Rev. Jeffrey Long-Middleton, Pastor
Pastor Jeff has served three American Baptist
congregations since graduating from Andover Newton Theological School in 1978. While serving the First
Baptist Church of Burlington, Vermont, as the Assistant Pastor, he served on the Burlington Peace Committee and helped found
the Burlington Emergency Shelter which served the homeless by providing a meal and overnight shelter. He
also helped in planning and implementing statewide youth events.
He also served the First Baptist Church of Haddonfield, New Jersey from 1984 to 1990. While
there, he co-founded and served as President of the Metro Camden Habitat for Humanity affiliate – a ministry that builds
homes for lower income families and is dedicated to removing substandard housing from the world. He also
was a member of the New Jersey Baptist Peace Fellowship.
In 1990, Pastor Jeff and his family came to the West Acton Baptist Church and during that time has served as
the convener of the Acton/Boxborough/Stow Clergy Association, has chaired the Statements of Concern Committee of the American
Baptist Churches of Massachusetts, was a member of a state wide task force charged with developing resources for local churches
in the area of human sexuality, chaired the Department of Church and Society of the American Baptist Church of Massachusetts,
was the national convener of a group dedicated to preserving Baptist Principles, and been engaged in promoting open-mindedness
regarding inclusion of Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual and Transgendered persons in the life and ministry of the denomination.
Pastor Jeff has four boys. His wife, Ellen, teaches at MGH General Institute of Health Professionals
and practices one day a week at the Family Health Center in Worcester.
Substitute Pastor - Rev. Cheryl Harris
Rev. Cheryl was born & raised in Boston,
MA. One of 10 siblings, she is known as auntie to a bunch of nieces and nephews. She has 2 grown children and one teen-aged
grandson. She serves as
associate minister of women's and community ministries at Messiah Baptist Church in Brockton, MA. She is a servant leader
who is devoted to giving voice to the voiceless in society through preaching and teaching the gospel. She was recently installed
for a 3-year term as president of the American Baptist Women of Massachusetts. Rev. Harris holds a Master od Divinity degree from Boston University School of Theology and a BA in English Literature
from Emmanual College. She is president of her consulting firm; Cheryl Harris and Associates, Inc. which focuses on diversity,
leadership coaching and team building.
Nancy Dodge, Administrative Assistant
Nancy has been a member of WABC since 1993. She was a stay at home mom
until she filled the shoes of administrative assitant in 2005. She has served on the Board of Christian Education, Hospitality
Committee, Flower Committee, Nominating Committee and currently serves as the chair on the Care Team.
Kathi
Gellar, Music Director
Katherine Gellar, soprano,
is also a composer and teacher. She has sung opera, Broadway, jazz and popular music in various venues
from New York to Boston and Cape Cod, from Alice Tully Hall (NY) and Boston Symphony Hall, to local restaurants and nightclubs.
Ms. Gellar sang the American Premiere of Venal Vera: Ode To A Gezira Lovely by American composer, Nancy Van
de Vate at the Narrowlands Theatre in 2001. She was soprano soloist in Haydn’s Mass In Time of War, appearing
with the massed choirs of the Plymouth High Schools and orchestra. Ms. Gellar has performed in concerts under the auspices
of Donna Roll and Theatre In The Ground, and sang for several years in OperaFest, also directed by Donna Roll.
Ms. Gellar has also attended SAMW, Summer Acoustic Music Week in NH, and there studied composition with singer/songwriter
Kate Campbell and voice with Sloan Wainwright. As an actress, Ms. Gellar has presented one-woman shows based on the lives
of historical women at libraries, schools and museums. Ms. Gellar’s original compositions and arrangements have been
performed in recitals, churches and concerts. A major choral work, Ceremony for the Universal, was in the repertoire
of the Westfield State College Chorale, with the composer conducting the premiere. Ms. Gellar is currently
the Music Teacher at Buckingham Browne and Nichols School, Middle School campus and a section leader for the Erevan Choral
Society, an Armenian cultural organization, in Cambridge, MA. Ms. Gellar has been a professional church
musician for over 25 years, working in many denominations, as both a soloist and conductor/music director. Ms.
Gellar has studied voice with Judith Blegen and Cheryl Cobb. She is currently the student of Mahon Bishop,
New York City and coached by Thomas Enman, Boston.
Ingrid Eppelsheimer, Organist
Genetriz Lamb, Sexton
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