CO-PASTOR

Tom McKnight has been the Co-Pastor at Moreland since April, 2001. He grew up in suburban Cleveland, Ohio, before attending Duke University. Following graduation, Tom lived in Europe and then returned to Washington D.C. where he worked for a news magazine during the Watergate era.

Tom then moved to New York City and completed a seminary degree at the ecumenical Union Theological Seminary. Following graduation in 1976, he taught religious studies at the Northfield Mt. Hermon School in Massachusetts.

Tom was then ordained by the Presbyterian Church USA and has served four pastorates during the last 27 years - in Knoxville, Tennessee; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Berkeley, California, for 16 years, before coming to Portland. While working in Berkeley, Tom began to travel extensively in India and South Asia. At that time, he began to develop a keen interest in comparative religion.

Tom also has been trained as a pastoral counselor and has studied at the Center for Religion and Psychiatry in Chicago.

In addition to an interest in photography, Tom is an avid hiker and backpacker - and has recently completed a month-long trek across the Himalayas.

He is married to Co-Pastor Mary Cartwright McKnight. They have three grown children.

CO-PASTOR

Mary McKnight has been Co-Pastor at Moreland since April 2001. She was raised in Ohio and attended college in Chicago where she earned a BA/MA degree in philosophy. Following graduation, she did a year of volunteer work with grade school children and paraplegic and quadriplegic patients in Alabama.

She attended seminary at Union Theological Seminary in New York City. She taught religious studies at the Northfield Mount Hermon School in Massachusetts, and later served as an intern chaplain at Lakeshore Mental Health Institute in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Mary was ordained by the Presbyterian Church (USA) as has served churches in Wisconsin and California before coming to Moreland. During her 13 year pastorate in California, Mary completed the three year program in Spiritual Direction at Mercy Center in Burlingame, CA.

She is married to Co-Pastor Tom McKnight. They have three grown children.

OFFICE MANAGER / SECRETARY

Cindy Force has served as the Office Manager/Secretary at Moreland for 9 years. She is a United Methodist, and member of First United Methodist Church, Portland. She lives in Portland with her husband. They have two grown children.

Cindy brought a variety of skills to Moreland, including computer network maintenance. She has just completed her Certificate of Basic Theology at the Northwest House of Theological Studies. She is currently enrolled in a Spiritual Direction program.

Cindy enjoys reading, writing, hiking, and spending time with her extended family and friends.

FINANCIAL SECRETARY, Newsletter Publisher

Connie Bates joined the Moreland staff in 2000 and continues to be an asset! Connie attends Moreland as a congregation member. She lives in Portland and has a 20 year old Son, Alec and a 16 year old daughter, McKenzee.

Connie's main job is handeling the financials but now that Cindy is part time she has taken on the monthly newsletter.

As a volunteer Connie teaches Sunday School, organizes and implements Kids Night Out and is a new member of the Stephen Ministry program.

Connie enjoys her time with family and friends, loves to read and when not volunteering you can find her at the beach.

DIRECTOR OF MUSIC

Judy Wiltgin aised in a singing family that performed gospel music, educated in voice and classical music, Judy brings a passion for choral music to Moreland Presbyterian Church.

As a youngster Judy toured and performed with her family, singing to audiences across the United States and Canada. She studied voice at Simpson College in San Francisco and continued her education with voice and classical music at Marylhurst Univesity in Oregon. Along the way she has directed children and adult choirs in Indiana, Georgia, California and Oregon. She is a member of the Oregon chapter of the American Choir Director's Association.

Judy's hobbies include reading, cooking, playing the piano and, of course singing. Sometimes her partner gets her out on the river in a kayak, where she observes and occasionally joins the birds in song.

Judy owns a small business in the Westmoreland Neighborhood and is the mother of three children.

ORGANIST

Tom Skyler became organist at Moreland in November 2005 after serving Tabor Heights United Methodist Church for twenty-five years. He was raised on the East Coast and settled in Portland after serving a tour of duty with the US Army here. He and his wife Louise live in the Mount Tabor area with their daughter Melanie. They also have three grown boys and a charming granddaughter.

Tom attended Lafayette College (a Presbyterian related school) in Easton, PA and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration from Portland State University. He also holds the Service Playing Certificate from the American Guild of Organists. He is employed by Marceau Pipe Organ Builders, Inc. as an organbuilder and technician.

Hobbies include camping, sailing, gathering firewood, and completing his home pipe organ project begun many years ago.

BUILDING SUPERVISOR, KITCHEN COORDINATOR

Jocelyn Holloway was born in 1949 in southern California. She graduated in the 1970's with graduate degrees in Library and Art History. In 1974 she married John and the family grew from two to six. Jocelyn is responsible for our weekly coffee hour, receptions and keeping the staff well supplies with coffee! Jocelyn also completed Stephen Ministry training in 2008 and is now one of our new stephen ministers here at Moreland.

CHILDREN'S CHOIR

Tina Paradiso* (co-founder Vivace Voices Ltd.), a professional actress and singer, most recently performed in AMT, San Jose's production of Evita directed and choreographed by Larry Fuller. Prior to that Tina starred as "Sister" in Late Nite Catechism produced by Cloud 9 Productions in Portland, OR. Ms. Paradiso was the co-founder and producer for the American Musical Theatre Ensemble (AMTE) in Seattle, WA. She has appeared in productions of Les Miserables both in Los Angeles (original cast member) and on national tour. Tina has worked with such stars as the late Bob Hope, Tom Poston, and Ken Berry and toured nationally with the late Herschel Bernardi in Fiddler on the Roof. Tina has starred or been featured in Chess, The Fantasticks, Carnival, Company, A Little Night Music, Berlin To Broadway With Kurt Weill and the Seattle Repertory's production of Sunday In The Park With George. In addition, Tina appeared in Seattle productions of Angry Housewives, Voices of Christmas, and Can't Help Singin' Jerome Kern for Cabaret Productions. Internationally, Tina has performed in Brisbane, Australia, in Looking at Love, Looking at Life on Broadway, and in Toronto, Canada, in the first concert version of Les Miserables, at the Sky dome. You can hear Tina on the Lady Be Good recording with Jason Alexander sponsored by the Gershwin Foundation. Ms. Paradiso has also performed her solo club act in both Los Angeles and Seattle. Tina has also musical directed and vocal coached many school of performing arts productions in California. She holds a BA degree in music and holds teaching credentials both in elementary and secondary education. Currently Tina is teaching music at St. Ignatius School as well as cantoring and choral directing Children and Youth Choirs both at Holy Family Catholic Church and Moreland Presbyterian Church. During the holidays you can hear Tina singing with Vivace Voices' The Fireside Carolers.

(*member AEA & AFTRA)

DIRECTOR OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY MINISTRIES

Kathy Stromvig accepted the Director of Children and Family Ministries position in January of 2005. She grew up in Portland, Oregon and has been a member of the congregation since the age of 12. Kathy and Jim (her husband of 41 years) live in Lake Oswego - they have three children and six grandchildren.

Kathy has a Bachelor of Science degree in English from Portland State University and a Masters in Counseling from Portland State University and a certificate of completion for one year of training from the Alcohol Treatment and Training Clinic (OHSU). She has received training in the Stephen Ministries program and taught seven years of Bible Study Fellowship.

She has made a lifelong commitment of ‘service to others' in a variety of venues - MADD State Victim's Advocate and as a member of Southeast Rotary and various community service projects. Her hobbies include her dogs Sophie and Ginger, tennis, skiing, rowing, cycling (Cycle Oregon), walking (Portland to Coast), golf, traveling, and spending time with children, grandchildren and friends.

YOUTH COORDINATOR

Liz Reif was born and raised in Portland and attended Moreland Presbyterian from birth through her youth group years. She joined the staff as Youth Coordinator in 2006. Liz has worked with youth through the Presbytery of the Cascades summer camps for two years and been involved with children in an educational setting and in-home respite care for 7 years.

Liz enjoys the company of youth because "I believe being a teenager is one of the most challenging parts to life. I admire this age group for being able to deal with the media's ideals, peer pressure, adult expectations, and growing minds and bodies. I certainly could not do it again!"

Liz lived in Berlin, Germany, for a year and a half where she was an "au pair madchen" or "nanny girl." It was doing this job in a foreign country where she discovered the importance of having a place where you feel comfortable and supported. At youth group she likes the kids to feel confident with who they are and feel free to be part of the group in any way: quiet, boisterous, lazy or anyplace in between. Liz believes that "having a place when you are a teen to 'just be' where you can let your guards down is key to finding the importance in morals of family, community, and spirituality."