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Operations
Elsie Nesbitt Administrator
As Church Administrator, Elsie Nesbitt is uniquely gifted — her years of administrative experience in higher education and business, combined with a deep love for the Lord and His church, have equipped her well for this key role. She oversees the smooth day-to-day operations of the church in the areas of administration, finance and human resources with humility, great skill and a warm sense of humor. Elsie is a graduate of Wesleyan University, has taken additional coursework in business, and is nearly completed with professional accreditation through the National Association of Church Business Administrators. She and her husband Jim (a retired college administrator) have lived in Bonita Springs since 1996. They are both active in the Great Banquet ministry, and enjoy golf and travel.
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Cheryl Bauer Administrative Assistant – Sacred Arts
A musician herself, Cheryl is uniquely qualified to serve as the administrative assistant to the Sacred Arts department. Cheryl has both a Bachelor of Music degree and a Master of Music in flute performance to her credit. She has more than 25 years of experience as a flute instructor, including 9 years as an elementary and middle school music teacher. She is also a freelance flutist. Cheryl’s role has expanded since she joined the church staff in 2005; she now serves as Administrator of the First Academy of Music, and handles the administrative details for the church’s popular winter concert series. A native of Ohio, Cheryl has lived in Florida since 1981. She and her husband Chuck are frequently spotted at the Royal Scoop.
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Laura Bourdeau Office Manager
A native of New England, Laura Bourdeau came to Bonita from Westerly, Rhode Island in 1998 and has been working at the church ever since. She brings 24 years of experience as a legal secretary/assistant to her role as Office Manager, supervising office volunteers, coordinating the church calendar and maintaining the extensive database. Avid Red Sox fans, Laura and her husband Danny (who works at the Royal Scoop) have one daughter, Amy, living in Massachusetts.
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Tom Bunt Assistant Facilities Manager
Tom could best be described as our "Jack of all Trades." As Assistant Facilities Manager, he is Doug Jones' righthand man — helping out wherever necessary with maintenance issues, set-ups and special projects. But Tom also has a real passion for youth and many years of experience working with Young Life, so he provides significant support in our youth ministry as well. Tom grew up in Bonita Springs and is married to Jen. They have four children: sons Colton, Logan and Jacob, and daughter Taylor.
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Marian Horgan Executive Administrative Assistant
It seems only fair to balance our "Jack of all Trades" with a "Jill" — and that would be Marian Horgan. Marian serves the office of First Presbyterian on weekdays, then is active in the music ministry of Hope United Church in San Carlos Park on the weekends. She is a native of Massachusetts and moved to Southwest Florida in 1992. Marian has worked in various positions in computer programming, bookkeeping and clerical roles. Her husband Tim is a local plumber, and they have one grown daughter who lives in Fort Myers. In her free time Marian enjoys riding her Harley (“Every church staff needs a biker chick!”), along with rollerblading and photography.
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Doug Jones Facility Manager
As the church has grown over the years, the care and upkeep of our buildings and grounds has expanded exponentially. Doug Jones (or “Jonesy” as he likes to be called) is the man in charge of all aspects of facility maintenance (including supervision of the custodial and housekeeping staff) and a key resource when it comes to building projects. Jonesy’s been in this position since 2005, but has been a member of First Church for much longer. He is a native of Kentucky, with a varied work experience including law enforcement, sales and retail management. Jonesy has four children: two grown and two teenagers. He is involved in the Great Banquet ministry and has served as a Deacon.
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Kathy Moffett Office Clerk
Kathy's may be the first voice you hear when you call the church — and what a voice it is! Two days a week she serves as our main receptionist — directing calls, greeting visitors and answering questions — and on Sundays, her voice is raised in song to the glory of God (in her role as alto section leader in our Chancel Choir and frequent soloist). Kathy and her husband, Glenn, hail from Annapolis, Maryland. They have two grown children, two grandchildren and one huge cat. They are particularly proud of their son and son-in-law, who serve in the Marine Corps and U.S. Army, respectively. Having lived in this area since 2003, Kathy has come to appreciate the beautiful summertime lightning (if not the occasional hurricane).
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Nancy Oedy Administrative Assistant
Nancy brings extensive experience as an administrative assistant to her position at First Presbyterian Church, supporting the ministry of Pastor Paul Fahnestock, serving as point person for pastoral care concerns, and coordinating media equipment needs. She and her husband Roger moved to Florida from Ohio in 1979 and raised their family of three children — Jen, Dan and Matt — here. It’s a family affair at First Church for the Oedys. Their son Dan is our Director of Christian Education, and son-in-law Tom Bunt assists with both our youth ministry and facility management. Nancy and Roger have been involved with the Great Banquet ministry. When not at the church, they enjoy spending time with their 8 grandchildren.
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Rita Opdycke Publications Coordinator
Originally from Angola, Indiana, Rita joined the church staff in 1998. Her primary responsibilities are in the area of our church publications — from the weekly bulletin to the church newsletter (The Epistle), and everything in between. Her touch is evident in the various ministry brochures, flyers and posters, and even extends to the occasional video project for worship or ministry use. Rita’s great love is writing. At home, she and her husband Doug are entertained by two of the church kittens: Josh and Samuel.
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Sally Schreck Hospitality Coordinator
Sally is originally from Indiana but has lived in Bonita Springs since 1997. She ensures there's plenty of coffee and goodies for our Sunday morning "First Stop" fellowship time (a critical role in any Presbyterian church), and oversees food service and catering for church functions. Sally also serves as Wedding Coordinator for those weddings held on-site. She has a special place in her heart for children — not only her own grandchildren (three of whom live in nearby Fort Myers), but also for those she has met on her mission trips to Northeast Brazil. Sally is happy to share with anyone who asks about the "Yellow House" ministry in the little community of Malta. She and her husband Tom (who volunteers as the church's Director of Development and recently headed up the "Securing Our Future" Capital Campaign) have been members of First Presbyterian since 1999.
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Donabeth Urick Executive Assistant to the Senior Pastor
Born in Cooperstown, New York, Donabeth earned a B.A. in Biology at Bates College, then moved to Wichita, Kansas to do graduate work. However, God used that time to open the door for her to use her gifts of service and helps to assist a young pastor in his first call. Since 1984, Donabeth has served Senior Pastor Doug Pratt as his administrative assistant, first at Eastminster Presbyterian in Wichita, KS, then at Memorial Park Presbyterian in Allison Park, PA (1990-2004) and now in Bonita Springs. In addition to the general assistance provided Pastor Pratt in his duties, she supports the work of the Session, maintains the official church registers, and creates many of the PowerPoint screens for worship. She and her husband Gil, a graphic designer, have three little bundles of fur. She delights in finding the "Seinfeld moment" in every day and following her favorite NASCAR driver.
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Grace The Church Cat
Grace joined the staff in April 2005 when she was discovered living in the church garden. Shortly after she was invited inside, we found she was pregnant, and on May 29 she gave birth to four beautiful kittens (all of whom were placed in the homes of church staff or members). That was an interesting summer around the offices, with four growing kittens underfoot! Since then, Grace has settled into her role as greeter, therapist, entertainer and companion. She is also a regular contributor to the newsletter, through her Cat Tales column. When not sleeping or eating, she enjoys hunting: geckos beware!
