Our Pastor, Gary Bekkering, is a graduate of Crossroads Theological seminary with a Masters of Divinity.  He attended Wartburg Seminary completing the Youth Ministry program, attended University of Wisconsin - Madison, MATC, and Colorado University- Colorado Springs for a degree in Business Administration/Marketing.  He served the Pecoatonica Lutheran Parish in Blanchardville, Wisconsin as Youth and Family Minister and Programs Director from 1998-2005.  He moved to Elk Rapids in 2005 when he became the Director of Youth Minsitries at Frist Presbyterian Church and Lighthouse Ministry from 2005-2011.  Gary and his wife Pam celebrated 25 years of marriage in 2008 and have two daughters.

Our Parish Nurse is Char Lundy. Char has lived in our area for 34 years. She helped start the ambulance service in Eastport and volunteered for 28 years. Char received her BA from Valparaiso University and her RN from Ft. Wayne Lutheran School of Nursing. Her experience in nursing includes staff and managerial positions in Public Health, Hospice, Wellness Programs, Discharge Planning, Safety Programs in hospitals and nursing homes, and Home Health. Char also is involved in teaching classes to professional health staff in the northwest region. The Parish Nurse program encompasses all of the experiences Char has in her nursing career.

Our Music Director, Michael LaBeau began music study at his parents' upright piano at age eight, in Bellaire MI. Since then, he's continued playing and learning, studying Music Education and Performance for three years at Western Michigan University, and eventually returning home to Central Lake and First Congregational Church in the early 90's. His family roots at FCC go back three generations, to his maternal great-grandmother Flossie Drake, and he's honored to provide musical direction "back home" in a beautiful town, for a beautiful church that's been around for 127 years.

Our Church Secretary is Carol Hayton. Carol was born and raised in Detroit and moved to Central Lake in 1976. She retired from Central Lake Public Schools where she was the high school principal’s secretary for 20 years. Her background with bookkeeping and public service combined with the many hours she volunteered here at the church make her a good choice to manage our office.