It’s a wonderful occasion when individuals become members of our faith community. On November 4, we received into membership eleven new members. They are Angela and Jeramy Bowers, Carol Sowle and Jan Bates, Kelvin Kwok, Melissa McCoy, CJ and Marie Siroky-Weiss, Andrew White and Nicole and Todd Yonkman.
Angela and Jeramy Bowers began attending New Creation worship last spring and have become active in the life of our church. They have 2 children: Zack is 3 years old and Elizabeth, a dancer for New Creation, is 7 years old. Jeramy works with computers and Angela is an esthetician and actor. Jeramy has been helping lead the youth classes and Angela is active in the Encounters class.
Jan Bates and Carol Sowle enjoy many interests. Jan, a photographer, is a retired business owner. Jan’s photography skills have been instrumental in helping Kathleen Schuckel with the publication of the history of First Congregational UCC. Fund raising and managing not-for profit organizations are also part of Jan’s interests. Carol is an ordained non-denominational minister and works as a hospice chaplain. Photography and music genealogy are some of Carol’s interests.
Kelvin Kwok, Kelvin (or Kin Kan) is from Hong Kong and came to the US as an exchange student while in high school. He went on to go to college at Anderson University for both an undergrad and graduate degrees. He’s now working on an MBA. He still stays in touch with his host family who now live in Michigan, as well as his mom and sister in Hong Kong. He works for Made To Manage as a Software Support Engineer. He likes to eat out and play volley ball. He’s active in the Encounters group and New Creation Tech Team.
Melissa McCoy is a mother of three daughters and a Project Manager for Lilly. Melissa and her youngest child Margaret (9 years old) have been attending New Creation worship since last winter. Melissa and Margaret were dressed as Wampanog characters for Pilgrim Heritage Sunday and Melissa performed in the drama.
CJ and Marie Siroky-Weiss live close to our church and are recent attendees of new Creation worship. CJ is on disability leave from Lilly and Marie is the Activities Director of long term care at Robin Run. Marie follows the Chicago Cubs and participates in HIV/AIDS activism.
Andrew White learned about our church at the Gay Pride Festival last June and began attending New Creation in the summer. He is an auditor at Conseco. He loves the outdoors camping, biking, rollerblading, traveling, boating, water and snow skiing. He is extremely happy to have found a church family and participated as a narrator in the “FCC in 2057” drama and on Pilgrim Heritage Sunday worship. He volunteered for Habitat for Humanity through FCC and enjoyed helping with the kitchen clean-up after the dinner for Pilgrim Heritage
Todd and Nicole Grant Yonkman are the new co-pastors for the new UCC church start in Fishers. Graduates of the University of Chicago Divinity School, they have served churches in Illinois and Ohio. Their mission statement is “To create a wide circle of Jesus-followers working together to share God’s love and bring hope to the world through the Fishers community.” The Grant Yonkmans have two children Fiona (9) and Olivia (6).
