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The Dr. Rev. Ruth Merriam - July, 2002 Ruth earned a B.A. from Schiller International University, a Masters in Education from Lesley College, a Masters of Divinity from Yale Divinity School, and a Doctor of Ministry from Boston University (1987). Prior to her present assignment, she served in Everett, Massachusetts (1987-1993), and before that she served a 3-point charge in Madison, Bellingham, and Odessa Minnesota (1978-1983). She worked with Mother Teresa in Calcutta for nine weeks. She has also participated in Volunteers in Mission projects in Puerto Rico, Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, and in Dominica. Following the devastating 7.0 earthquake in Haiti, she led a mission group from our church that worked with Partners in Development at their clinic outside Port au Prince. Her favorite pastimes include climbing and travel (for which she has an insatiable appetite). She is also the Chaplain of the Kennebunkport Fire Department, donning her fire helmet and driving with her flashing light 'on' when duty requires. She and her husband, Dick, have been married for 22 years, and they have a daughter Julie who is 16. She also has 3 stepchildren, Priscilla, Scott, and Lillian. Pastor
Emeritus William P. Gardei - Interim Pastor
His wife Gayle is an active member of the First UMC of Portsmouth, N.H. They are parents of Lisa Angwin and Christopher Gardei and grandparents of Benjamin and Sara Angwin. His presence was focused on walking the journey of faith with all who wished to do so through the love made visible in Jesus of Nazareth. It was a fruitful journey.
Beryl Samia
- Music Director and Organist
She has served as Organist Choir Director at several churches throughout New England. She was instrumental in organizing the Sacred Music Symposium held at the Church on the Cape in August of 2009 and the Church Music Festival held in August of 2010. She is the Director of the Senior Choir, Youth
Choir and Chime Choirs.
Sue
Stedman - Religious Education Director & Secretary
In addition to being an active mother and dedicated church member, Sue
also serves the community as an Assistant Chief of the Kennebunkport Emergency Medical Services.
She sees KEMS as a "very rewarding experience for me. To respond to someone
in need, to see the look of hope on their face when you arrive to help them,
to treat them with the utmost respect and to try to help them retain their
dignity in the worst of situations is the most I can hope to accomplish."
Joe
Fairfield - Custodian
Joe is the Manager of Maintenance Services for the Biddeford School System. He lives with his wife Rachel in neighboring Arundel.
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The Reverend Ruth Merriam succeeded
Interim Pastor Bill Gardei on July 1st, 2002. Ruth comes to Cape Porpoise
from North Central Massachusetts where she served two churches in Pepperell
and Townsend (1996 - 2002). She is no stranger to the Kennebunks however.
Her sister lives in the area so this has been her home away from home
for the past 11 years. 
Preferring to be called 'Bill,' his first service
at our church was October 29th, 2000. At that time, he was a retired United Methodist pastor
of the New England Conference. He began his ministry 40 years ago in western
Pennsylvania, came east to attend and graduate from Drew Theological Seminary
and remained to serve churches in New York, Connecticut and
New Hampshire.
Beryl
has a Bachelors degree in Church Music from Boston University and has served as
Organist & Choir Director at several churches throughout New England,
most recently at the First Church Congregational, UCC, in Rochester, New
Hampshire.
Sue is a Springfield, Massachusetts,
native who spent her summers in Kennebunkport where she met and married her
husband, Dick. They have two young daughters.
Sue attended college in a business capacity
Joe grew up in downtown Kennebunkport. As a child, he frequently
walked the five miles from home to church accompanied by his brothers and
sisters - always under the watchful eye of his mother. He proudly proclaims the
Church on the Cape as "his" church.