Staff

Erin Ritter was called by the congregation to the Director of children’s ministry position in Sept of 2007. She began her work in this field as a Sunday school teacher here at SWHCC twelve years ago. She has also severed for the past three years as the assistant director of our Kids Bible Club summer program. Erin lives here in Southwest Harbor with her husband Kirk and her three children, twins Jake and Grace and youngest Molly. She has her Bachelors of Science in Dental Hygiene with a concentration in Education. Prior to serving as the DCM, Erin served on our Local outreach committee. With her heart both in out reach and children’s ministries look forward to new programs that serve both the younger youth of the church and the younger youth of the surrounding communities.

	J. Blake Brown, Pastor Blake has been pastor of Southwest Harbor Congregational Church since 2003. He and his family moved from Boston’s North Shore where Blake completed his Masters of Divinity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Blake was called to the ministry from a secular business career that included Pitney Bowes, Taco Bell, and Human Resources and Management consulting for Genesis Solutions. He loves biking, boating, reading, and spending time with his family Carrie, Avonlea, Jack and Finnegan.
	Don Jenkins, Elder Don spent three years in this congregation in the early 1980’s while stationed here with the U.S. Coast Guard. He and his wife, Elaine (Music Director), returned to Southwest Harbor and the Southwest Harbor Congregational Church in 1994 when he retired from the Coast Guard after 30 years of service. He has previously served this congregation as Trustee and Deacon. He has been Treasurer or Asst. Treasurer since 1995 and was elected an Elder in 2005. Since 1995, he has worked for the Acadia National Park at Seawall Campground from May to October.
	Henry Chung, Elder Henry was born and raised in Hong Kong and came to the States for College in August 1988. He went to Ohio State University and received 3 degrees there: BA in Sociology, BS in Psychology and MBA. He then worked for The American Chemical Society in Columbus, Ohio for seven years before moving to Maine in September 2000. He currently works for the Human Resources Department at The Jackson Laboratory. Henry is married with no children and met his wife Teresa (who is also from Hong Kong) at Ohio State . He likes singing and playing bridge.
	*Chaz Reed, Director of Youth Ministries* Chaz was called as the Director of Youth Ministries at Southwest Harbor Congregational Church in June of 2007. He has over ten years experience working with youth, beginning in 1996 as a Youth Pastor for the church he grew up in. During that time, Chaz has also worked as a behavioral specialist, counselor, and private tutor which helps him in his work with teens. Chaz moved to Southwest Harbor with his wife, Kari, and their three children, Hannah, Micaela and Katherine from Brighton, Maine where he Pastored a small church there. Chaz loves nothing more than Glorifying God with his life, sharing his love of Christ with teens and, oh yeah, beating them in bumper pool!
	Elaine Jenkins, Music Director Elaine Jenkins grew up in Chattanooga Tennessee with one sister, a piano playing mother and a father who enjoyed singing gospel-style hymns. She has been married for over 40 years to husband Don who retired after 30 years from the U. S. Coast Guard in 1994. That year they returned to Mount Desert Island, having been stationed there from 1980-83, and she became the music director for SWHCC. Our worship services are blended using some contemporary praise music and a deliberate reliance on the old traditional hymns. The church choir has joined with others from several churches for the past few years to sing God's praises in a Christmas and Easter Cantata.
	Erin Ritter, Director of Christian Education Erin Ritter was called by the congregation to the Director of children’s ministry position in Sept of 2007. She began her work in this field as a Sunday school teacher here at SWHCC twelve years ago. She has also severed for the past three years as the assistant director of our Kids Bible Club summer program. Erin lives here in Southwest Harbor with her husband Kirk and her three children, twins Jake and Grace and youngest Molly. She has her Bachelors of Science in Dental Hygiene with a concentration in Education. Prior to serving as the DCM, Erin served on our Local outreach committee. With her heart both in out reach and children’s ministries look forward to new programs that serve both the younger youth of the church and the younger youth of the surrounding communities.
	Dori Williams, Office Manager Dori was born in Portland, Maine and grew up in Freeport, Maine. She has one sister and two brothers all living out of state. She attended Barrington College in RI and graduated with a B.S. in Elementary Education. Her husband was in the U.S. Coast Guard and they purchased land while stationed in Southwest Harbor in the 1980s returning to the area in 1989 to settle. She has worked 3 years as the Office Manager for the church. She has a daughter and a son living at home.