Meet the First Congo
Pastors
RICH KIRCHHERR
SENIOR MINISTER
Rich began serving as our Senior Minister in 1998. Prior to that, he was one of our associate pastors for 10 years. Rich received both his Masters of Divinity and his Doctorate of Ministry from Chicago Theological Seminary. He continues to serve the seminary as an adjunct professor in preaching and is a life member of its board of trustees and has served on numerous other boards, including Plymouth Place, a UCC related retirement community. As Senior Minister, Rich serves as the head of our staff, works with our finance and stewardship ministries, coordinates our adult faith exploration, men’s ministry and provides the primary coordination for our worship services. Married to Clare Kralovec in 1986, they are the proud parents of three adult children.
MEREDITH ONION
Associate Minister
Meredith and her husband Dave have been members of First Congo since 1987. After 20 years of working in business, Meredith heard the call to ministry. She received her Masters of Divinity in 2013 from Loyola University Chicago, Institute of Pastoral Studies and was ordained in the United Church of Christ and installed as one of our Associate Ministers in 2014. Her ministry focuses on pastoral care and small group leadership, including being the staff liaison to the Thursday Morning Woman’s Book Group, Seek.Pray.Love, Mission & Outreach, Justice Ministries, and the Diaconate.
She serves as the Team Leader for Communications/Engagement/Office Management. She served as the lead staff liaison to the Strategic Vision Planning Team. She has co-facilitated a Caregiver Support Group and Grief Support Group. Meredith serves as a mentor to Members in Discernment in the UCC.
Involvement in the community is important to Meredith – she currently serves on the Board of Directors and the Regional Health & Human Services Implementation Council of the Community Memorial Foundation. She is also a volunteer emergency chaplain with area police. She has served as the President of the Board of Directors of NAMI – Metro Suburban (National Alliance for Mental Illness) and as a Board Member of BEDS Plus Care.
Meredith and Dave are proud parents of Alexandria, Connor and Aaron.
