Pastor: Bill Gordon
Christian Education Director:  Judy Croonquist
Secretary/Bookkeeper: Marian Needham
Celebration Service Music Director: Kathryn_Pacelli
Traditional Service Music Director: Valerie Lape
Organist: Judie Sharpe
Bell Choir Director: Sue Ninemires
Custodian: Maurice (Moe) Frazell

BILL GORDON is pastor of Trinity United Methodist Church, Sequim, Washington.

He was born in Chicago, but lived in California (San Francisco Bay area, then Oceanside and Vista in San Diego County) from age 4 through college.  His father had two 20-year careers, first in the Marine Corps, followed by the U.S. Postal Service.

After graduation from California Western University with a degree in English literature, Bill earned a master of divinity degree in 1969 from Iliff School of Theology in Denver. He then moved to the Northwest and has served these United Methodist Churches in Washington: Mill Plain (Vancouver), Sedro Woolley, Bothell, Toppenish, Everett First, Redmond and Anacortes.

Bill and his wife, Judy, met while he was associate pastor at Bothell and she was choir director at Snohomish, one of five United Methodist churches at which she has led choirs. When they married 29 years ago, they joined their two families together: three daughters and two sons, one of whom is a missionary, with his family, in Laos.

Their spare time often is spent doing things together, such as gardening, exploring new places, enjoying their 11 grandchildren -- and working a jigsaw puzzle on a winter evening.

“Judy and I both are very excited about moving to Sequim and eager to meet and get to know everyone and to discover how God will lead us in our ministry together for Christ in the years to come.” 

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JUDY CROONQUIST is the Education Coordinator at  Trinity United Methodist Church.  Judy was born and raised in the Yakima Valley and graduated from Central Washington State University with a B.A. in education. In 1970 she and her husband, David, were married and moved to Colorado where they raised their two daughters, Karyn and Amy. In Colorado she taught school part-time and during 1988-1999 she was Education Coordinator at Arvada United Methodist Church. In 1991, as a member of the Western Jurisdiction consulting team, Judy helped write curriculum for Cokesbury, the United Methodist publisher.

Since fall of 2000, Sequim is home for the Croonquists. They enjoy the beauty of the Olympic Peninsula and love to go fishing and crabbing. They are happy to be close to family and enjoy grandsons, Carter and Jack, who live in Seattle with their parents.

Judy is proud of the wide range of education offerings for adults at TUMC and has introduced Jerome Berryman’s Godly Play to the children’s Sunday morning program.

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MARIAN NEEDHAM is the church secretary and bookkeeper.  She brings to her position a diverse background including a degree in graphic arts, followed by years in that occupation, vocational teaching, and several years in various office management positions. Marian also is the administrative assistant at the local free health clinic.

She has lived in Sequim since 1994 with  her son, Nathan, an avid soccer player. Marian, a Washington native, enjoys the outdoors, hiking, gardening and considers herself blessed to be living in such a beautiful part of this state.

Marian is pleased to have the opportunity to greet visitors to TUMC weekdays, welcomes the challenges that go with being a church secretary, and acknowledges that her job could not be done without the help of wonderful volunteers.

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MAURICE FRAZELL (Moe) is the custodian at Trinity United Methodist Church. He was born in Cheyenne, Wyoming and lived in Great Falls, Montana before moving to Sequim. Moe considers Sequim the best place he’s lived and loves his work at Trinity. He enjoys the people here and especially looks forward to the Tuesday morning Men’s Bible Study Breakfast. As he says "What a great way to start the day!"

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VALERIE LAPE is the Choir Director and Music Director for our traditional worship service.

Most of her church work has been in Lutheran churches in California and Nevada, where she has served as Adult and Children's Choir Director. She organized and participated in ecumenical choral programs with Presbyterian, Baptist and other area churches. She has also sung with other Protestant groups and Jewish choirs including Santa Clarita Singers, Chamber Singers of UNLV, the American Jewish Choral Society, Temple Valley Beth Shalom, and Los Angeles Jewish Symphony chorus.

Valerie has a Bachelor's degree in vocal music and a Master of Music degree in choral conducting from California State University, Northridge. She taught middle school in Los Angeles school district, that included teaching Advanced Choir, Beginning Chorus and General Music. She also directed, staged, and produced musical shows as well as traditional winter and spring concerts.

Valerie and her husband, John Yeo, just moved to Sequim to be closer to family. With the move, she is making a career shift from teaching school to property management.

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Kathryn Pacelli is the Contemporary (Celebration) Service Director of Music.  She has served in music ministry for both Contemporary and Traditional choirs and groups for 30 years.  She has been the lead musician and Music Director for several prominent churches covering a wide range of musical styles. Kathryn’s passion is contemporary praise and worship.  Most recently she served as the lead musician and arranger, for 11 years, of The Good News Singers, a popular Christian band based out of San Diego, California. 

Kathryn is a music composer and arranger as well as a former piano and guitar teacher. 

She was born and raised in Oregon until her family moved to San Diego, California in the 1960’s where she received her college education in English and Music. It has always been Kathryn’s dream to return to the Northwest and minister in music at a warm and loving church. Kathryn is overjoyed to be welcomed into the TUMC family. 

Kathryn is married to Paul, who is a systems analyst and they have 5 children and 5 grandchildren.

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JUDIE SHARPE, is our organist, for our traditional (11:00 a.m.) service.

She has played the piano since she was 4 years old, and the organ since she was 35. Judie has a Bachelor's degree in Music Education, and has taught vocal music (grades K-12) in the public schools in Michigan for a total of 17 years. She also taught private piano and organ lessons for many years, achieving many state champions over the years. For the last 27 years, she was the organist and choir director at a Congregational, UCC Church, near her home in Washington, Michigan. Judie and her husband, Tom, recently moved to Port Angeles.  

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SUE NINEMIRES is our Bell Choir Director. She has played hand bells in Iowa, Illinois and Sequim. Sue has directed children, high school and adult vocal choirs and was a youth director at Methodist churches in Pontiac, Illinois, and Farmington, Missouri. She has a degree in elementary education from Simpson College, Indianola, Iowa and has taught elementary and special education in Illinois.

Sue has played percussion in municipal bands in Iowa, Illinois and Sequim. She is the vocal soloist for Sequim City Band; plays piano for the monthly birthday celebration at O.C.R.C.; and has sung in the Port Angeles Community Chorus, church choirs, Sequim Community Chorus and summer theater.

Sue has lived in Sequim 17 years and has three sons, 8 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren.