Welcome to First Congregational Church - United Church of Christ 311 Second Street South Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54494

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Senior Minister -Reverend Paul Veldman

Paul began serving First Congregational UCC on August 1, 2003. He is a graduate of Lakeshore Technical College in Cleveland, WI and Marian College in Fond du Lac, WI holding the following degrees: AA Supervisory Management,BA Business Administration and MS Quality, Values and Leadership. He also holds a Master of Divinity degree from Lancaster Theological Seminary in Lancaster, PA where he received the Jacob Deitz academic award in Pastoral Theology. He was a manager with Sargento Foods in Wisconsin for 21 years and a Safety Compliance Coordinator with Keen Transport in Pennsylvania for 8 years. He served a church in Pennsylvania before being called to First Congregational Church UCC.

Director of Family Ministries - Laura Lokken

Laura began the most important career of her life on October 1, 2010. This was the day she began her position as the Director of Family Ministries at First Congregational United Church of Christ. She attended Mid-State Technical Institute, graduating with a Vocational Diploma in Childcare in 1980 and worked in day care for a short time. She was hired by Consolidated Papers in 1984. She worked for Consolidated Papers/Stora Enso for almost 20 years, starting out as a laborer and working her way up to a non-exempt management position as a lab technician and tour guide at Research and Development in Biron. After losing her job in October of 2003, she became a full-time student. In December of 2006, she graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Exceptional Education. Laura is certified to teach children between the ages of 6 and 13 who have emotional/behavioral disabilities, learning disabilities, and/or cognitive disabilities. She has worked as a substitute teacher in both the Wisconsin Rapids and Stevens Point school districts. During the 2008-2009 school year, she served as the Able Learner Coordinator at four of the elementary schools in the Wisconsin Rapids school district and as the Staff Development Coordinator at one of those schools as well, assisting the principal as needed. Laura enjoys spending time camping, taking walks with her husband, Marshall, and their dog named Einstein, scuba diving, sight seeing, listening to music, and just laughing and talking with her family including her adult children, Ashley and Austin.

Church Secretary - Sharon Heckendorf

Sharon has served as the church secretary at First Congregational Church UCC, since July 3, 2006. She thoroughly loves her position and the friendships she has made. She is from Merrill, WI and a 1990 graduate of Merrill High School. She has had a handful of different work experiences including: operating her own in-home daycare and serving as an Office Operations Associate for the State of Wisconsin. Sharon loves softball, boat rides, camping, biking, walking, quilting, Moon Beach Camp and the fall season. She has been happily married to Jeff since 1990 and has three children and one grandchild.

Minister of Music - Judy Urban(Retired)

Judy has served as the Minister of Music at First Congregational Church-UCC for 57 years! Judy studied at UW-Madison with such notables as Irene Eastman and Paul Jones. While studying at UW-Stevens Point she studied with John Thomas. Judy has attended many music workships with famous musicians such as Sir David Willcocks and John Rutter. Judy has simply been an instrumental part of this congregation for more than a third of its existence. Having said that - there's nothing left to say that could top that credential, experience, sacrifice, or commitment. Her talents are loved and appreciated and so is she! A special thanks to Judy for an extraordinarily fruitful career as our Minister of Music for so many years. She's been a blessing.

Minister of Music - Seeking church organist. Call the church office at 715-423-0350.

Pastor Emeritus - Reverend Jake Close

First Congregational Church has chosen to honor Reverend Jake Close as Pastor Emeritus. The conferring of this honor is a way of recognizing Rev. Jake's distinguished service and also says, “We love you”! Rev. Jake is indeed our beloved former pastor. This recognition carries with it no professional responsibilities, it is a visible and symbolic way of declaring to the community, and the denomination of this church’s esteem and honor. Rev. Jake was a minister of First Congregational Church-UCC in Wisconsin Rapids from 1991-2001. Rev. Jake retired from ministering in 2001. Since then he has served as Interim Minister at First Congregational Church at Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, Grace United Church of Christ, Wausau, Wisconsin and at First Congregational Church in Appleton, Wisconsin.  He has also served as Executive Director of United Church Camps, Incorporated for the UCC camps at Pilgrim Center and Moon Beach. Jake and Joy(his wife) are the parents of four sons and have eight grandchildren.

Choir Director - Josh Ulrich

Josh has served as the Sanctuary Choir Director since November of 2001. He graduated from the UW - Stevens Point with a Bachelor of Music in secondary vocal music education where he studied under Lucinda Thayer. He received several awards while attending UW-Stevens Point, including the Eunice DeBaker Vocal Scholarship, Frame Presbyterian Memorial Vocal Scholarship, Timothy Lipke Memorial Schoolarship and was a Berkshire Choral Festival Scholar in the summer of 2001. He has been a member of the Monteverdi Master Chorale since 2002 as well as co-director of the Adult Community Choir of Wisconsin Rapids since 2008. He served as the choral director for the Tomorrow River School District from 2002-2004 and has been a vocal director for musical productions for Central Wisconsin Area Community Theater and Wisconsin Rapids Community Theater. He is currently employed as the Band Sales and Print Music Representative for Heid Music in Wisconsin Rapids and also teaches private vocal lessons to area students. Most recently he has been a featured local at the Locals on Stage benefit concerts for Opportunity Development Centers in 2008 and 2009. He resides in Grand Rapids with his wife, Amy and their two dogs.

Handbell Director - Fred Kronenberg

Fred started directing the hand bell choir January 1, 2010. He received his higher education in music at Chicago Musical College of Roosevelt University, Chicago, Illinois and Minnesota State College, Southeast Technical, Red Wing Minnesota with a diploma in Musical Instrument Repair. Fred studied violin making with master violin makers Ed Campbell of Boiling Springs, PA and John Reed of Red Wing, MN. He worked for Consolidated Papers and most recently was self-employed as Fritz, Fiddles and Flutes. Fred played violin with the Chicago Civic Orchestra and the DuPage Symphony Orchestra. He also played flute with the Wisconsin Rapids City Band. He has played violin for various musical/theatrical performances in Chicago, Wisconsin Rapids and Stevens Point. Fred was in the hand bell choir at Immanuel Lutheran church for many years and is a charter member of our hand bell choir. Fred is an energetic, devoted, kind-hearted and humorous member of our church staff.

Treasurer - Jeffrey Heckendorf

Jeff began his term as Church Treasurer on Sept 1, 2005. Jeff's work career started as a member of the Wisconsin Army National Guard. He was trained as a Legal Specialist and worked full-time in the Wisconsin Army National Guard from 1989 - 1992 in various positions. In 1992, Jeff changed his career path when he accepted a position with the State of Wisconsin where he presently works. During his employment with the State of Wisconsin Jeff held the position of Treasurer for the Local Union until his promotion to a supervisory position. Jeff and his wife, Sharon, have 3 children.

Financial Secretary - Mary Wright

Mary has served as financial Secretary since 1998. She was a teacher at the Wisconsin Rapids and the Stevens Point Mid-State Technical college campuses and also served as a homebound teacher for the Wisconsin Rapids Public Schools. She started the school at the Wood County Jail in 1992 and the Portage County School in 1994. She received the Part-time Teacher of the Year award for the State of Wisconsin Technical Colleges in 2001. Mary retired in 2001.

Custodian - Beatie Brandt

Beatie, her husband Jim, and their daughers joined the First Congregational Church United Church of Christ in 1978, transferring their membership from St. John's United Church of Christ in Wisconsin Rapids. She has served on numerous committees of the church including serving as Chairperson of Women's Fellowship, Board of Worship and others. She joined her husband as custodian in 1989 and after Jim passed away in 1997, she continued as custodian. Their three daughters have blessed them with three grandsons and three granddaughters and she is the great-grandma of four. She worked as a substitute teacher in the Wisconsin Rapids School System for ten years; has had her Real Estate License since 1978; and taught Real Estate classes at Mid-State Technical College for nine years. She continues to sell real estate with First Weber Group.

 Housekeeping - Debbie Lovelace

Debbie has been in housekeeping at the church since June 6, 2000. She was previously employed at Aspirus Home Health for four years and in housekeeping at the Mead Inn for 13 years.