Pastor: The Rev. Wendi L. Werner (she/her)
Rev. Wendi L. Werner has been part of the PC(USA) since 1995; ordained a minister of Word and Sacrament in 2006. Wendi served for over a decade in multi-staff church settings in north-central New Jersey, before taking a call here in the central part of the state. She started serving as pastor at the First Presbyterian Church at Dayton in 2009, where she has felt blessed by the opportunity to live within the fullness of call.
​​​
Together with the leadership of the Dayton Church, her shared accomplishments include the re-establishment of the Board of Deacons; the church building's accessibility project which included both a lift and addition designed to communicate welcome; the adoption of a statement on full inclusion; restoration and revitalization of the manse property; and the re-establishment of mission outreach including clothing drives and the Open Kitchen program, which offers a monthly dinner at no cost where any and all can find welcome.
​​​
Wendi is an active member of the South Brunswick area Interfaith Clergy Association. In service to the wider church, she was active in the former New Brunswick presbytery as the 2016 Presbytery moderator, chaired the 2017 Central Leadership Team, served on the Committee on Ministry and she was an elected representative to the New Jersey Missional Communities Working Group, which was charged with creating a formal proposal for the reimagining of New Jersey presbyteries including but not limited to boundary lines. In the Presbytery of the Coastlands, Wendi has served as a member of the Core Team and and interim Commission on Ministry. She served as the Coastlands Presbytery moderator in 2022.
​​
Wendi has been trained in conflict mediation by the Lombard Mennonite Peace Center and is part of the Northeast Synod's Mediation Network. Additionally, Wendi holds a certificate of completion in Mediation and Conflict Management from the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School. She has been a student of family systems with an emphasis on Bowen theory for the past several years through the Bowen Center in Washington D.C. Additional training includes the Art of Transitional Ministry.
​​​
Wendi is married to Noel D. Werner, Director of Worship & Arts at Nassau Presbyterian Church in Princeton. They are the proud parents of seniors - one in high school and one in college!​​
​​​
Office Hours:
Monday - Thursday
10:00-2:30pm.
Evening & Saturday
appointments available
Email: wendi.daytonpres@gmail.com
Office:
(732) 329-2463 extension 1
Joyce Kay, Director of Music
Joyce brings to the Dayton Church more than 15 years of experience in church music ministry. She has served as Director of Music Ministry, Co-leader of Music Worship and musical accompanist in various churches throughout central New Jersey.
Joyce has spent her career working with pastors and choir directors, vocalists and instrumentalists, all in support of worship and song. Among her responsibilities has been recruiting for and leading children’s, teen and adult choirs, writing vocal arrangements, and accompanying congregational singing.
In addition to her church experience, Joyce leads classes under a nationally recognized early childhood music program for preschoolers in the Trenton public schools.
A graduate of the University of Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, with a degree in Piano Performance & Music Theory, Joyce is a resident of Monroe Township. She is the proud mother of one daughter, Julia, and a doting grandma to Sawyer, age 5.
Joyce is looking forward to working to enhance the Dayton Church’s liturgy musically and help grow congregational participation. It's her belief that when you sing, you pray twice!
​
Church Secretary: Maureen Geraghty
Maureen recently marked her one-year anniversary as part of the office family of Dayton Presbyterian! She retired from her role as a Compliance officer for JPMorgan Securities in 2020 but keeps busy not only in the Dayton Church office, but in Concordia, the 55+ community in Monroe Township in which she lives. Maureen is an associate editor of the community’s newspaper and has been appointed to several committees by the Board of Trustees. She has been singing in her church choir for more than 50 years. Maureen is also a certified AARP Smart Driving course instructor. Away from her community and other activities, Maureen is an avid reader and big supporter of her local library. She loves theater and concerts and has been checking destinations off a long travel bucket list!
Maureen is the oldest of five siblings, the proud aunt of five grown nieces and nephews and the doting great-aunt to four great-nieces, three great-nephews and another on the way in early 2025. A native of Hudson County in northern New Jersey, Maureen holds a BA in Elementary Education from St. Peter’s College (now University) and an MBA in Finance from Fairleigh Dickinson University.
Office Hours:
Wednesdays
12:00pm - 4:00pm
Thursdays
12:00pm - 3:00pm
Email: daytonpres362@gmail.com
Office:
(732) 329-2463 extension 2