Senior Minister since 2004 ~ Keith Haemmelmann

It has truly been an experience of joy and satisfaction to serve as the Senior Minister at Pass-A-Grille Beach United Church of Christ, these past sixteen years.  I have found this congregation to be composed of people who genuinely care for others.  It is a place where what you do in the world, bows to who you are as someone created in the image of God.  I love their commitment to mission and outreach and their willingness to respond, whether the need is local or in some other part of the world.  Likewise, I enjoy the conversations shared as visitors, as well as members, come not just from the United States, but many countries about the world.  it is a blessing to partner with the people of  Pass-A-Grille Beach UCC as they work to improve themselves and better our world..

Keith holds a Bachelors degree from Whitworth University, Spokane, Washington; a Master of Divinity from Andover-Newton Theological School, Boston, Massachusetts; and a Doctorate of Ministry from McCormick Theological School, Chicago, Illinois.  In addition to his pastoral ministry, he has led  seminars and taught courses on “Preaching” and “Transformational Leadership”.  He is the author of numerous articles on “Sacred Space: “How Where We Worship Shapes What We Believe”, and  a book published by Pilgrim Press, “Growing Older, Thinking Younger: Ministry to Boomers.”

Keith is a forward thinker with a profound commitment to the mission of the local church and its active involvement in the community and world.  He is a strong believer in the educational ministry of the church, believing that spiritual growth comes through our “head” as well as our “heart”, often stating,  “These are challenging and complex times, requiring that we love our God fully, not just with our hearts and souls, but also our minds.”  In light of this, Keith works dilengetly to make every Sunday personal and relevant,  challenging and inspiring.  

In his spare time, Keith loves to read books of all kinds, but particularly in regard to history.  He is an avid fan of college football, especially the Nebraska Cornhuskers!  One of his greatest joys is spending time with his five  grandchildren.

Associate Minister for Program Development since 2015 ~ Guillermo Márquez-Sterling

Guillermo  has been an ordained pastor in the United Church of Christ since 1997. As the youngest son of Cuban immigrants, Guillermo grew up in Puerto Rico. He joined the U.S. Navy upon graduating from high school and received an honorable discharge after six years of service. He received a Bachelor of Arts in English (1988) and a Master of Public Administration (2007) from Florida International University. He attended the South Florida Center for Theological Studies where he received a Master of Divinity (1997) and the Chicago Theological Seminary for his Doctorate in Ministry (2011).

In his spare time, Guillermo likes to write. Over the years he has contributed several articles to journals and periodicals. He is the published author of the novel Crossing Into the Land of Saints (2007), Rise of the Spiritual Activist: A Beginner’s Guide for Integrating Faith and Justice (2012), and most recently a trilogy about Central American children seeking refuge at the US border: Praying for an Eclipse – Mother Moon (2017), Father Sun (2018) and The Eclipse (2019).