Rich came to St. Andrew in January, 1982. Back then, St. Andrew was a small country church, meeting in the converted carriage house on what was the Spreckles Sugar family estate. In 1989, things changed when the old building burned to the ground. From the ashes, God raised up a new church building with a congregation that has been "on fire" and growing ever since. The one thing that has been constant for the past twenty-seven years is change -- change in Rich's life and change in the life of the congregation. The verse that gives Rich hope and purpose is from Paul's prayer for the Philippians: "...being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you, will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 1:6)

Rich graduated from Fuller Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity degree in 1976, then went on to earn a Doctor of Ministry degree from San Francisco Theological Seminary in 1985. He grew up in Portland, Oregon, and met his wife Lorna at Portland Adventist Hospital, where she worked as a nurse and he worked as an orderly. They were married in 1972. Their daughter Julie, her husband Russ Findley, and their son Oliver live in the East Bay community of Kensington. Julie is a staff attorney for the Natural Heritage Institute. Rich is passionate about bicycling (passionate is an understatement), builds custom furniture in his “Geppetto’s” woodshop, and is a neophyte fly fisherman.

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David Irvine - Director of Worship

David joined our staff in January of 1994. He is responsible for providing worship arts (music, art and drama), working with the technical artists (sound and projection), and planning the worship services. David has served churches in Tustin, Costa Mesa, Ventura and Vallejo in similar capacities.

David is passionate about worship. He is constantly searching for ways to worship God in fresh and relevant ways. The congregation never knows quite what to expect on Sunday mornings, as David believes strongly in variety and new approaches to expressing the Word of God.

Irvine serves as Artistic Director/Conductor of the 120-voice Sonoma Valley Chorale and as Associate Conductor of the Consort Chorale of Marin County.  A product of Chapman College, David has studied choral conducting with William Hall, Larry Ball and John Alexander. He has appeared as baritone soloist with the Sonoma County Bach Choir, Sonoma State University, Presbyterian Church of the Roses and the Consort Chorale of Marin County. David also serves on the conducting faculty at the annual Presbyterian music conference at Zephyr Point. He is an active member of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers (AGEHR) and Christians in Theatrical Arts (CITA).

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Tracy Walthard - Director of Children's Ministries

Tracy Walthard has a personal experience with our Youth Ministry program, having first attended St. Andrew two decades ago at the age of 14.

A graduate of Cal State - Fresno, she graduated with a BA in Speech Communications and then went on to get her teaching credential. She taught for 9 years for the Cotati-Rohnert Park Unified School District at Monte Vista Elementary School before joining the staff locally at The Presentation School where she teaches 6^th grade.

With Tracy's teaching expertise and prior Sunday School experience, taking on the administration of the Children's Ministry program was a natural transition. She oversees both a paid and volunteer staff for our Sunday School, Summer Programs, and evening events.

Tracy and husband Scott met at Fresno and were married in 1994 here in the Sonoma Valley.  They have made their home in Sonoma and currently own the local Papa Murphy’s Pizza. They have three children, Kelsey, Owen and Lindsey. Family time is their activity of choice -- weekend get-a-ways to the Oregon Coast, camping, reading and anything Disney!

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Cathy Collier - Director of Small Group Ministries

Cathy has been an active member since the 1980s and part of the staff team since 1998. She was born and raised in Sussex, England, and moved to California thirty years ago. Cathy is married to husband Mike, has a daughter, Kerrissa and a son, Kieran.

Cathy’s primary role at St. Andrew is to support and grow our small group ministry.  She works with the Point Leadership Group and the staff to make sure St. Andrew is doing the best we can do to offer opportunities for us to grow in community.  But that’s not all Cathy does at St. Andrew—she also coordinates our hospitality services, including fellowship events, funerals, and weddings.  Whenever we are able to serve a family both in their sorrow (memorial service) or their joy (wedding), Cathy is in the background providing invaluable leadership and support.

When not working on church-related activities, Cathy likes to cook entertain and expand her culinary skills.  She also stays very involved in her children's activities and her husband's love of water- skiing/ wakeboarding (she drives their competition ski boat.)

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Dawne Carver - Director of Youth Ministry

Dawne Carver started attending St Andrew in 1995. She was baptised in 1996. The following year she was installed and ordained as an Elder. She first started teaching Sunday School and then that led to running Children's Ministry. She and her family then moved to Ohio. After 11 months, she and the family moved to Auburn. 2 years later, she and her family moved back to Sonoma. She and her family were happy to be back home at St Andrew and the valley. She started her position as Director of Youth Ministry Sept 2006.

She became involved with the youth group when she was asked to chaperon the mission trip to Maine. During the time spent with the youths, she found her calling. She loves to be with the youth and loves to watch their walk with Christ. She realized that God had been bringing her to this place all those years ago when she wanted to become a high school teacher. In addition to leading the high school youths, she also oversees the Explorers, 6-8th graders.

Besides hanging out with the youth group, Dawne loves singing in the choir, acting and reading. She and her husband Paul have two children, Rachael 17 years and James 15 years. She loves to visit their families in Arizona and going to the coast. She loves to have gatherings at their home. She enjoys walking and talking to others.

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Carol Parson - St. Andrew Organist/Pianist

Carol was born and grew up in New Jersey. Her parents bought a piano when she was three and she started piano lessons on her fifth birthday. On completion of high school, Carol auditioned and was accepted with a scholarship to Oberlin Conservatory.  She studied piano and organ and graduated with a Bachelor of Music. After this, she took an internship in Music Therapy and worked at Essex County Overbrook Hospital in New Jersey, and later for La Rue Carter Memorial Hospital in Indianapolis, IN. It was here that she met her husband, R. Clayton Parson, M.D. They have two grown daughters and three grandchildren. In l986 Carol became the pianist and organist for Saint Andrew Presbyterian -- accompanying the choir, and playing music for services, memorials and weddings.

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Luanne Wellander - Office Manager

Luanne, (also known as the “Queen Bee”) has been our Office Manager since 1994.  She is the main contact for general information as well as booking weddings, facility rental contracts and financial information.  Luanne and her husband, Ron, a landscape architect, have been married since 1976 and have lived in Sonoma since 1985.  They have three adult children, Ryan, Danae and Jared.  Luanne and Ron have been a part of a “dinner club” for several years and enjoy filling their spare time with trying out new recipes