Thomas R. Henry
Senior Pastor
Tom Henry, native of Pennsylvania, has been senior pastor of Saint Pauls Church since 1982. He was the church's associate pastor between 1974 and 1982. Previously, Tom was communications director for the Chicago Community Renewal Society (an urban mission agency related to the United Church of Christ) and a public affairs radio/TV producer for the communications department of the Church Federation of Greater Chicago. Rev. Henry has overall administrative responsibility for the church programs at Saint Pauls and leads a staff of 12. He earned a Master of Divinity degree from the Chicago Theological Seminary which awarded him a Doctor of Divinity degree in 1989 in recognition of his excellence in urban ministry.
Tom is married to CTS graduate Colleen Yoder Henry. They have two adult children - Anya Kompare and Brendan Henry, and two granddaughters: Colleen & Beatrix. Tom's e-mail is This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Avena A. Ward
Associate Pastor
Avena A. Ward was called to be associate pastor at Saint Pauls in August 2000.
Born in Houston, Texas, Avena has called Chicago home since 1972. She earned her Master of Divinity degree from Chicago Theological Seminary. Rev. Ward comes to ministry after a career as a market analyst for a real estate developers. She also worked with her husband, Tom Corbett, in his building inspection and construction consulting firm while their two children, Sean (25) and Coco (22), were growing up. Tom and Avena live in the Old Town area of Chicago. Avena's ministry at Saint Pauls focuses on congregational life, spiritual formation and pastoral care. She is also Moderator of the Chicago Metropolitan Association, Illinois Conference of the United Church of Christ.
Avena's e-mail is This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Jeffrey P. Carlson
Associate Pastor
Jeff was called as an Associate Pastor to Saint Pauls in August 2002.
He grew up in the Pacific Northwest and graduated from Oregon State University, majoring in French. Jeff taught English in Amiens, France, before moving to Chicago to attend seminary and pursue his call to ministry. He began his theological education at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and completed a Master of Divinity at Chicago Theological Seminary, all while rendering sartorial advice at Marshall Fields. Jeff enjoys teaching and preaching, and his responsibilities at Saint Pauls include adult education, outreach and ministry with young adults.
Jeff and his partner Joseph JaQuay live in the West Loop. Jeff's e-mail is This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Sharon Phillips
Director of Youth and Family Education
Sharon Phillips has been the full-time Director of Youth and Family Education since 2002, after serving two years in a part-time capacity.
A longtime member of Saint Pauls, she adapts and directs the annual Bible Story Theater presentation. Sharon is a speech and dramatic arts graduate of Beloit College in Wisconsin, but grew up in Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana. A professional actor and director for more than 30 years, she has served Chicago's off-Loop theatre as an educational outreach director, a managing director and as President of the League of Chicago Theatres. Sharon met her husband Bill Freise at St. Pauls. Their combined families include her son Brendan, daughter-in-law Andarte and grandchildren Oliver & Liga who are all Saint Pauls members -- and Bill's daughter Kathy, son-in-law Mark Atkinson and grandson Will - now living in Virginia, but formerly active at Saint Pauls.
Sharon lives in the West Ridge neighborhood of Chicago. Sharon's e-mail is This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Kurt Hansen
Music Director
Kurt R. Hansen has served as music director since September, 1991.
Kurt is a senior lecturer in the voice and opera program in the School of Music at Northwestern University in Evanston. He conducts Saint Pauls Chancel Choir in an eclectic repertoire of traditional and contemporary works. Kurt also has an active professional career as an operatic tenor and recitalist. He has sung in Europe and South America as well as throughout the United States. A special aficionado of Bach, Kurt has sung the role of the Evangelist in Bach's Weinachts Oratorium at New York's Lincoln Center and with The Orquestra Nacional de Colombia in Bogota. One of his fondest memories is singing the role of Rodrigo in Verdi's Otello with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra to celebrate Sir Georg Solti's 75th birthday in an internationally telecast tribute. He received his Bachelor's and Master's degrees from Northwestern. Kurt is married to Terry Brancaccio Hansen, a professional singer on the voice faculty at Northwestern. They have two children, Kristofer and Alex.
Kurt and his family live in Glenview in the northern suburbs of Chicago. Kurt's e-mail is This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Kevin Dzierzawski
Organist
Kevin started playing the organ at St. Pauls in 2004 and joined the staff in 2005. He previously was the Director of Music at the Lutheran Church of the Ascension in Northfield, Illinois. While at Ascension he was the organist, directed three choirs, and founded an RSCM based Girls Choir. A Pi Kappa Lambda graduate from Northwestern University with degrees including BMus (Church Music) and MMus (Organ Performance), he studied with Wolfgang Rübsam, Richard Enright, and Simon Preston (artist in residence). Other organ teachers include Marilyn Biery and Lawrence C. Smith.
Equally comfortable at the piano, Kevin studied at the Interlochen Arts Camp in Michigan for four summers, and has participated in Master Classes with Nelita True and Kenneth Drake. Teachers include Ruth Petersen, Natalie Matovinovic, Nancy Visser, and George Lucktenberg (harpsichord).
A native of Arlington Heights, Illinois, Kevin moved to Cheshire, Connecticut before returning to Evanston to attend Northwestern. He currently resides in Downers Grove.
Katrena Fielder
Financial Secretary and Business Manager
Katrena's e-mail is This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Kathy Kikke
Church Office Administrator and Wedding Coordinator
Kathy's e-mail is
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Gary Dieboldt
Church Office Administrator
Gary's email is
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Edward Puschmann
Maintenance Superintendent
Edward's email is
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LaVance Williams
Maintenance Staff
Fred Kowalski
Maintenance Staff
