Church Staff

Pastor Peter Shober grew up in both the Minneapolis and Seattle areas. He is a graduate of St. Olaf College in Minnesota and went to seminary at the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, California. After graduating from seminary he served a parish in Chewelah, Washington for 6 years. He was called to serve as Pastor at University Congregational Church in 1991. He is married to Barbara Cowan and they have three children. Peter enjoys golfing, hiking, backpacking and fishing. Peter was named the 2006 Peacemaker of the Year by the Jeanette Rankin Peace Center and the Missoula Peace Quilters.

petershober@uccmsla.org

Amy Carter is a life long member of the United Church of Christ. She grew up in Tokyo, Japan a child of missionaries of the United Church of Christ. A graduate of the College of Wooster in Ohio, Amy spent one year as a mission intern working in the Philippines. She graduated from the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, California and served the United Congregational Church in Butte, Montana for 8 years. She was called as Associate Pastor of University Congregational Church in 2001. She is married to Huw Griffiths and they have 1 child – Evan. Amy enjoys playing with the flute ensemble, hiking, kayaking, gardening and hanging out with her family.

Amy took a three-month sabbatical, June 26 - September 24, 2006. During that time she traveled to Columbia, South America as part of a delegation from Witness for Peace, spent time with her family, and deepened her spiritual life.

AmyCarter@uccmsla.org

Janice Springer began her ministry with University Congregational Church in 2006. She lives in an off-grid log cabin in Frenchtown for one-third of the year. The rest of the time she lives in Grinnell, Iowa with her partner Sue Weier, also a UCC pastor.

Janice has three grown children: Christie and Katy live in the Missoula area and David is in St. Louis. Janice and Sue have 4 grandchildren.

She is a life-long member of the United Church of Christ and a graduate of Eden Theological Seminary in St. Louis. For 24 years she served churches in Missouri, Iowa and Michigan. Then she began a ministry of writing, teaching and retreat work around three of her passions: worship, deep prayer, and faith communities.

When she is in residence with us, Janice joins Peter and Amy in preaching and pastoral work, and also leads several retreats each summer. When she is in Iowa, she works with us in various ways electronically and continues her writing and retreat ministry with churches in the Midwest.

Janice loves family, church, and dark chocolate. She plays a flute, reads French, walks with her dog, and is happily addicted to books.

revjanicespringer@juno.com

Tom King is an ordained minister in the Evangelical Covenant Church. A graduate of the University of Michigan, he earned a Masters of Divinity from North Park Seminary in Chicago in 1976 and a certificate in Spiritual Direction from North Park in 2008.

Tom served as a pastor with Community Covenant Church in Missoula from 1976-1993. He went on in ministry as a chaplain with Partners Hospice from 1993 to 2009. He now works three days a week as a chaplain with St. Patrick Hospital.

Tom shares life with his wife Carol, two sons, two grandsons, two horses, two dogs, and one cat.

revtomking@gmail.com

Joyce Watson is a native Texan who has lived in Missoula since 1972. She was baptized Catholic and joined the UCC in 1974. Joyce has a B.S. degree in Physical Education from the University of Texas at Austin. Joyce was an active lay person in the church before being hired as the Coordinator of Shared Ministry in 1997. She enjoys downhill skiing in the winter, hiking and backpacking in the summer, and is an avid sports fan. She also enjoys spending time with her grown daughter who also lives in Missoula.

joycewatson@uccmsla.org

Kels Phelps grew up in Butte, MT. He is a recent graduate of Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, WA, where he studied philosophy and religion. He grew up in the Lutheran Church and worked as a camp counselor for four summers. He began to serve as Director of Youth Ministries at University Congregational Church in 2010.

Kels enjoys backpacking, flyfishing, playing guitar, mountain biking, good conversation, and being married to Jess.

kphelps@uccmsla.org

Alice Williams has been organist at University Congregational Church since 1980. She is married to Clem and works as a payroll technician for Missoula County Public Schools. She enjoys working with UCC's music program and the many talented musicians in the church.

Jeff Stickney is a native Montanan from Miles City. He graduated from the University of Montana in 1981 with a BA degree majoring in music, and completed a MM degree at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in organ performance in 1983. Jeff has been a Registered Piano Technician in the Piano Technicians Guild since 1984, and has been in Missoula since 1990 tuning and servicing pianos. He is also active as a freelance musician in the Missoula area playing the trumpet, organ and piano. Jeff and his family have been a part of University Congregational Church since their return to Missoula in May of 1990.

Stephen Adoff is a native of New York City. He attended the nationally recognized High School of Music and Art. Later studies at Manhattan School of Music culminated in a Master of Music degree in piano performance. In addition, he completed post-graduate work in piano and theory at Florida State University. Stephen, his wife Gina, and their two children have lived in Missoula since 1974. He is active here in the Northwest as a pianist, a published composer of piano music, teacher and clinician. He has recorded two collections of piano music that are currently available in Montana: Piano Duet Favorites (with Lucien Hut) and Ragtime Classics. Stephen has been director of the Jubilation Handbell Ringers since 1998. When he's not involved in some musical activity, Stephen, and his wife Gina, love to travel. Favorite places; Martha's Vineyard, Mass. and the Oregon coast. He also loves to tinker with his grandmother's classic Jewish recipes. Latest reincarnation: 'Italian' potato latkes (add to the recipe, one small zucchini, a pinch of oregano and a splash of chianti...oy gevalt!!)

Ron Wilcott has served UCC as Coordinator of Music and Chancel Choir Director since August, 2000. He also directs the UCC Strings. Outside the church, Ron serves as the conductor of the Missoula Community Chorus and teaches choral and instrumental music at Loyola High School. Ron has led choral programs at Sentinel High School in Missoula, the University of South Carolina Aiken, Dixie College (St. George UT), and East Bakersfield High School (Bakersfield CA). He holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in choral music from Michigan State University and Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in vocal performance and pedagogy from the University of Southern California.

Since graduating from high school Ron has continuously worked in music as a teacher, conductor and performer. Comfortable with all styles of music, he has worked with choirs of all ability levels in classical and popular idioms, coached instrumental groups from string quartets to pep bands, conducted major works for chorus and orchestra, performed as baritone soloist, and played guitar, bass guitar and cello. Ron has been active in professional organizations for choral music and music education by adjudicating, holding state offices, presenting interest sessions, participating in panel discussions and conducting performances at state conferences. Additionally, he has served on the board for the Missoula International Choral Festival since 2000. ,Ron believes music is an integral part of church life, and, as an emotional expression of liturgy, and word, brings both participants and listeners closer to God.

Ron, his wife, Debbie, and sons Lee and Glenn, have lived in Missoula since 1999. They enjoy skiing, kayaking and other outdoor activities in additional to the rich musical life of our area.

rwilcott@q.com

Sarah Hallgrimson is a native Montanan and is currently working on a degree in Music at the University of Montana, and plans to graduate in May 2011. She has worked the past five summers at Flathead Lutheran Bible Camp as a camp hand, counselor, arts and crafts coordinator, waterfront coordinator, high ropes facilitator and wilderness coordinator. A violin performance major, Sarah is looking forward to learning, playing and praising through music with the children at UCC.