Our Staff

Rev. Michael Ford, Pastor

Rev. Ford began ministry among us on January 1, 2016. He had previously served three different churches in Vermont. Mike received a Master of Divinity Degree from Bangor Theological Seminary in 1996 and was ordained in the United Church of Christ in 1998. He has a dual B.A. in anthropology and sociology from Johnson State College in Vermont.

He and his wife, Kelly, are the proud parents of Kendall, Sawyer and Cameron, and are also doting grandparents

Mary Tulip, Administrative Assistant/Finance Clerk

Mary was born and grew up in New Hampshire where she loves to return if there is no snow! She and her husband, Dick, who is a retired ordained minister, moved to Punta Gorda in November 2015 after serving churches in Maine and New York. Mary retired from Utica College after twelve years, Mary and Dick have three grown children living in New Hampshire, Florida and California. Mary enjoys reading, baking, and spending time with the grandchildren whenever possible.

Pastoral Relations Team (PRT)

The Pastoral Relations Team supports and maintains an open relationship between our ordained minister, staff, and members of the congregation. It helps the pastor and members of the church share ideas, hopes, dreams and interpretations of mission. It lets the pastor know what people in the church are thinking, and it provides a framework for dealing creatively with conflict. The current members of the PRT are listed below and are available to address concerns that anyone might have with regard to our church's interpretation and execution of our stated missions.

Joan Lyons, (484) 903-6342

Carol Schmuhl, (414) 331-4772, encorejc@gmail.com

Lee Swift, (941) 629-5857, leeswift47@gmail.com