Church on the Cape - United Methodist
A community church in Cape Porpoise, Maine
Staff
Church on the Cape is blessed to have an amazing staff who serve our faith community with compassion, dedication, and who truly model the love of Jesus Christ.
Rev. Greg Smith
Imagine our church office getting a call from a first-year student at a local college, missing the familiar Sunday morning routine of hymn singing, church family, and the message for the week…who asked to join the choir? Church on the Cape would quickly rally a list of drivers scheduled to assure the student easy access to the church.
Rev. Greg Smith was that freshman, away from his home in Dryden, NY, missing his family. The local church quickly adopted him. Growing up Methodist his entire life, he descended from professional farmers. His dad “guided” Greg to study horticulture at Delaware Valley College in Doylestown, PA, with a dream of creating bug-resistant crops, thereby reducing the need for insecticides. Greg studied Chemistry and Microbiology. A career in farming, however, would lack interpersonal contact.
When you meet Greg, you will appreciate his joy in community. Lucky for us, Greg decided on seminary to follow his degree in horticulture.
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At the Methodist Theological School in Delaware, Ohio, he double majored, earning a Master in Divinity and another in Liturgical Arts (his music side). Some sharp prospect, Greg found a side job as a church Choir Director and Organist. We’re keeping a seat warm for Greg in the choir loft! A year later, Greg was given an assignment, like an internship, as a student minister. It was there at New Garden UMC in New Garden, Ohio, that Greg met Diana, his wife, partner, and best friend. Together, they have navigated the pilgrim life of the Methodist minister and raised daughters Natalie and Rachel, both Middle School teachers, and Noah, who works for the U.S. Postal Service. Diana’s career was as a school nurse and, ultimately, the School Nurse Administrator for the entire county. Greg has had four appointments, ministering to six churches.
Most recently, for the past 17 years, Greg has served as Senior Pastor of Shelburne UMC in Shelburne, VT, known locally as The Music Church. Sound familiar? A match made in heaven?
Jennifer Murray
Office Administrator
Jennifer oversees the operation of the church office and assists the pastor and staff with a variety of administrative duties. Her responsibilities include answering phone calls, managing schedules, filing, and generating programs for services.
Jennifer began working at Church on the Cape in 2022 and has been a member of the United Methodist Church since 2004. Jennifer is a recent addition to the Kennebunks, moving here just a few years ago. She lives with her two kids in Kennebunk.
Jennifer has lots of experience with Bible study having facilitated many groups, including Disciple 1, 2, 3 & 4. Jennifer often finds herself at the beach, year-round, and cannot imagine living anywhere but close to the ocean.
Jen's favorite Bible verse:
“He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" Micah 6: 8.
Jennifer can be reached at office@churchonthecape.org.
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Paul N. Stephan
Music Director, Organist, and Pianist
Church on the Cape welcomed Paul N. Stephan as the new Music and Choir Director, Organist, and Pianist in late summer, 2023.
Paul was Minister of Music at Madison Avenue Baptist Church in New York City for fifteen years, where he was a choir conductor and piano/organ accompanist. Paul managed and directed weekly and special event music programs, including program content and rehearsals, and created virtual choir videos for streaming services during the Covid pandemic.
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He also has developed music outreach programs. Paul served as director of music ministries at Church on the Village (formerly Metropolitan Duane Methodist Church) in New York, where he was also choirmaster and organist for The Armenian Evangelical Church of New York.
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Paul has taught voice, piano, composition, and organ. He is the recipient of the Bristol Award for his show, Three Tenors in Search of an Act. Paul is a graduate of Ithaca College and the University of Utah.Choir Director.
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Ivan Collazo
Custodian
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