JOHN HEMBRUCH, PASTOR
John Hembruch (pronounced Hem-brook) has served as Pastor of FPCE since February 2002, guiding the congregation through a multi-year journey of strategic planning into a new building on the growing eastern edge of Edwardsville. During these years, he also has been active in community and regional church ministries, including service as president of the Glen-Ed Ministerial Alliance and moderator of the Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy. Those who know him well say that John blends a thoughtful, reflective preaching style with gifts in administration, and a passion to organize in ways that best serve mission.
Previously he served as Associate Pastor and Pastor at three other congregations in Illinois, Kansas, and Michigan. He holds the degrees Doctor of Ministry and Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary, with a B.A. from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. In 2018, John earned the Chancellor’s Certificate in Nonprofit Management and Leadership from the University of Missouri, St. Louis.
John not only provides leadership to pastoral functions like worship and member care, but also functions as the head of staff and the moderator of our governing board (the session). In our Presbyterian system of governance, the Pastor is not a member of the church, but combines duties typical of both “executive director” and “board chairperson” in other organizations.
Contact John if you would like to talk about the church’s ministries at times of death or to those who are seriously ill, questions about membership, finding a contact point for support or volunteer service in our congregation, special opportunities for financial gifts, or FPCE’s theological orientation or strategic direction.
KALYN STEVWING, ASSOCIATE PASTOR FOR FAITH FORMATION
Kalyn Stevwing was born and raised in the greater Pittsburgh region. She earned her M.Div. from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and a B.A. in Christian Education and minor in Music from Westminster College. Before starting seminary, Kalyn served two years in the PC(USA)’s Young Adult Volunteer program—first in New Orleans, then in Daejeon, South Korea. She is passionate about missions, for seeing people connect with God and God's mission for the world through one another. Having started singing in multiple church choirs at the age of six, Kalyn knows the importance of both intergenerational connections and art in spirituality and hopes to bring these values to bear in her own ministry.
Kalyn is married to Felix Rivera-Merced and has two children, Miguel René and Emilio Enrique.
Contact Kalyn for information about any volunteer opportunities and educational ministries for children, youth, and adults.
ROBERT RAYMOND, ORGANIST
Robert Raymond has served as organist, pianist and accompanist at First Presbyterian Church, Edwardsville, since 1993. In 1989, he earned a M.M from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville in Piano Performance and Chamber Accompaniment; and in 1992 he earned a M.M. in Organ Performance, as well as a degree in Music Education. Robert earned his B.M. in Piano Performance from Webster University in 1984 and studied at the St. Louis Conservatory in 1986. Robert earned a Permanent National Teaching Certificate in piano and organ from the Music Teachers National Association. Robert is an Adjunct faculty member at SIUE where he teaches both piano and organ. From 1993-1997, Robert served as Dean of the American Guild of Organists, Gateway East Chapter, and has taught band, choir and general music in the Bethalto Illinois School District #8 since 1998.
At First Presbyterian Church, Robert plays for church services and other ceremonies throughout the year, accompanies the adult and youth choirs, and manages the annual recital series. It has been through this series that he has invited over 100 guest musicians from around the metropolitan area, providing a performance venue at the church for talented artists to share their musical gifts. It is also through this series that Robert has given piano and organ recitals and accompanied various guest musicians. To further encourage excellence in the arts,
Mr. Raymond established in 2004 the “Southern Illinois Young Artist Organization” designed to provide a serious competition venue for both vocalists and instrumentalists between the ages of 20 and 30 years. From 2016-18, Robert had the privilege of overseeing the rebuilding and enlargement of the churches Bosch pipe organ by Murphy Music Company, engaging actively in the organ fund campaign, and approving the stop registration and pipe facade design.
Besides loving to practice and teach music, Robert is fascinated with architecture, working with animals, taking walks and swimming, as well as reading about world history.
Contact Robert if you’re interested in any aspect of church music. He is particularly interested in forming instrumental ensembles, or arranging for guest artists to participate in FPCE's Recital Series.
ANNIS HOPKINS, ADULT CHOIR DIRECTOR/HANDBELL DIRECTOR
Dr. Annis Hopkins has been the director of the Chancel Choir at FPCE since February, 2017, and volunteer Director of the Handbell Choir since October, 2017, following a 37-year music teaching hiatus after seven years directing chapel and handbell choirs at Ft. Huachuca, Arizona. She is delighted to be back in church music and especially enjoys working with multi-generational musical groups. Annis is semi-retired after a 40+ year teaching career at the junior high, high school, community college, and university levels in Arizona and Illinois, including 25+ years teaching on cable television (Arizona State University) and the Internet (Maricopa County Community College District in Arizona). She holds the BA degree (flute major/voice minor/English minor) from Greenville University in Greenville, Illinois; the MA (Teaching of English) degree from the University of Illinois, Urbana; and the Ph.D. degree in Rhetoric and Composition from Arizona State University.
Annis is an avid golfer during the season, and from October through April, she serves as the Training Resource Specialist for the Southern Illinois Region of the AARP Foundation TaxAide Program, which provides free tax preparation for millions of low-income and senior taxpayers nationwide; she also prepares taxes through the program at the Bond County Senior Citizens Center in Greenville, Illinois, her home town.
Contact Annis if you’re interested in any aspect of church music; the Chancel and Handbell choirs always welcome new members, and there are always opportunities for other kinds of vocal and instrumental music in our services. If you’d like to ring handbells but you don’t read music, Annis can teach you all you need to know to be ringer in just a few easy lessons; you just need to be tall enough to see the music on the table.
BETH PATRICK, ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
Beth Patrick started with FPCE in March 2019 as Administrative Assistant with an emphasis on bookkeeping for the church. Beth enjoys helping with her daughter’s Girl Scout troops and volunteers at the Metro East Humane Society.
Previously, Beth worked in the Finance and Accounting departments for the last 26+ years with the Boeing company. Some of the highlights of her career at Boeing included working as a Finance focal on the EA-18G program from the initial aircraft rollout through certification of Full Rate Production on the program which came in significantly under cost and ahead of schedule as well as supporting the Philadelphia site in person as they transitioned to the Common Accounts Receivable System. She has a Bachelor’s degree of Accountancy at SIUE and a MBA from Webster University. She passed her CPA exam in 1996.
Her focus has been the conversion of FPCE’s software program to QuickBooks Non-profit version and serving the members of the congregation. If you would like to be added to her volunteer list for office duties or putting together the monthly newsletter, let her know. Please do not hesitate to contact her if you need assistance or have any questions.
JIM SMITH, BUILDING MANAGER
James (Jim) S. Smith Sr. serves as FPCE’s Building Manager. He is a lifelong resident of the area, and has lived in Edwardsville for 35 years. He is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force. After a career in sales, service, and management in the automotive business, he is recently retired. He fully appreciated his connections and interactions with wonderful people over many years of customer relations.
Jim and his wife enjoy spending time with their children and grandchildren, home projects, dinners with friends, church activities, and traveling to new places as much as possible.
Contact Jim if you would like to volunteer for building and grounds projects.