Susan has been serving as senior minister since 1998. A graduate of Mount Holyoke College and Harvard Divinity School, she has been serving congregational churches in Massachusetts for over 25 years.

Susan has responsibility for worship and administration of the church. She is continually inspired by the vitality and strength of this congregation, and she believes that part of her mission here is to demonstrate the important connection between prayer and social activism. Susan has a particular interest adult education and spiritual development.

In 2007 for her sabbatical she travelled to Jordan and Israel. Then she visited UCC churches around Durbin in South Africa.

Susan lives with her partner, Rev. Peggy O'Connor. She is the mother of three young adults: Sarah is teacher in Tucson. Elka is a seminary student in in SanDiego. Jon is a professor in Washington D.C. where he lives with his wife, Nancy and their daughter Ruth.

The Rev. Heike Werder
Associate Minister/Director of Educational Ministries

phone: 781-444-2510 ext. 105
e-mail

Heike came to the church in 1999 from Essex Junction, Vermont, after being Associate Minister for the First Congregational Church there for four years. Heike was born in East Germany. After completing high school, she studied at the Leipzig Theological Seminary. In 1989, after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Communist government, she came to the U.S. for further study. She has decided to remain in the U.S. and is in the process of seeking U.S. citizenship.

Heike received a Master of Divinity degree from Bangor Theological Seminary in 1992 and a Masters degree in psychology and religion from Andover Newton Theological School in 1994. Her career path has included hospital chaplaincy and education and youth programs in various churches.

Heike’s interests include hiking, camping, reading, cooking, and woodworking. She also plays the piano, flute and organ.

Bobby DeRegis
Director of Music Ministries

phone: 781-444-2510 ext. 112

Bobby was born and raised in Syracuse, NY and attended Syracuse University where he studied languages and music. He moved to Boston in 1990 and received his DMD from Boston University in 1994. He is a member of the American Guild of Organists and has served as Director of Music at the First Parish in Cohasset, the First Congregational Church in Braintree, and St. Catherine of Siena parish in Charlestown. Bobby oversees the music program in the church, plays the Casavant organ, and directs the chancel choir. He has a private dental practice in Lexington and resides in Everett with his two cats, Buster and Chuckie.

Cory Staats grew up in California and graduated from high school in Pennsylvania. He has been active in leadership roles in various youth groups. Currently attending Berklee College of Music, he plans on completing a degree in songwriting.

He plays tenor saxophone, guitar and sings. He also loves to cook, and is a part time chef in Waltham. Cory will be married to fiancé Cynthia in June of 2008.

phone: 781-444-2510
e-mail

Joy is originally from Sarasota Florida and is an alumnus of the University of North Florida and Berklee College of Music. She currently directs the four youth choirs at the Congregational Church of Needham. The Preschool Praise is for 3 to 5 year olds and sings twice a year, for Easter and Christmas. The Joyful Noise serves Kindergarten through 2nd graders and the Hallelujah Choir serves 3rd- 5th graders. These two choirs annually combine to perform a much anticipated musical each spring. Finally, our most active and musically diverse choir, the Shepherd’s Staff, consists of 6-12th graders from Needham and the surrounding communities.

In addition to her role as Youth Music Director, Joy enjoys her responsibilities as Soprano Soloist and Section Leader for the Chancel Choir.

Other than directing and singing at the Congregational Church of Needham, Joy sings with the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s Tanglewood Festival Choir. She is the Director of the Circle of PALS, the youngest chorus within the prestigious PALS organization.

Christine Edmonds
Administrator

phone: 781-444-2510
e-mail

Christine came to The Congregational Church of Needham in January 2008 from her previous job as office manager for a wardrobe consulting firm, Organization By Design, Inc., where she worked for ten years.

Originally from Ohio, Christine has lived in the Boston area for twenty years. She has worked at The Children’s Museum, and she had her own public relations practice for several years servicing mostly non-profit clients. She now lives in Lexington, MA where she attends Hancock UCC with her three children, Matthew, Hannah and Eric. She enjoys volunteering at her children’s schools, dancing with Lexington Women’s Dance Ensemble and reading.

Roger Ambuter
Building Manager

phone: 781-444-2510
e-mail

Roger is a lifelong resident of the greater Boston area. He is an engineering graduate of Tufts with advanced degrees and studies at Northeastern and Boston University. A majority of his professional career was spent at Polaroid, where he retired as plant engineer of the Norwood site. Over the past ten years, he has served as a consultant to the chemical industry.

Roger has resided in Needham for 34 years and is a member of Temple Beth Shalom where he is currently co-chair of the house committee and member of the worship, brotherhood and safety committees.

Roger and Coral, his wife, have three grown sons, five grandchildren and an overactive pointer.