I recall the words by Alfred North Whitehead who said, “That religion will prosper that can render to the common understanding some degree of eternal greatness.” The church is one of those places where the primary function is the search for meaning and wholeness. I believe that the theological task is central to all we do in the United Methodist Church. Our quadrilateral points us to an approach to faith that encourages us to think, and invites us to be in conversation with each other as thinking, questing Christians. As the Senior Minister of First Church I lift up the theological task that drives us and support every opportunity for its expression and its encouragement. It is a great time to be United Methodist. First Church is one of the examples of United Methodism at its best. I am pleased to be a pastor here, and proud of what our people have been able to do. Click to view resume for Rev. Charles Schuster

 

Dr. James Kim is Director of Choral Studies at Colorado State. He received his degrees from University of Southern California (B.M., M.M.) and University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (D.M.A.). After earning two degrees from USC, James Kim was invited by the Internationale Backakademie Stuttgart to study with Helmuth Rilling for two years. During the summers of 2000 and 2002, he was selected as an assistant conductor for the Opera Theater of Lucca held in Lucca, Italy. During the past 2001-02 season, he had served as the Interim Artistic Director for the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir. Previously, Dr. Kim taught conducting at University of Cincinnati and at Simpson College.

Karen Stoody has been on staff as organist since fall of 2003. She and her husband John moved to Fort Collins in June of 2003, where she was hired as one of the staff accompanists for the music department at CSU. She is also the accompanist for Opera Fort Collins and has a private piano studio in her home. Karen studied organ and piano with Austin Lovelace and Ruth Parisoe at Colorado Women's College, and she studied organ with Karl Wienand at Adams State College. She has a BA degree in organ performance. She has held organist positions at Methodist Churches since she was 15 years old (being urged into it by her father, a Methodist minister) including Delta, Alamosa, Greeley, and Montrose, where she was also the director of music; and she has just finished her 30th year of private teaching. She has been a frequent solo performer around the western slope in Colorado, and has been a choir accompanist also since her teen years. Practicing and playing for worship on the Marcussen pipe organ is a joy!