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MEET OUR PASTORS AND STAFF
If you want to speak to a pastor or have questions of any kind, we hope you will contact the church office.
You can call anytime and leave a message; we will return your call as soon as possible.
Main Office: 415-456-6760 or office@fpcsr.org
Office Hours: Monday – Thursday,10:00 am – 4:00 pm. Closed on Fridays.
REV. CYNTHIA COCHRAN-CARNEY • PASTOR
Cynthia Cochran-Carney became Pastor of First Presbyterian Church of San Rafael in April 2019. She is a native Californian who grew up in Santa Ana and has served churches in Indiana, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and New Jersey as well as Sacramento and Garden Grove. A graduate of the University of Oregon and San Francisco Theological Seminary, some of her favorite things about being a pastor are opportunities to share stories and join others in recognizing the presence of God in ordinary and extraordinary moments of life. She finds joy in spending time with her family, singing, hiking in state & national parks, going to quilt shows, reading, going to plays, and laughing with friends. Her husband, Jeffrey Cochran-Carney, is a spiritual director and semi-retired Presbyterian pastor. They have two young adult sons and a sweet golden retriever named Sophia.
REV. BOB HIRNI • PARISH ASSOCIATE
REV. JOAN SMITH • PASTORAL CARE ASSOCIATE
Rev. Bob Hirni has lived in San Rafael for 33 years, and has attended FPCSR and served as Parish Associate for much of that time. He graduated from San Francisco Theological Seminary and served parishes in Ogden, Utah and Tuba City, Arizona before returning to Marin County. While in a doctoral program at U.C. Berkeley and the GTU, he served the Stinson Beach and Bolinas Presbyterian Churches. Bob worked with two Christian academic publishing houses for more than 30 years, retiring in 2009. He and his wife Barbara and have three daughters an two grandchildren. Bob says his time with FPCSR has been very fulfilling and interesting, and he looks forward to his continued work with the wonderful people of this church. rhirni@aol.com
Rev. Joan grew up in the Presbyterian church near her home outside Pittsburgh, PA. After Middlebury College in Vermont, she was ordained a Deacon in a Presbyterian church. After she raised two children and had a career as a high school guidance counselor, she went to seminary and was ordained as a pastor in the United Church of Christ. She became a spiritual director, and in 2006, opened Healing Soup Retreat on the coast of Maine. She moved to California in 2019 and served as the Bridge Pastor here for a few months between Pastor Jan Reynolds retiring and Pastor Cynthia Cochran-Carney arriving. Joan enjoys writing, being in her garden and spending time with her daughter Heidi, her son Eric and grandchildren. joanlois4@gmail.com
ANN POPE • OPERATIONS MANAGER
ANGELA PARKER • OFFICE ASSISTANT
Ann grew up in Fairfax and still lives there with her husband, John. They have two grown sons, both working as firefighters in the Bay Area.
Ann has a degree in Health Science from San Francisco State. She has worked as an office administrator for a variety of non-profits for over thirty years. Ten of those years she was the Office Manager for the Program in Christian Spirituality at the San Francisco Theological Seminary. Ann has also been on staff with the Companions on the Inner Way week-long retreats for many years. She loves to hike in the surrounding hills of Fairfax and enjoys traveling to other places of natural beauty within the US and abroad. Contact: apope@fpcsr.org
Angela spent her early life in in Santa Barbara before moving to Marin in 2003. Angela’s work history includes being a legal secretary and a home care assistant. She has also volunteered as secretary to the Social Justice Center of Marin and as an area promoter and event coordinator to Campaign Nonviolence. She has a teenage son and spends her spare time enjoying the beautiful nature in Marin. Contact aparker@fpcsr.org.
JOHN STEINER • SENIOR MUSICIAN • COMPOSER • 8:30 A.M SERVICE PIANIST
Originally from New York City, John began his professional career as a keyboardist for the pop singing group New Edition. In 1985, the band – and John – went west to Los Angeles; it was there that he met longtime friend and collaborator J.S. Kingfisher, who later produced John's three piano recordings, "Out of the Blue", "Into the Green" and "Impressions." John moved to San Francisco in 1989, where he earned a B.A. in Music from San Francisco State University. He is the composer and pianist for the San Francisco Center for Spiritual Living as well as FPCSR. John feels most connected to the flow of spirit when channeling new music. Many of his improvisations eventually become written compositions ending up on his CDs. His intention is to bring healing vibrations to the world through his music.
AMANDA HAHN •
INTERIM CHANCEL CHOIR DIRECTOR
Amanda grew up enjoying making and studying music in Wilmington, Delaware. She moved out to the Bay Area in 1995 to get a Master's degree in flute performance at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and realized she needed to make this area her home. After the Conservatory, she pursued music teaching, and has worked with students from age 1 to 85 privately, in schools, and in private institutions. She lives in Terra Linda with her musician husband, teenaged son Owen and two kitties. She is currently the Music Specialist and Choral Director in the Ross Valley School District.
MARQUISE USHER •
SOUNDS A'PEALING HANDBELL
CHOIR DIRECTOR
Marquise Usher has played bells since he was 10 years old, and is a member of the renowned Sonos Handbell Ensemble. He is an accomplished bell soloist, composes music for bells, and also sings and plays trumpet.
HECTOR DELEON •
SENIOR FACILITIES TECHNICIAN
Hector DeLeon was born in Guatemala and immigrated to the US in 1990 at the age of 14. He immediately began working two jobs to support his family back home, and has held positions in different sectors of the food and grocery industry since he arrived. Hector has worked as the custodian at FPCSR for more than 12 years. He also works at Woodlands Market and takes on freelance landscaping jobs in his spare time. When he is not working, Hector loves to run and spend quality time with his son.
OWEN XU •
10:00 A.M SERVICE PIANIST
Owen Xu is our new pianist for the 10:00 am Sunday worship services and accompanist for the Chancel Choir. An accomplished violinist and pianist, he is currently a junior at The Branson School. He has been performing with the Marin Symphony Youth Program since 2016 and serves as Co-Concertmaster. He is a multiple-time recipient of the Marin Music Chest Scholarships.