Our Staff
Learn more about our team.
Rev. Mark Berg
Pastor
Reverend Mark Berg
Pastor
Although Mark has spent his adult life serving churches away from this area, he grew up in Dyer. He graduated from Lake Central and attended Purdue Calumet. Seminary was at Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta.
Mark has been in the ministry for 34 years. He loves the Lord and loves to serve the people of the church and the surrounding community. He has served six other churches in the north half of Indiana before coming to Lowell. Mark’s greatest joy in ministry is connecting with others; helping them, teaching them, or working with them to gain a vision of where they can go in their life. Mark plans to serve Christ for the rest of his life.
Mark is married to Lori and they have two adult children in Lafayette. Their grandson, Lucien, lives with them. The family enjoys spending time together on their retirement land near Lafayette.
Kim McGinley
Administrative Assistant
Kim McGinley
Administrative Assistant
Kim has lived in Lowell for 35 years and has been a member of the Church since 2002. In 2005, Kim was hired as an Administrative Assistant.
Kim is a part of the Chancel and Praise Choirs, Co-Chair of LYFT (Live Your Faith Today) the church's mid-week dinner/worship service, and is also a member of the Outreach Committee.
She is married to her husband, Bob, and has 2 sons, Ken (Shelley) and Shawn (Diana), and 3 grandchildren, Sebastian, Fiona, and Lilah.
Bobbie Sue Whaley
Chancel Choir Director
Bobbie Sue Whaley
Chancel Choir Director
Bobbie Sue Whaley grew up in Crown Point, Indiana. Since elementary school, she has always had a love for singing in the choir, as well as playing piano and guitar. After graduating high school from CPHS, she went on to study Music Education at Siena Heights University in Adrian, Michigan. Upon graduating in 2020 with a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education (with specializations in Vocal and Instrumental Music), she accepted a job offer with Knox Community School Corporation as the middle and high school Choir Director. She is in her third year of teaching and currently directs the 6th through 12th-grade choir.
In addition to this, she also teaches a high school piano class, a barbershop chorus, and is the Pit Orchestra Director for the high school’s musical theatre productions. Bobbie Sue also runs Mrs. Whaley’s Piano and Voice Studio where she teaches private lessons out of her home in Lowell.
Bobbie Sue has been the Chancel Choir director since January of 2023, and is excited to start this new musical journey with so many outstanding men and women singing in the choir! Bobbie Sue lives in Lowell with the love of her life Devan, (who is also the Band Director at Lowell High School!). They are happily married with a rambunctious puppy, Moose.
Patrice Martin
Handbell Director
Patrice Martin
Handbell Director
Patrice Martin grew up in Columbia City, Indiana, and graduated with an Elementary Education degree from Ball State University. She received her Masters in Learning Disabilities/Communication Disorders from Northwestern University and taught for 34 years in the Tri-Creek School Corporation. In her retirement, she is the Theater Director at the High School producing a fall play and spring musical each year.
Patrice's first job brought her to Lowell and this church family. She has directed Godsbells for 30 years, sings in the Chancel Choir, and also participates in the Northwest Indiana Symphony Chorus. It is a joy to create music to the glory of God!
She has been married 45 years to Al, a retired Clinical Psychologist and Professor at Indiana University. They have one son, Ryan, a Systems Administrator in IT at Purdue, and a daughter, Elizabeth, a Graphic Designer in Medina, Ohio. They are blessed with 5 grandchildren.
David Schoon
Organist
David Schoon
Organist
David has been a church organist since 1958 when he was still in high school. He is a native of Gary, Indiana, and graduated from Gary’s Horace Mann High School. He holds baccalaureate and master's degrees from Indiana University in physics and chemistry.
His organ teachers were Robert Penn in Gary, Oswald Ragatz at Indiana University, and Philip Gehring at Valparaiso University, where he received the degree of Bachelor of Music in Church Music with distinction at the age of 43.
He is a member and past dean of the Northwest Indiana Chapter of the American Guild of Organists. He has served as our Church organist since 2008.
Susan Wells
Custodian
Susan Wells
Custodian
Susan has been a United Methodist for her entire life and a member of Lowell First United Methodist Church for nine years. Susan serves as Missions Chair, Co-Chair of LYFT (Live Your Faith Today) where she is also a lay speaker and is a member of the Outreach Committee. Susan also works full time at a local health care facility in the activities department.
She has two adult children and a cat named Zelda. In her spare time she enjoys reading, watching cooking competition shows, and spending time with her children.
