Meet Our Pastor

And Team

Jim has been pastor at St. John UCC since April of 2015 after serving as pastor at First Congregational UCC in Jefferson, OH for five years.

Before receiving his Master of Divinity from the Ecumenical Theological Seminary of Detroit in 2010, Jim received his Bachelors of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Wayne State University in Detroit, MI and his Masters of Science in General Management from Central Michigan University. He then worked for over 20 years as an Engineering Project and Account Manager for a supplier of automotive safety devices.

“I took up running in my senior year of my undergraduate studies to improve my health. With encouragement from my sister Patti and a neighbor who had been a long-time runner, I began training for my first marathon. Not long afterward, my mother had an emergency heart bypass operation while in her early 60s. So, I kept running to maintain my health. I currently train with Team Defiance and compete in local running races and biathlons.

I have always enjoyed learning and am passionate about connecting the Bible with everyday life. The Bible should be taken seriously, but not literally, and so I try to help members of the congregation have fun with the text while challenging one another to understand if from different points of view.”

Dori has been the office manager since April of 2015. When she is not at the church, Dori is the owner and coach for A New Dimension Baton Team and has led teams in regional and national competitions since 1980. Dori is also a school bus driver for Tinora Schools where she is currently the local union president.

Mark Trinko was born and raised in Shawano, Wisconsin – 32 miles due west of Green Bay. Mark started formal piano lessons at the age of 7 with Helen Ramsey. In 1981, while attending Silver Lake College of The Holy Family, Mark studied organ with Sr. M. Joseph Francis, who was the principle organist of The Franciscian Sisters of Christian Charity. Mark also had instruction from Sr. Lorna Zemke who was known on an international level for her work with Zolton Koldaly. Mark and his wife Mary moved to Lima in January of 1996. In September of that year, Mark became the Senior Organist of Trinity United Methodist Church, a position he held for 15 years. Mark then moved onto St. Rose & St. John’s parishes also in Lima, as the Director of Music. Here at St. John UCC, Mark  is serving as the Organist and assists in finding Special Music during the choir off season. Mark is a board certified member of The American Guild of Organists.

Carolyn graduated from Wittenberg University where she majored in music and studied organ with Arne Hovesden and Ruth Whittington. While a student there, she was organist at Fourth Lutheran, the college church, and at the Church of Christ Scientist in Springfield, Ohio. Upon graduation she was employed as Supervisor of Elementary Music in the Urbana School System in Urbana, Ohio. She was organist at a Baptist church there.

Carolyn began playing organ for the St. John congregation in 1956 in the St. John’s Reformed Church on Washington Avenue. When the congregation became St. John United Church of Christ and moved to its present location, she continued as organist until 2021 when she decided she wanted to sit in a pew instead of on the organ bench.

Carolyn was a lecturer at the Defiance College for thirty years teaching music theory, organ, and piano.

Brian Williams assumed the role of Custodian in January 2023 upon the retirement of his father Lonnie. A frequent helper of his father, Brian moved quite easily into the position although Lonnie seems to still be around for consultation and some of the work, especially mowing the lawn, overseeing the cleaning and polishing of the tile floors, and helping out with the Backpack Buddies program from the United Way of Defiance County which is housed and supported by St. John UCC.

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