Our Church

 

 

 

Jim Briley - Treasurer

A native of New Bern, Jim graduated from UNC at Chapel Hill in 1971 and worked in the Raleigh office of Ernst and Young until 1977. He is a CPA and is currently the owner of James C. Briley, Jr., CPA.

Jim has served as church treasurer since 1979.  He is married to Phoebe Briley and has one daughter.

 

Louis Foye - Sexton

Louis Foye has been sexton at First Presbyterian Church for more than 20 years. He is a member of Mt. Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church in James City. Tables and chairs are set up and taken down, grass is mowed and walks are blown clean because Louis is on the job. He enjoys working in his own yard in his spare time.

 

Lloyd E. Griffith, Rev. - Parish Associate

Lloyd grew up in Wadesboro, North Carolina.  He is a graduate of Duke University and Duke Divinity School.  In addition he received a Masters Degree in counseling psychology from Lesley University in Cambridge, MA and is currently pursuing a Certificate in Spiritual Formation from Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, GA.

Following ordination in 1966, Lloyd has served as a teacher and coach at Ashville School in Ashville, NC, as Personnel Director for Camp Seagull from Raleigh, NC, as Director of Camp Beckett-in-the-Berkshires in Becket, MA, and as Director of Camp Sea Gull in Arapahoe,NC.  Following completion of this last assignment in May 2005, he opened a practice in spiritual direction and joined the staff of the First Presbyterian Church, New Bern, as a part-time Parish Associate assisting the Senior Pastor in pastoral care and Adult Christian Education with a focus on small group ministry.

Lloyd is married to Cille who is currently serving part-time on the staff of Camp Seafarer.  They have two grown children and one grandson.

You may contact Lloyd at   firstpreslloyd@gmail.com

 

Ken Gruebel, CLP - Assistant to Senior Pastor

Born in Brooklyn New York, Ken grew up in Greenlawn, Long Island, then a farming community. Leaving school to enlist in the Marine Corps during World War II Ken served in the Pacific theater. On his return he married the former Evelyn Gardiner. They have been married 57 years as of this writing and have two sons. The older son, Kenneth , is pastor of St. Marks Presbyterian Church in Hudson, Florida, just north of Tampa. The younger son , Peter owns his own business on Long Island. Ken worked for 40 years for Grumman Aerospace as an industrial photographer, his specialty was motion picture aerial photography.

You may contact Ken at    firstpresken@gmail.com

 

William (Bill) L. Hawkins - Pastor & Head of Staff

A native of Roanoke Virginia, Bill received his professional education at Yale University Divinity School in New Haven, CT (S.T.M.), Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, VA (D.Min.), and San Francisco Theological Seminary in San Anselmo, CA (DASD).

Ordained in 1980, he served as pastor of the Severn Presbyterian Church in Gloucester County, Virginia, 1980-84. He then split time as associate (1984-85) and interim/head of staff (1986-87) at First Presbyterian Church in Virginia Beach. He came to New Bern after serving for thirteen years as pastor/head of staff at Graves Memorial Presbyterian Church in Clinton, NC, (1988-2001). He began as pastor/ head of staff at First Presbyterian in New Bern on June 1, 2001.

He is married to the former Lori Ann Krumnacher, who is a licensed psychologist. Bill and Lori have two grown daughters.

You may contact Bill at    firstpresbill@gmail.com

 

Vance Harper Jones - Organist

Organist of First Presbyterian Church since January 1977, Vance Harper Jones is a native of Washington, N. C. He earned both B. Mus. and M. Mus. degrees at the University of Miami (Florida) and holds the M. Ln. degree from Emory University. He also took graduate courses in musicology and art history at UNC-Chapel Hill.

Vance has performed over 50 organ concerts in several states. In 1995 he played for the national convention of the Organ Historical Society in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Vance Harper Jones is Dean of Library Services at Craven Community College where he has been employed since January 1976.

An avid figure skating fan, Vance frequently attends national and international competitions. His hobbies include kerosene lamps, old furniture, and restoring the Wade House (1843). Currently he is Province Archon (state president) of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity.

 

Darci McKinnon - Director of Children's Ministries

You may contact Darci at   firstpresdarci@gmail.com

 

John McKinnon - Associate Pastor

John is a native of eastern North Carolina and recent graduate of Union Theological Seminary and Presbyterian School of Christian Education.  Prior to moving to Richmond VA for seminary John was the director of Camp Albemarle, a Presbyterian camp and retreat center located on Bogue Sound in Newport, NC.  While in seminary John worked at Tuckahoe Presbyterian Church in Richmond as their Director of Youth Ministry.  John is passionate about sharing the love of Christ and while having a love for people of all ages, feels a deep sense of call to work with young people.  John is married to Darci and they have one daughter Aidan. 

You may contact John at     firstpresjohn@gmail.com

 

Pat K. Rowlett - Director of Music

Pat Kerr Rowlett is a graduate of St. Andrews Presbyterian College in Laurinburg, North Carolina. She is the daughter of a Presbyterian minister. At St. Andrews, she was a Math major and a Music minor and sang in the College Choir. Pat taught mathematics at Andrews High School in High Point, N.C. for three years. She worked at the University of Kentucky in Lexington for two years before moving to New Bern.

In July of 1980 Pat became Director of Music at First Presbyterian Church of New Bern, directing the Sanctuary Choir and Chorister Choir. Since that time, the Confirmation Choir, Kinderchoir, Preschool Choir, Daybreak Choir, Sanctuary Bells, Westminster Bells, and Bells of Joy have been added to the Music Program. She is co-director of the Craven Messiah Chorus, which has presented Handel's Messiah since 1981.

You may contact Pat at    firstprespat@gmail.com

 

Kerri Wheeler - Preschool Director

Keri was born and raised in Michigan and moved to Raleigh after attending college at Eastern Michigan University. She owned and operated a day care facility for 7 years. She met and married her husband Lee, who is a native of New Bern, and relocated here in 2000 to raise their two children Bailey and Brook.

When preschool is not in season, the Wheeler family can be found at the beach or enjoying time with friends and family!