​A congregation, like any other group of people needs leadership! Our shared ministry here at First Congregational UCC relies heavily on the work of dedicated volunteers and professional staff. As a congregational church, we essentially function like a democracy in many ways. Key decisions are made by the members of our congregation - sometimes in congregational meetings where we all have a voice and vote and sometimes by those we have delegated to work on our behalf (officers, boards, committees, and staff). 

Click here to learn about our elected leadership (boards and committees). 
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​View our org chart here. 

Pastors & Staff

The Rev. Caela Simmons Wood (she/her) was called as our pastor in 2014. As our pastor, Caela (pronounced "Kayla") works with the leadership of the church to serve our community, seek justice, care for people wherever they find themselves on life's journey. Pastor Caela leads worship each week and you can find her sermons online.

Pastor Caela is originally from Kansas and a graduate of K-State with a B.A. in History. Caela also completed a Master of Theological Studies at Perkins School of Theology at Dallas and a Master of Divinity at Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis. Before returning to Kansas, Caela and her family lived in Bloomington, Indiana where Caela was ordained in the United Church of Christ in 2010 and served as an Associate Pastor for seven years. Caela completed her training as a spiritual director through the Souljourners program in 2023 and maintains a small practice as a spiritual director. She also serves as a volunteer chaplain in the Civil Air Patrol, U.S. Air Force Auxiliary.

Caela is passionate about understanding and confronting systemic injustices, especially relating to race, sexuality and gender, economic inequality, and environmental stewardship. Caela enjoys reading pretty much everything imaginable, cooking, spending time outdoors, and has an embarrassing love of pop music. Caela and her husband David live with their two kids and a menagerie of animals including, but not limited to, a dog, two guinea pigs, various fish, and backyard chickens. 

If you'd like to meet with Pastor Caela, please e-mail her to request an appointment. Mondays through Wednesdays are typically best for routine meetings, as Thursdays are used for sermon and worship preparation and Friday-Saturday are her days off.​
E-mail Pastor Caela.
Dr. Sue Zschoche was called as our part-time, volunteer Pastoral Associate in 2017. As Pastoral Associate, Sue volunteers to assist in leading worship and teaches adult classes. She is authorized as a licensed minister in the United Church of Christ. 

Sue is a native Kansan, growing up in Atchison and graduating from Emporia State.  She earned a master’s degree in counseling at East Texas State University, and then moved back to Kansas where she earned a doctorate in American Studies at the University of Kansas.  She then joined the Kansas State faculty as a history professor, a position from which she retired in 2016.  Sue discovered an abiding passion for biblical studies after she joined First Congregational Church and was given the privilege of delivering an occasional sermon.
 
Sue is the mother of two grown daughters, and she and her partner Anne Fredrickson are the very happy grandmothers of five.  She also loves to play golf, albeit very badly.  
E-mail Sue.
Sandy Nelson is our Administrative Assistant and Bookkeeper, which means she is the friendly face or voice you encounter when you contact the church office on weekdays. She is responsible for maintaining the church database and records, publishing the bulletins and newsletters, tracking financial contributions, and holding the loose ends together. So if you have a question, give her a call - if she doesn’t have the answer, she will try to put you in touch with someone who does.

Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Sandy has lived in Manhattan for more than 45 years. She comes to First Congregational UCC after retiring as Publications Director for the International Association for Jazz Education. She has a Bachelor's degree in Anthropology from K-State and enjoys interacting with people from all walks of life. Sandy and her husband Dave Colburn have three adult children and a very active grandchild.
E-mail Sandy.
Brandy McDonald joined our staff in 2018 and serves as our part-time Director of Children's Ministries. Brandy provides administrative, programmatic, and spiritual leadership for babies, toddlers, preschoolers, elementary-aged children and their families. She is responsible for coordinating our caring childcare staff as well as our dedicated Sunday School teachers and other passionate Children's Ministry volunteers. 
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Brandy was born and raised in Manhattan. She graduated from Manhattan High and earned her degree in Family Studies and Human Services at Kansas State University. Brandy has always felt drawn to working with children within the church. At her previous church she enjoyed staffing her church nursery, teaching Sunday School, and being their children’s ministry director. She is excited for this next chapter within the First Congregational UCC. Brandy is passionate about volunteering, among which includes being a La Leche League Leader, PTA officer and carnival chair, and enjoys working with people who love working with children!  She feels that church is a place where all, especially children, should feel loved and accepted for being exactly the person God created them to be and strives to help children feel that when they’re attending.

Brandy and her husband Shaun have three children, who always continue to challenge her “theories” on working with children! Brandy enjoys exercise, listening to podcasts, hiking, and camping with her family. 
E-mail Brandy. 
Gretchen Lewis is our Music Coordinator and describes her role at First Congregational UCC as a music and fellowship facilitator. She directs the church choir for Sunday and special services and serves as the co-pianist for Taizé services. She is always glad to welcome new members to the choir—no auditions required!

Gretchen claims no hometown. As the daughter of an American Baptist pastor, the family moved several times while she was growing up. She did her undergraduate work at Oberlin and received her Masters of Music from the University of Colorado, Boulder.

Gretchen is a retired instructor from Barton County Community College at Ft. Riley. She and her husband Jim have two adult children, a violinist and a historian. Four years spent living and working in Japan gave their family a new world perspective. In addition to music, Gretchen enjoys reading, vegetable gardening, and baking bread.
​E-mail Gretchen
​Dr. Mary Ellen Sutton has served as our organist since June 2012 and provides organ and piano music in worship services as well as accompanying the choir. Mary Ellen is retired from the Kansas State University Department of Music. She was on the K-State faculty from 1974-2010. She was the organist at First Presbyterian Church for two years and First United Methodist Church for 35 years. Her doctor of Musical Arts degree is from the University of Kansas. She is an active member of the American Guild of Organists as well as other professional music organizations.


Alicia Santee-Davis has served as our pianist since January 2023. Alicia grew up in Kansas City, but has called Manhattan home since 2016. She has been an active pianist since 1995, as well as performing often as a freelance vocalist, percussionist, and composer. Alicia graduated from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in 2012 with a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Composition, and is a member of the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP). She has served as pianist for First United Methodist Church in Overland Park; Fairbanks Lutheran Church in Fairbanks, Alaska; and First Lutheran Church in Manhattan. Alicia also plays at Kansas State University as a freelance accompanist, and has enjoyed serving as Music Director at Manhattan Arts Center, The Columbian Theater in Wamego, and Great Plains Theatre in Abilene. In her spare time, Alicia enjoys horseback riding, reading, crafting, and acting in local theater productions. She loves spending time with her husband, dog, and 3 cats. 
E-mail Alicia