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Pastor: The Rev. Wendi L. Werner (she/her)
Rev. Wendi L. Werner has been serving within the PC(USA) since 1995. She was 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 in central New Jersey. She began to serve as pastor with 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, which works throughout the year to foster respect and mutual understanding of the diverse religious traditions within South Brunswick. She is also an elected representative on the Township's Human Relations Commission. In service to the wider church, she was active in the former New Brunswick presbytery by serving 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 new Presbytery of the Coastlands (which draws from portions of former Elizabeth, Monmouth & New Brunswick presbyteries). Wendi has served as a member of the Core Team, Permanent Judicial Commission, 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 has been a student of family systems with an emphasis on Bowen theory for the past several years through with the Bowen Center in Washington D.C. Additionally, she has completed training in the Art of Transitional Ministry (week one).
Wendi is married to Noel D. Werner, Director of Music at Nassau Presbyterian Church in Princeton. They are the proud parents of juniors - one in high school and one in college!
Director of Music: Dr. Hannah Carr (she/her)
Office Hours:
Monday - Thursday
10:00-2:30pm.
Evening & Saturday
appointments available
Email: wendi.daytonpres@gmail.com
Office:
(732) 329-2463 extension 1
Originally from Ireland, Dr. Hannah Carr recently joined the faculty at Kutztown University as director of University Choir and Vocal Ensemble. Hannah holds a BA in Composition from Trinity College Dublin, an Adv. Dip in Music Education from the Kodály Institute in Hungary, an MM in Conducting from Yale University and a DMA in Conducting from Rutgers University.
Hannah is director of Cantigas, a Hoboken-based female choir dedicated to performing diverse music from around the world. Cantigas toured to Ireland in 2022 with a commissioned piece by renowned Irish composer Seán Doherty, commemorating 100 years of Irish Independence. Hannah has worked with professional choirs as director of the University Church at Yale, Stratford Street United Church in Boston and with C4 Ensemble in NYC. With C4, Hannah served as conducting chair, and was a featured conductor on C4's debut album launch: Uncaged. At Trinity College Dublin, Hannah co-founded the official music department choir, Campanile Consort, an ensemble which continues to be dedicated to the highest standard of music making.
Hannah has worked with youth choirs of all ages as choral director at National Children’s Chorus, NYC, Beaver Country Day School in Boston, The Dalton School, Diller-Quaille School of Music and Chapin School in New York. Hannah serves as a regular adjudicator at youth choir festivals, most recently as adjudicator for the NJ All State Choral Festival. In addition, Hannah provides clinics across the country to both youth collegiate choirs, and is a regular conference presenter.
For performance and scholarship, Hannah has won various prizes, including the Irene Alms Memorial Prize at Rutgers University, The Director’s Prize from Yale University, The Highest Bursary Award for Choral Conducting in 2009 & 2010 from the Irish Arts Council & The Gerard Victory Prize for Composition from Trinity College Dublin.
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Church Secretary: Maureen Geraghty
Maureen is delighted to join the office family of Dayton Presbyterian! She retired from
her role as a Compliance officer for JPMorgan Securities in 2020 and, since the easing of
COVID, has become very active in Concordia, the 55+ community in Monroe Township in
which she lives. Maureen is an associate editor of the community’s newspaper, has been appointed to several committees by the Board of Trustees and is an officer in the community’s entertainment and choral groups. She sings in her church choir and the Monroe Township Chorus. 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 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 two great-nieces and three great-nephews. 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