Rev. Mark Peake. Mark was born in Burlington,
North Carolina but grew up in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch country. Mark attended Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania where he earned a B.A. in History. From there Mark traveled to Boston’s historic north shore where he earned the Master of Divinity degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.
Mark describes himself as progressively evangelical with a passion both for issues of personal ethics and social justice. Mark served churches in Michigan and New Jersey until he was called to Monterey in the Summer of 2010.
Mark and Kimberley (a native of Santa Cruz) have been married 13 years and have two preschool aged children. revpeake@fpcmonterey.org
Music
Music Director: John Koza. John Koza earned his Master’s Degree in choral conducting and his Bachelor’s Degree in voice at San José State University. In addition to conducting the Carmel Bach Festival Youth Chorus he conducts the Camerata Singers, is Director of Music for First Presbyterian Church of Monterey, and teaches at Hartnell College. John has performed throughout Europe with the Choraliers (San José State University), winning five of the highest awards in the Seghizzi Choral Competition in Gorizia, Italy as well as performing for the World Symposium of Choral Music in Rotterdam. In September 2000, the American Choral Directors Association published his Master’s Thesis: “Twentieth-Century Choral Settings of Psalm 150” in the Choral Journal. Well known in the Monterey Bay area for his imaginative programming, John is dedicated to mentoring young singers in the disciplines and joys of choral singing. . office@fpcmonterey.org
Praise Music Director: Linda Thompson
Linda has a Bachelor’s Degree in Christian Education with a minor in music. She is a pianist and vocalist with 24+ years of experience directing children and adult choirs, as well as small ensemble groups. Linda has participated in and provided leadership for the Praise Team at FPC for the past 12+ years. Her passion is sharing music with children and this is her 24th year directing the Christmas Eve Church Musical
Organist: Aaron Nee
Aaron Nee is a professional pianist and organist living in San Francisco. Originally from Visalia, CA, Aaron pursued graduate studies at the University of Colorado in Boulder, where he graduated with a doctoral degree in music. As part of his graduate studies, he spent 2 years studying and living in France and Switzerland. After graduate school, Dr. Nee taught music at universities in the Chicago area and most recently in Berlin, Germany, where he taught at the European College of Liberal Arts. Aaron also has worked for 20 years as an organist and choral accompanist and has played for a wide variety of churches, from Methodist and Armenian Presbyterian to Catholic and Episcopal. Hobbies include travel, languages, cooking, hiking, and exploring the incredible natural beauty of Northern California.
Children & Youth Ministry
Director of Youth Ministry: Dr. Greg Carper Greg was born and raised in West Virginia where he studied Political Science at The University of Charleston. After college, he enlisted in the US Army and studied at the Defense Language Institute. Upon completion of his military service, Greg and his wife, Renée, settled in the area and claimed California as their new home.
Greg has been actively serving kids through local churches and Christian organizations in the Monterey Bay area since 1997. As a conference speaker and published author, he has helped train thousands of people in children’s and youth ministry. But Greg’s greatest joy in ministry is sharing God’s love and Word with kids and helping them believe in and live for Jesus Christ.
Greg is also a licensed attorney. He earned his Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from Monterey College of Law and recently opened his own firm.
Greg and Renée were married on May 10, 1997. They live in Carmel-by-the-Sea where Greg serves as a member of the city’s Historic Resources Board. Youth.fpcmonterey@gmail.com
Carol Ferrantelli, Church Administrator.
Elaine Cole, Office Assistant.
office@fpcmonterey.org
Joe Callaway, 1945-2012
Memorial Service – Wednesday, April 25 • 11:00am
Joe was an Elder and a Deacon in the congregation and an all around good guy who kept things running smoothly.
Joe was married to Rebecca Stone and father to Ruth and David.
Rev. Dr. Jay Bartow, Pastor Emeritus: Jay is a native Californian, with a BA in international relations and masters and doctorate degrees in ministry. He and his wife Gail have been missionaries in Guatemala; and after serving in other ministerial roles, Jay was called to be the Pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Monterey in December 1974.
Jay was introduced to Christ at the invitation of a fellow student at UCLA and, as a result, is very committed to strengthening our congregation’s ministry to both its members and our community. Jay cherishes living on the Monterey Peninsula and working with a loving and creative congregation that reaches out with God’s love to our neighbors and the world.
Our congregation is very grateful to that UCLA student.
He and Gail (a professor of mathematics and a violinist) have two children and three grandchildren.