Pastor: Joey Olson
Deacon/Parish Nurse: Dr. Kathleen Charters
Office Manager/Bookkeeper: Marian Needham
Music Director: Donna Grubbs
Choral Director: Dr. Jerome Wright
Organists: Pauline Olsen, Terry Reitz
To contact our staff, please write to church@sequimtumc.org or use the Contact Us page.
Pastor Joey Olson
I retired from active ministry on July 1, 2014. I had plans for retirement which included: a whole lot of doing nothing, learning Spanish, reading Shakespeare, travel, travel, travel. Early on it became clear that Ole and I needed to “get out” so we instituted Tuesday Adventures—basically walking a lot around town and the local trails. I managed three Spanish lessons, never got to Shakespeare (due to my addiction to mysteries), and yes, we have traveled. I did begin writing classes at Imprint Bookstore in Port Townsend and am 1/3 of the way in writing a mystery.
Covid came. I have found myself restless. Spiritually restless. I decided to offer Disciple Bible study at the church. Then the District Superintendent called.
Like many in the church, I have been praying for Pastor Brad and Dorothy and am deeply concerned for their health. I recognize the sadness that must come from an appointment that was thwarted with Covid and continuing health issues, and the decision to step down. After prayer and lengthy conversation with my family, I decided to say yes to become interim pastor of Sequim.
My ministry appointments began in Texas, and in two of those appointments, I was an associate youth pastor serving large churches. In Washington, I have served as pastor at Ocean Shores, Mill Creek Cedar Cross (similar in size to Trinity), as District Superintendent of the Inland District and Port Angeles UMC.
In 2014 at Annual Conference each retiree was given one minute to say goodbye. Here is what I said,
When I heard God calling me to ministry, like many, I said, “Sorry, wrong number.” God persisted. I responded, and God continues to hold my life and will not let me go.
I believe God invites us to a life of service filled with challenge, adventure, healing, love…joy…hope. I served my first communion as pastor at the top of Lost Mine Trail in Big Bend National Park, and my last in Port Angeles, nestled between the mountains and the ocean.
The God I recognize in the beauty of nature is the One who has haunted me in many encounters in scripture. There are times when the struggles of ministry can become intense—even painful, and we can say, “Why me?” The Holy Spirit sends us the courage to say, “What’s next!”
The message is simple: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, and strength. Love your neighbor as you love yourself…and all good things will be yours.”
I feel humble, ready to serve, aware of the challenge, and filled with love for this congregation as I accept the appointment to become Interim Pastor of Trinity.
Dr. Kathleen Charters is a retired United States Navy Commander and currently a commissioned Deacon in the United Methodist Church.
A Washington State native, she graduated from Washington State University with degrees in psychology and nursing, has a Masters in Systems Management from the University of Southern California, a Ph.D. in nursing with an emphasis on health information systems from the University of Maryland, and a Masters in Parish Nursing from St. Mary’s Ecumenical Institute. As a Public Health Service officer, she served in San Francisco three years, and after joining the Navy served in Bremerton, Washington; Yokosuka, Japan; San Diego, California, and at a number of Department of Defense postings in Maryland and Virginia.
Kathleen’s spouse, Lawrence, is a retired Internet projects manager for NOAA and is currently working on a number of writing and photography projects. Their daughter Lykara lives in England with her spouse and their daughter.
Kathleen and Lawrence moved to Sequim in early 2018, and are delighted to return to the Pacific Northwest. Kathleen is warmed by her welcome to Trinity, and the opportunity to extend her ministry to the community.
Marian Needham is the office manager 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. Marian, a Washington native, enjoys the outdoors, hiking, and gardening and considers herself blessed to be living in such a beautiful part of this state. She has a son who served in the Air Force and is currently attending college.
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.
Donna Grubbs is our musical director and pianist. As musical director, she works with a very talented and caring staff planning the music for the worship services. In short, she helps to “pull things together and tie up loose ends.” As pianist, she plays the piano for the worship service, accompanying Trinity Singers, soloists, and other instrumentalists.
Growing up in Missouri, Donna remembers always being surrounded by music. Her earliest memory of enjoying music began as she listened to her father, grandfather and uncle play the piano, fiddle and guitar in a one-room school house while neighbors square danced. Her first choir experience was being a member of a Junior Choir in the Methodist Church. There were many years of piano lessons throughout elementary and high school, and pipe organ was studied in college. Donna graduated from the University of Alabama with a major in Home Economics and minor in Music.
Although Sequim has been a retirement home for the past nine years for Donna and husband Randy, they previously spent 30 years in Panama as Dodds teachers and six years in Okinawa, Japan where Donna taught Home Economics (now called Family & Consumer Science) and elementary music. All of these unique places provided musical experiences, serving as organist and pianist for many churches; director of children’s choirs; accompanist for high school choirs; community choirs and community theatre productions.
Dr. Jerome L. Wright, our choir director, is a local boy. Born and raised in the Everett/Mukilteo area, he excelled in music at an early age. His first public performance was on his mother’s local radio program, where, at the age of five, he sang “White Christmas”. Jerry received most of his musical education at the University of Washington. He thought he was going to be a high school band and orchestra director; however, his first job – at Mount Vernon High School – had one period of junior band and five periods of choir. He conducted his first adult church choir at the age of sixteen.
An Episcopalian, Jerry has served as a choral conductor in his own denomination and in Lutheran, Presbyterian, and Disciples of Christ parishes. His last church choir position prior to his position at Trinity was Minister of Music at the University Christian Church in Seattle. While at University Christian Church, he conducted all the Seattle performances of “Missa Gaia” (Earth Mass) with his church choir, the Seattle Oratorio Society (that he founded), the Seattle Girls’ Choir, and the Paul Winter Consort.
He has studied in master classes with some of the world’s finest choral conductors. For the last twenty-eight years of his official career, he was Founder and Artistic Director of the renowned Seattle Girls’ Choir. He toured with SGC to numerous foreign countries, and won first-prize awards in three international choral competitions.
But wait, there’s more! While at University Christian Church, he discovered a theological school just down the block, and started studying there. One thing led to another, and he was ordained in 1984 with a Doctor of Divinity degree. He is interested in the inner, spiritual aspects of making music, and this education has transformed his musical art in powerful ways. He is reorganizing the Olympic Girls’ Choir in Sequim that he founded in 1998.
Jerry was married to Suzann Worley (also a choral director) and has five children, eight grandchildren, and sixteen great-grandchildren.
Pauline Olsen is our organist and second pianist. She enjoys collaborating with the music team to plan music for Sunday worship and special events. During Lent 2014, she presented seven one-hour organ concerts of traditional and contemporary music inviting guest musicians and soloists to participate.
Pauline grew up in a parsonage and was tutored by a number of church organists. She studied pipe organ at Capital University Conservatory of Music, Columbus, Ohio.
Sequim has been Pauline’s home for over 20 years. She and her husband, Walter, moved here after she retired as a Professor of Nursing at Peninsula College, Port Angeles. Walter was an Irish tenor who sang professionally, and Pauline accompanied him on piano and organ. After his death in 2011, Pauline accepted the position of organist at TUMC.
Lois’ Legacy, an exciting new TUMC ministry, is named for Pauline’s sister. Its mission is to promote self-directed choices for everyone in need of care. Lois moved to Sequim so Pauline could provide in-home care for her. She passed away in December 2012. See the mission page for more information about Lois’ Legacy.
Leadership
Administrative Council
Chair – Margaret Cox
Recording Secretary – Cynthia Zenner
Treasurer – Keith Lightfoot
Financial Co-Secretaries – Margaret Cox, Randy Grubbs, Hazel Blake
Assistant Financial Secretaries – Annie Clark, Eva Lundstrom
Lay Leader-Lay Member of Annual Conference – Jim Stoffer
Trustees Chair – Andy Pitts
Safety and Security – Ken Lillagore
Staff-Parish Relations – Patricia Guthrie
Nominations Committee – Joey Olson
Finance Committee Co-Chairs – Rena Blank, Eva Lundstrom
History Chair – Neil Parse
Education Ministry Team – Melody Romeo
Membership Team Co-Chairs – Jan Smith, Cathy McKenna
Missions – Jan Kreidler
Trinity Senior Ministries – Lou O’Hara
Worship Ministry Team – Marsha Chatfield
Sound & Sight Team Co-Chairs – Curt Alexander, Patty Davis
Trustees
Chair – Andy Pitts
Vice-Chair – Ken Lillagore
2022 – Ken Lillagore, Russ McKenna, Sue Trapp
2023 – Dave Croonquist, Andy Pitts, Wallace Teal
2024 – Marsha Chatfield, Rick Olson, Bruce Purdy
Committees
Kitchen Committee co-chairs – Eva Lundstrom, Cyd Savoy
Memorial Committee – Lee Chatfield
Lois’s Legacy – Pauline Olsen
Webmaster – Lawrence Charters