Our Team
The Rev. KIMBERLY SMITH-NILSSON joined our team in December 2010 as Chaplain. She has over twenty-five years of experience in professional UCC ministry in the parish and as a Spiritual Director. Her primary responsibilities are the nurturing and visitation of our elderly members (particularly those that are house bound), empowering people to make decisions about which church community is right for them going forward, spiritual guidance to the Church Council, leadership of small groups such as the Wednesday Morning Prayer Circle and regular worship opportunities. Kim and her husband live in Mountain View and have two adult daughters.
KATHIE FOSGETT serves as Executive Director for First Congregational Church. While her primary responsibility is to carry out the strategic plans and policies of First Church, she also maintains a high level of functionality and organization at the Church Office including effecting clear and transparent communication to the Council, members and friends and our Community Partners. She is a parent and grandparent and she and her husband live in a multi-generational household. Her volunteer work and her background in marketing, administration, operations and outreach adds a valuable component to our staff resources.
CAROL MCDERMOTT leads our Youth Group. She is the mother of two teenage daughters. One attends the University of Colorado and the other attends a local High School and is active in our Youth Group. Carol’s diverse volunteer background and her history as a Foster Parent and a small business owner bring us strong leadership and organizational skills.
CATHERINE LYMAN is the Meeting Facilitator for the Church Council. She works in the software industry. She and her husband have two grown children and two teen foster children.
BILL VAN CLEVE serves as Treasurer of the Church Council. He is a semi-retired industrial engineer and active community volunteer including monthly visits to Hillcrest Juvenile Detention Center and serving on the Board of Directors of Casa de Redwood. Bill and his wife recently celebrated the birth of their eighth great-grandchild.
Long-time member, PATTI BURY, is the Secretary for the Church Council. She recently attained a Masters from San Francisco State University in Early Childhood Education. Patti ran a successful Day Care Center for many years and now works for Google.
CAROL CHIVERS serves on the Church Council as Moderator. She is a retired Kindergarten Teacher and she and her husband are the parents of two adult children. Carol has been a UCC member all of her life – in fact, she and her husband met at a UCC Summer Camp when they were in High School. Carol’s educational experience and her passion for classical music are important assets to our mission.
LARRY FOSGETT joined the Church Council as a member at large. Larry enjoys playing the bass in a local classic rock band called The Wingmen. He grew up at First Congregational Church and gained much of his musical experience with his first rock band, Innovations, which played monthly dances for the Church Youth Group back in the 1960s.
Peggy Smullin is a retired grade school teacher and long-time member of First Church of Redwood City. She is currently on a leave of absence and we miss the historical perspective she brings to our team.
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Presentation - Asilomar 2010
The ADVISORY COMMITTEE, chaired by Millie Cole and staffed by members Kathleen Mahany, Annette Howitt and Peggy Smullin, assists the Church Council. Their primary focus is on maintaining open communication among all members, groups and friends and on making recommendations to the congregation and to the Church Council on behalf of the good of the congregation. They have been instrumental in researching and making recommendations for the distribution of the tithe from the sale of our property.