FBC's Ministry Team
Rev. Dr. Mary Beth Sarhatt - Senior Pastor
Mary Beth Sarhatt became Pastor of First Baptist Church of Kalamazoo in March, 2003. She was ordained in the American Baptist denomination in 1992. She served First Baptist Church in McMinnville, Oregon as the Associate Pastor from 1991-1994. She was the Interim Christian Educator at Judson Memorial Baptist Church in Minneapolis from 1997-1998 and the Director of Christian Education and Community Outreach at Grace-Trinity Community Church (an American Baptist and Presbyterian Church) from 1998-2003. Mary Beth received her Master of Divinity degree from American Baptist Seminary of the west in Berkeley, California in 1990 and her Doctor of Ministry degree from Andover Newton Theological School in Newton, Massachusetts in 2003. She was a Chaplain Intern in the Clinical Pastoral Education Program at Oregon State Hospital in Salem, Oregon from 1990-1991.
Mary Beth has also worked at Caribou Coffee, a coffee shop chain mostly in Minnesota and at The Red Balloon, a children's bookstore in St. Paul, Minnesota. In her leisure time she enjoys reading, traveling, watching movies, and baking. She just relearned how to knit, and recently took a paper making class.
On October 14, 2006 Mary Beth married her best friend, Jon Start in the sanctuary at FBC attended by close family, friends and many of the congregation from FBC.
email Mary Beth at pastor@fbckazoo.org
Hal Hobson - Music Director
Hal traveled eleven years with the Covenant Players, doing Christian repertory theatre. He has earned an Associate's Degree in Piano Performance from Lansing Community College; Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre Performance from Western Michigan University; and is a Certified Early Childhood Music Specialist. Hal previously served as music director and/or choirmaster at Presbyterian, Methodist, and UCC churches.
Hal works for FBC part-time while he teaches general music at the Montessori School, primary through fifth grade. In his spare time, he maintains a studio of private piano and voice students. Hal is always actively involved in acting, directing, and music directing at regional and community theatres. Hal serves on the board of directors for the Michigan Festival of Sacred Music; and is a Member of the American Guild of Organists, American Orff-Schulwerk Assocation.
email Hal at music@fbckazoo.org
Samuel Christian - Caretaker/Security
Robert Jordan - Church organist
Robert is from Tell City, Indiana and is the son of Jerry and Dorothy Jordan. After completing a Bachelor of Music Education at the Indiana University School of Music in Bloomington Indiana, Robert moved to Coldwater, Michigan to begin his teaching career. Following this, he began studying with Dr. Karl Schrock at Western Michigan University, where he recieved his Master of Music Degree in Organ Performance. Robert now teaches choral and instrumental music at Portage North Middle School and Northern High School.
Before his employment as Organist at First Baptist, he held organist positions at the First Presbyterian Church of Coldwater, MI, the Union Church of Quincy, MI, and St. Paul's Catholic Church of Tell City, IN spanning a career of over nineteen years as a church organist.
email Robert at organist@fbckazoo.org
Felicia Ford - Church Office Administrator
Felicia came to First Baptist Church April, 2010. Felicia works in our office performing a wide variety of tasks including newsletters, bulletins, general mailings, record keeping, website maintenance and so much more.
email Felicia at office@fbckazoo.org