Our Church Team

 Rev Martin (Marty) Carney, Doctor of Ministry

Pastor Marty grew up in the Midwest and experienced a call to church leadership in college.  He comes to Lake Geneva with a wealth of ministry experience across youth, education and pastoral leadership. 
He first developed his skills for pastoral ministry within the context of the American Baptist Churches USA and served as a settled pastor at Falls Community Church in Sheboygan Falls, WI in 2000.  
He pursued his Doctor of Ministry degree at the Seabury+Bexley Episcopal Seminary in Chicago.  During his time there, his faith and leadership grew in significant ways.  In 2014, he began the process to be recognized as a pastor within the United Church of Christ. 
In 2016, Pastor Marty accepted a call to serve as Interim Pastor at Congregational United Church of Christ in Neenah | Menasha, Wisconsin. 
He joined UCC Lake Geneva in April 2018 and it's been a great journey since.

When he's not 'sheparding his flock,' Pastor Marty is a passionate artist interested in exploring the creative side of life. 
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Penny Erickson, Office Manager

Penny is a lifetime resident of Lake Geneva as well as a lifetime member of First Congregational UCC.  She has been the office manager and treasurer for 24 years.  She is also the bookkeeper for United Child Care Center and the Lake Geneva Area Emergency Food Pantry part of the ministry to the community found at our church.  Penny has been married to her husband Paul for 29 years and have two adult children who live in Milwaukee. 

Jerry Rosenberg, Organist

Jerry has been the organist for First Congregational UCC since 2003.  He has been a church organist for 19 years.  Jerry officially joined our church as a member in 2004.   Jerry works in the Grand Geneva Resort security department.  Because of his preference for the sound of a theatre pipe organ, he installed a virtual manual pipe organ to play at home.  It captures the sound of a Wurlitzer pipe organ from his home computer. Our church is worth visiting just to hear Jerry play!

Anna E. Schmidt, Music Director & Youth Director

Anna is originally from Crystal Lake, IL and is a grad of Carthage College in Kenosha, WI, where she currently resides. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Music, with Emphases in General, Instrumental and Vocal Music Education, and has recently been employed by Kenosha Unified School District as the choir director at Washington Middle School. Flute is her primary instrument, but she also dabbles with many other instruments such as piano, saxophone, guitar, etc. She is very gracious for the opportunity to do God's work at First Congregational Church of Lake Geneva.