Don Childers, Senior Pastor
email: preacher@losalamos.orgDon is completing his third year at the United Church. He has previously served congregations in Ohio, Indiana, Missouri and Texas. Don earned his Doctor of Ministry degree in 1984. Don’s hobbies include writing, astronomy, and horseback riding. Last year Don purchased his first horse, Cognac, a registered Morgan. Don and his wife Janice have two grown children.
Kathleen Logan, Associate Pastor for Membership Enrichment
email: enrich@losalamos.orgKathleen Logan, a Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) minister by ordination came to Los Alamos from Oklahoma where she was an Associate Regional Pastor. One-half of a clergy couple (Litton is her spouse) Kathleen is a graduate of Phillips Seminary. Kathleen began her Los Alamos ministry in 1997 and serves as our Pastor for Membership Enrichment. Her hobbies include fly fishing and quilting.
Keith Lewis , Associate Pastor for Youth Ministries
Keith Lewis comes to us from Wichita Falls, Texas, where he was the Associate Minister and Director of Youth Ministries at First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), a position he has held from 2001 until 2005 (when he came to Los Alamos). Previously, he held similar positions in Midland and San Marcos, Texas. He is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in government. He is licensed in the Central Area of the Southwest Region of the Christian Church. He is a veteran of the Marine Corps and served in the Gulf War.
Pat Slentz, Director of Shared Ministry
email: patslentz@cs.comPat is a Commissioned Minister in the United Church of Christ. She has been a member of the United Church of Los Alamos since 1985 and volunteer Director of Shared Ministry since 2006. Pat earned a B.S. in Secondary Education in English and Journalism from the University of Kansas and later worked as a computer programmer/analyst for Hallmark Cards and as a TSM at LANL. Pat enjoys her two children as well as playing organ, teaching, spiritual formation, reading and walking outdoors each day. In her role in Shared Ministry, Pat enjoys helping church folks discover their gifts and passions for service, both in the church and community. She also co-leads Singles with Soul, an ecumenical social group for single adults in Los Alamos.
Jean Picard, Director of Children's Ministries
email: uckids@hotmail.comJean Picard serves as our Director of Children’s Ministries, basically children from birth through sixth grade. Jea is a long time member of the church (since 1982) and joined the church staff in 1997. A graduate of Carleton College in Minnesota, Jean’s outside interests include hockey (primarily because her son plays the game), scouts, and youth activities. Her husband, Rick, is a statistician at the Lab.
Suzanne Johnson, Director of Music Ministries
email: suzmusik@hotmail.comSuzanne Johnson has served at The United Church longer than any other staff member having begun her work in 1967. Suzanne, a graduate of Capital University with a major in church music, serves as our Director of Music Ministries. Her love of sacred music competes with her admiration of pop music and jazz (she is an avid Sting concert goer). Suzanne’s husband, J. D., is a theoretical physicist at the Lab.
Robert D. Cowan, Bookkeeper/Treasurer
email: uctreas@hotmail.comBob has been a member of the church since 1989. After serving as a trustee, he took up his present position in March of 2003. Bob has a B.A. from Friends Univ. in Wichita and a Ph.D. from The Johns Hopkins Univ. He retired from the Lab in 1985 after 34 years in the Theoretical Physics Div. He has done extensive mountain climbing in NM and CO, plus 1982 climbs in Mexico and a three-week trek in Nepal in 1993.
Mardel Schmiedicke, Secretary
Mardel Schmiedicke serves as our church secretary. A native of Maine and a graduate of Beals College, Mardel and her family live in the north community. Mardel’s husband, Allen, is a programmer at the Lab. They have two children, Ashley and Micah. Mardel's major hobby is quilting. She also enjoys "prayer walking."
Jan Lippiatt, Parish Associate
Jan Lippiatt serves in a volunteer capacity as our Parish Associate. As such she keeps track of visitors and helps plan new member orientations. Jan has been a member of the church since 1989 and is renowned for the bulletin boards she creates as well as her participation in our puppet ministry. Her outside hobbies include work in wild bird recovery.
Questions about The United Church may be directed to ucoffice@losalamos.org Last Modified 3/31/2008