The Presbyterian Church in Morristown, New Jersey

The Reverend Cynthia J. Alloway
Associate Pastor Email

The Reverend (Cindy) Alloway, became our Associate Pastor effective May 1, 2006. In her role, Cindy leads our programs in congregational care, community outreach mission and fellowship. Cindy provides pastoral care counseling and regularly participates in worship as the primary liturgist and occasional preacher. Having been born and raised with much support from a small Presbyterian church in Neola, Iowa, Cindy has a deep love for the Reformed Tradition. After graduating with a Masters in Mental Health from the University of California, San Francisco, she felt a strong call to integrate her faith in God with caring for those who suffer from trauma and mental health problems. A graduate of the Princeton Theological Seminary, Cindy brings a wealth of related experience to the job. She has worked as a parish nurse, a clinical instructor for the University of Maryland College of Nursing, a foster parent educator, a mental health therapist at San Francisco General Hospital, and as a drug addiction counselor/health educator.

Cindy’s most recent employment prior to her becoming associate pastor was as the coordinator of Morris County Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Program. In that role she provided frontline counseling and healthcare to victims of sexual assault and she remains a strong advocate for programs that prevent violence and oppression.

Cindy is married to Dr. Ken Culver, a physician/scientist at Novartis. They have three children: Ryan, a Podiatric Medical Resident at Lakewood Hospital in Long Beach, CA, Ian, a graduate of the US Coast Guard academy now in flight school in Pensacola, FL, and Kathryn, a freshman at the University of California, Irvine, who was confirmed at PCM. Cindy and her husband, Ken, are co-founders of the Foundation for Peace, which provides assistance to those in need in Kenya, the Dominican Republic and Haiti. See: www.foundationforpeace.org

Since coming to our church Cindy has inspired the formation of new programs and ministries, including the Stephen Ministry, the formation of our Congregational Care Committee, a new Bereavement Support group, and our annual Prayer Labyrinth Holy Week experience. In 2009 she co-led a new mission trip to Jamaica with Stephen Minister Sydney Ewen. One of her hopes for our church's future is the development of a monthly "Healing and Wholeness" Worship service.

MUSIC

Dr. James D. Hicks
Director of Music- Email

James D. Hicks holds degrees in music from the Peabody Institute of Music of Johns Hopkins University, Yale University, and the University of Cincinnati. He has also studied at the Royal School of Church Music and is an associate of the American Guild of Organists. Dr. Hicks was appointed Director of Music at the Presbyterian Church in Morristown in 1985, and conducts nine of the church's vocal and handbell choirs, supervises and performs in the concert series, teaches classes in music and liturgy, and serves as organist. He oversaw the enhancement of the sanctuary's seventy-eight ranks, 3,370 pipes Austin organ in 1996, and recorded a compact disk of organ music by twentieth-century American composers released by the Pro Organo label in 2003. James D. Hicks is a composer of organ, piano, choral, and handbell music, and has performed as an organ recitalist throughout the US, Europe, and Australia. A competing bagpiper and collector of Celtic instruments, Jim lives in Morristown with his wife, Bonnie, and three children, Virginia, Matthew, and Daniel.

Julie Ramseyer
Children's Choir Director Email

Julie Ramseyer oversees the musical education of our elementary and junior high members. As the Director of Children’s Music, she conducts three choirs, facilitates the music within the Christian Education curriculum, produces elementary and junior high musicals, and is an active member in the adult music life of the church.

Julie holds a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Michigan and lives in Randolph with her husband, Joel, and son, Ben, who attends Bucknell University.

YOUTH DIRECTOR
Joel Strom
Youth Director Email

Joel Strom joined the Staff of the Church on November 13, 2005. Born and raised in Connecticut, Joel spent five years as Youth Director of Grace Lutheran Church in La Grange, IL near Chicago. Wishing to return to the East Coast, Joel responded to our job listing and we feel he is an excellent fit, both spiritually and culturally, with our church family. In his time at Grace Lutheran, Joel developed a youth program from the ground up, and left it thriving with over 150 involved participants. He has hands-on experience creating and sustaining a junior and senior high youth program, launching a senior high bible study, leading mission trips and service projects, and coordinating adult volunteers.

PUBLICATIONS AND PUBLICITY

Deborah McComber
Publications and Publicity Coordinator Email

Debbie became a part time staff member in May 2005. She promotes awareness within the congregation and outside public of what the church has to offer through publications, displays and media contact.

Debbie graduated from Wellesley College with a degree in mathematics. She lives in Morristown with her husband, Rick, twin daughters in college, Emily and Erin, and son, Peter, in high school. Debbie also works part time as administrator for the Whippany River Watershed Action Committee and is on the board of the Morris Educational Foundation (in support of the Morris School District).

SECRETARIES

Jo Potter
Church General Secretary - Email

Mary Jo Hashagen
Finance and Administrative Secretary - Email

A native of Morris County, Mary Jo started working part-time in the church offices in the summer of 2001. She holds a BA degree (chemistry major) and a certification to teach chemistry at the secondary level from Rosemont College, Rosemont, PA, and an MBA in Pharmaceutical/Chemical Studies from Fairleigh Dickinson University. After college, Mary Jo worked in specialty chemical marketing and technical support to the domestic and international maritime industry. Mary Jo and her husband, Ken, have a high school aged son, David. Currently Mary Jo works full time in the front office at the Parish House, providing clerical support to the program and administrative staff.

Business Administration -

Jamie Barnette
Business Administrator - E-mail

Jamie joined the staff as Business Administrator in August 2008. An honor graduate from Fairleigh Dickinson University with a BA degree in Accounting, she was self-employed as an accountant until taking this position at the church. She has been an active member and volunteer at our church for almost 40 years. She is a co-coordinator of the SCEEP program(Suburban Cultural Educational Enrichment Program) and is also an adult advisor to our church's middle school and high school youth ministries. She was a co-founder of Morris Habitat for Humanity, Inc.

Jamie and her husband Jerry reside in Randolph. They have 3 married sons and 6 grandchildren who all live in New Jersey. Her favorite pasttimes are being with her grandchildren or the young people in our youth programs.

Children's Ministries

Elizabeth Burris
Children's Ministries - Email

Beth has served as Director of Children’s Ministries since 2000. She was instrumental in developing the midweek ministry to children and youth. Beth eagerly anticipates each Wednesday when she has the privilege of meeting with children from kindergarten through fifth grade for stories, service projects and fellowship. Sunday morning church school is another highlight of her week as she and our staff of teachers welcome children to study, sing and worship together. Beth has a MA in education with a specialty in counseling. She is currently enrolled in the denomination’s Christian Education certification program. Beth has also worked in public schools, colleges and business. She has three children: Rachel who is at Rutgers University in New Brunswick and Martha and Taylor who attend Morristown High School.

Nursery School

Katherine Henckler
Nursery School Director - Tel (973) 540- 1114
Email

Katherine has been a part of our school in the past as a teacher and assistant director. She has taught in the Morris School District and Something Special Preschool and has also volunteered in numerous church, school and community programs.

Katherine has three children, two in college and one, a senior at Morristown High School.

Sextons

David Rivera --Tel- (973) 538-1776

David has been sexton at the church since 1985. He and his wife, Anna, live in Howard House, next to the Church on the Green. David is responsible for keeping our buildings and grounds clean, setting up rooms for meetings and preparing the church for services.

Milton Argueta-Benitez --Tel- (973) 538-1776

Milton began with us on July 9. He will be working in the Parish House on Saturdays and at the sanctuary every other Sunday morning. Milton lives in Kenvil with his wife and three daughters. We are pleased to have him join our staff.

Meet The Church Staff: Church Telephone (973) 538-1776 Church E-Mail mail@pcmorristown.org

Meet The Church Staff:
Church Telephone (973) 538-1776
Church E-Mail mail@pcmorristown.org