Rev. Dr. Jim Latimer

Interim Minister 

As both a settled minister and as transitional interim minister, Jim has served UCC congregations in California, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. He recently concluded a highly successful ministry as the Interim Minister at The First Church of Christ of Longmeadow, and before that at The Congregational Church of East Hampton, CT, and Orange Congregational Church in Orange, CT. From 2013 to 2018 he served as the settled Senior Minister at North Madison Congregational Church in Madison, CT.

In additional to pastoral ministry, Jim is a Professional Certified Coach with the International Coach Federation and enjoys coaching fellow pastors and church leadership teams around issues of church governance, leadership development, congregational renewal and ministry effectiveness. He is especially good at cultivating leaders and bringing them to action. See www.coachingforinterims.com for more details.

His diverse background includes degrees in theology, engineering, business, and Asian Studies, including a Doctor of Ministry from Hartford International University for Religion and Peace (formerly Hartford Seminary). He loves singing, tennis, cross-country skiing, foreign languages, and speed rollerblading. He was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio. Jim lives in Wilbraham with his fiancée, Brooke Hallowell, their dog (Victor), and their cat (Thomas Merton).

Marilyn Brayne

Minister of Music

Marilyn Brayne, of Amherst, holds a Master of Arts from McGill University in her native Montreal. Marilyn has been working for South Congregational Church as organist and then Minister of Music for over 30 years. Marilyn brings the joy of sharing sacred music to young and old alike. In 2012 she supervised the installation at South Church of the restored 1896 Casavant organ by Czelusniak et Dugal. With a Bachelor of Music in School Music, she previously taught general music to all students at Hadley Elementary School for many years.

Tony Niedbala

Sexton

Tony works diligently to keep our facilities clean, safe, and operating smoothly.  He is also on the custodial staff at Hadley Elementary School, where he ensures the students and staff have a safe and fun educational experience.

Chris Mortensen

Administrative Assistant

Chris Mortensen has two degrees in music. She likes to have other things to do besides playing french horn, so she joined the South Church staff in September of 2019 to hone her administrative talents after a several-year hiatus from a 13+ year stint as an administrative assistant in the secular sector. She lives in Goshen with her musician husband Greg and a rambunctious cat named Sebastian. Additional interests include knitting, cooking, choral singing, gardening and playing the cello.

Amanda Berg

Director of Family Ministries

Amanda is an educator in the Hadley Public Schools, but has taught in Brattleboro, VT, Sunderland, Ma and Williamsburg, MA. Her passion is teaching. She says, “Children have a wonderful way of seeing the beauty that we often might not. One of God’s greatest gifts has been my gift of teaching.”

When she is not teaching, you might find her in her barn (with her horse Artie or dog Remy), garden, library or being an Auntie to her wonderful nieces Logan and Hallie. She also loves to craft…the more glitter the better! She is also an accomplished figure skater and loves to teach others to skate.