Wm. Spencer Gillespie, Pastor
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Since 1987 Spencer has given pastoral leadership to the congregation, after having served in similar capacities among churches in the Indianapolis area. A graduate of the University of Illinois, he received the Master of Divinity degree from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, ("Back when it was a good seminary," he says,) and the Doctor of Ministry degree from McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago. When not engaged in pastoral ministry he may be found tending a garden, cooking, hiking, reading, or exploring his Scottish heritage.
 

Sandi Barlow
Christian Education Administrator
Executive Secretary
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If you want to know what’s going on at First Baptist, Sandi is the one to contact! She is the brains behind congregational life, the one who knows what is happening and when, whom to see for what, and ‘who’s on first’ at any given time. Her degrees from Illinois Wesleyan University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, as well as her gift for juggling gracefully many different tasks simultaneously, have equipped her to be a vital part of our ministry leadership team. Occasionally you may find her teaching in a local elementary school classroom or helping the sisters at the Kappa Delta sorority house.

Dr. Sarah J. Graham
Director of Music Ministries
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She directs the adult choir, bell choir and helps to facilitate all of the music ministries at First Baptist. Dr. Graham is the Assistant Director of Choral Activities at Illinois State University, where her teaching duties include conducting, applied voice and the University Women’s Choir. Prior to her appointment at ISU, Dr. Graham served for three years as the Director of Choral Activities at Monmouth College, in Monmouth, Illinois. She also served as the Music Director at Riverside United Methodist Church in Moline, Illinois.

Sarah lives in Normal with her husband, Jay Regennitter, who is the pastor of Morningstar United Methodist Church. Their family consists of the two of them and two big mountain dogs—Ruby, a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog and William, a Bernese Mountain Dog. She enjoys her dogs, woodturning, traveling, cooking, baking and entertaining.