Rev. Sheri Nelson
Minister
Pastor Sheri is the spiritual leader of our congregation, with freedom of the pulpit. She administers the program of the church in cooperation with the congregation.
Pastor Sheri grew up in west central Minnesota in a family that followed Catholicism and ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church of America). She spent a year studying at the University of Southern Maine before moving to Los Angeles for five years. She moved back to Minnesota to finish her undergraduate degree. She and her family joined the United Church of Christ in 2007.
Rev. Sheri has served as a Sunday school teacher, youth director, lay pastor, licensed pastor, bridge and interim pastor, and director of outdoor ministry with the Minnesota Conference UCC. She has also served as a board member of Outdoor Ministry Association (OMA-UCC) and Outdoor Ministry Connections (OMC), and as co-creator of the Great Lakes Collaboration, an environmental group with members from all UCC conferences bordering the Great Lakes and UC Canada.
Pastor Sheri holds a masters in divinity from United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities and a BS in international relations and comparative governments from American Military University.
She and her spouse, Derek Peterson, have two children who live with them in the church rectory: a son, Nik, and a daughter, Kristen, and her partner, Riley, and daughter, Matilda — and a houseful of cats and dogs. Pastor Sheri has a passion for vibrant worship and conversations about theology. In her free time, she likes to watch movies and check out recipes online.
Learn more about Pastor Sheri:
John Terison
Director of Music &
Organist
John Terison, director of music and organist for our church, began working at our church in September 2012. He plays the organ and piano at worship; directs the church orchestra, the Sanctuary choir, and the Handbells Choir — he’s played handbells since he was a child — oversees all our musical programming; and maintains our instruments. In 2020 John oversaw the complete restoration of our organ.
John plays a mean trumpet and loves the piano but is crazy about the organ and he can play just about any instrument except the double reeds (oboe and bassoon). John comes from a family with a long history of musical talent and skill, and one that has attended the Falmouth Congregational church for generations, so it’s natural that he has made a career of being involved with the music programs of a variety of denominations. He has served as choir director, organist, music director, and/or musician at churches in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and with the Sabbathday Shakers in New Gloucester.
John holds a BA in French from Susquehanna University of Pennsylvania, where he took more classes in music than in his major. In addition to music he loves sailing, photography, antique cars and tractors, art and art history. He lives in the family homestead in Falmouth with his wife, Ashley, also a musician, and their son, Finn — the fifth generation to live in the home — and their Welsh corgi. They have a garden and an orchard and a few chickens.
Cindy Slocum
Administrator
Cindy Slocum started as the church’s bookkeeper in 2021 and her job expanded to include providing administrative support to the pastor and the congregation.
Growing up in Pownall, Cindy and her new husband moved to New Gloucester in 1971 to raise their family. Now retired, Cindy was a systems manager for health care corporations. A natural in her job, and largely self-taught and well-mentored, she earned numerous honors and awards. She received one award for saving her company $2 million.
Cindy and her husband love to spend time with their children and grandchildren. Their son lives next door and she loves to travel with their daughter, with whom she loves to travel around the world.