English and Religion, a professional house painter, the founder and director of a homeless shelter ministry, a college counselor, the Director of Education for the Bay View Association, a gigging rock and roll performer, – currently the front man of The Haz-Binz – and, on top of all that, Toby has written 3 books – The Gospel According to Rock (in 2007), The Way of Jesus (in 2010), and The Furnace Girl – a work of historical fiction – (in 2019). He has also started a podcast called Toby’s Take where, if you give him ten minutes, he’ll give you a whole new outlook on different topics. Get it on Spotify here: Toby’s Take.

He has a 15-year-old daughter, Eloise, who shares his love of music and sings in the Petoskey Madrigals. You may have seen the two of them together in a number of Bay View Summer musicals. He also has a labradoodle named Fergie who has become a big part of 1st Congregational UCC by just being her goofy self and loving everyone unconditionally, just as Jesus did.

Stacey Luoma

Office Manager
office@chxucc.org

Born and raised in the Metro Detroit suburb of Redford Township, Stacey has a diverse and colorful background in the administrative field. She has held management positions in a commercial animation company, a law firm, a property management company, a documentary film company, and even held the position of Deputy Supervisor for Redford!

Stacey moved to Northern Michigan with her husband, Brad, in 2020, and together they have four dogs (Rosie, Mitzi, Cooper, and Frankie Beanz,) and one cat, Belle, who is a Daddy’s Girl. Her passions are writing poetry, prose, and short stories, classic rock (listening to and collecting vintage vinyl), movies, concerts, and traveling. She is currently working on her second book of poetry.

Larry Minch

Custodian

Larry Minch has been caretaker, custodian, and the go-to person for 1st Congregational UCC since 2003. He has been married to his wife, Carrie, for 61+ years. They have three children, 7 grandkids, and 1 furbaby named Saffron. Larry formerly worked in the office supply industry in Traverse City and Petoskey.

Larry and Carrie make their home in Charlevoix, in a home that Carrie’s father, the former Pastor of FCUCC, built by hand.

Shelley Fisher

Music Director

Shelley began her career as a church musician during her teen years in western North Carolina.  She studied piano at Brevard Junior College, and at East Carolina University, where she obtained a bachelor’s degree in music therapy.  She continued studying music education at Aquinas College in Grand Rapids and studied preschool education at Grand Rapids Community College. She has shared music with children and the elderly throughout her career.  After relocating to Charlevoix in 2016, she worked as an activity director at Boulder Park Terrace, then later at Grandvue Medical Care Facility using music therapy to enhance quality of life for residents suffering from dementia.

Shelley says “I believe music can awaken our spiritual connection to our Creator and gives us a meaningful mode of expression for which words cannot describe.  I believe all people are musical and I encourage our participants to find their musical voice through congregational singing, sharing music with the elderly through Ransom Note singers, playing a musical instrument, singing solo or with groups through various opportunities offered throughout the year.”

Lynette Webb

Childcare Supervisor

I’m working on it…