Our Staff
Rev. Derek van Gulden
Pastor
I have been serving as the pastor of the First Congregational Church of Rockport, UCC since June of 2012. After a career as a Respiratory Therapist and retiring from the US Navy, I followed my call to ordained ministry by attending Episcopal Divinity School (EDS) where I obtained a Master of Divinity in 2006. While at EDS, I pursued my passion for international mission work traveling to South Africa, Cuba, and Kenya. I also obtained a certificate in International Mission and Ecumenism from the Boston Theological Institution in 2006. I have done medical mission work in Spain, Nicaragua, and El Salvador as well.
I have served churches in Vermont and East Bridgewater, MA. On a local level, I spent five years working with the City of Brockton’s police department helping them develop ‘Operation Divinity’, a ministry of presence both on the streets and in the homes of youth who had been victims or perpetrators of violence. My current interests are social justice, anti-racism, and mission work at the parish level.
Though I have been a pastor for 15 years, I profess to be more of a storyteller than a preacher. During a sabbatical from the church in early 2018, I studied with both master storytellers and a master biblical storyteller. I continue to share my love for storytelling with members of the congregation during weekly Old Sloop Storytelling time as well as through my preaching.
I grew up in Vermont in a large multi-racial family as one of ten siblings, some of whom are Native American, Korean, Vietnamese, African American, and White. My extended family is composed of members from India, Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Haiti. I have three adult children: Cory who works in the art industry, Nathan who is a farmer, and Carleen who works in sales and marketing. I am married to the Rev. Sarah van Gulden, an Episcopal priest. She is General Manager of the Society of the Companions of the Holy Cross and Adelynrood Retreat & Conference Center in Byfield. We live in Rockport with our cat Mr. Tux.
Philip Swanson
Music Director
I have had the privilege to serve as Music Director of The First Congregational Church since 1991, serving under 5 ministers during that time. I am also Professor of Music at Salem State University in Salem Ma. where I have taught since 1992. For information on my background please visit www.swansonmusic.com.
Kristina Martin
Assistant Music Director
Since moving to Rockport in 1990, I have taught performing arts at all levels of the Rockport Public School system, and for 20 years at the Waring School in Beverly. I have directed the Old Sloop Youth Choir since 1996, the Cape Ann Arts Alive summer program in Gloucester, the choruses of the Annisquam Village Players, the Cape Ann women’s vocal ensemble -‘Leven, and most recently, the new Cape Ann Youth Chorus of Rockport Music. Locally, I’ve performed with North Shore Music Theater, Firehouse Theater, and Gloucester Stage Company. Before Cape Ann, I sang with Washington Opera Company, Kennedy Center Productions, Kansas City Lyric Opera Company, Kansas City Symphony Orchestra, and Starlight Theater of Kansas City. Educational opportunities have included Vocal Performance/BS in Communication Disorders/Elementary Education at Brigham Young University, graduate studies in opera at the School of Performing Arts at Boston University, and continuing seminars with ACDA. Life in Rockport has been rich with my husband, three daughters, various pets, a vibrant community, and plenty of outdoor Cape Ann adventures!
Kaitlyn Welch
Director of Christian Education and Faith Formation
I have been the Director of Christian Education and Faith Formation since April 2020. I began attending the Old Sloop when I was in third grade and my mom found our church in the phone book! I have had various volunteer roles, including working in the nursery and teaching all different ages of Sunday school. I was an active member of the youth group during my middle and high school years. After I graduated from Eastern Nazarene College in 2010 with a BA in religion and a minor in youth ministry, I volunteered as a youth leader. Eventually I was appointed Assistant Youth Director, and later began my role as Director of Christian Education and Faith Formation.
I also work at Rockport Middle School as a paraprofessional, and I earned my certification in Leadership in Faith Formation with the UCC in 2021. It has been a great blessing growing up in such a loving community with the Old Sloop, and I can’t wait to see what God has in store for us next!
Gillian Hurst
Section Leader/Soloist
Gillian Rae Hurst is a multidisciplinary artist, academic, and educator currently serving as a soloist and section leader at the First Congregational Church of Rockport. Their research examines the intersections of music, art, architecture, and female sensory experience in late-medieval England. They are also interested in historically informed performance, historical ethnography, enactment, phenomenology, and reform in higher education. Gillian finds joy in working with diverse communities to create experiences that help us better understand the past. Gillian is an active choral musician and soloist and has performed at Symphony Hall, The Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, Verizon Hall, Spoleto Festival USA, and across the UK. They have particularly fond memories of researching and recording Dalmatian chant for the Sensational Books exhibition at the University of Oxford’s Bodleian Library.
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Annette Mackin
Office Manager
My undergraduate and graduate work at the University of MA, Amherst, focused on a multi-arts approach to education. I am a retired faculty member of Northfield Mount Hermon School, a coed boarding and day school in Western MA, where I was Director of Outreach, Assistant Director of Student Programs, and a House Director as well as Admission and Development staff. It was a wonderful 19 years of working with idealistic and energetic teens, helping them achieve leadership skills and becoming effective citizens of the world. I particularly enjoyed working with many international students and families.
Dan Chase
Streaming Tech Coordinator
Hi! I run the video streams for Sunday services. I recently moved back to Rockport after spending about 7 years working for the Town and Schools of Franklin as both a Tech Guy and a Digital Learning Specialist. So if you want help from a Google Certified trainer or a general audio visual and tech nerd, please let me know!
To contact Dan, send email to ">.