Reverend Steven Gordon

Senior Minister:

     Senior Minister: The Reverend Steve Gordon

Steve and his wife Julie move to Billings from Connecticut where Steve served several churchess.

Steve is a graduate of Norwalk Community College, the University of Connecticut with degrees in Sociology and Phychology, Yale Divinity School and the Connecticut Municipal Police Training Corp. 

Throughout his career Steve has led workshops on prayer, healing, and  meditation for various congregations and ecumenical settings including prison.  He practices Tai Chi and Yoga meditation nearly everyday.  He has ficilitated successful youth programs and addressed issues of church growth.

In the community Steve is an active advocate for social justice.  He has historically served on boards and committees to establish and support youth and family services, a soup kitchen and a homeless shelter.  Since coming to Billings a short time ago, he has served on the Native American Development Corporation.

Steve and Julie are a blended family with five children.  They enjoy skiing, gardening, cooking, traveling, and hiking with their two dogs.  They have been long time members of book clubs.  They both have a passion for services such as Heifer International and have worked together with youth, repairing homes on a Navaho reservation.

Although Steve is a deeply devoted Christian, he believes that there are many paths of faith to one God and celebrates the wonderful openness and tolerance of the Mayflower Congregation United Church of Christ.

steve@mayflowerofbillings.com

Rev. Kenneth Crouch
Associate Pastor, for Youth
and Family Programs

Candace Dinsmore
Parish Secretary

Administrator/Secretary in August. Previously she worked as a receptionist at Plaza West Dental Group and at the Public Auction Yards where she was the scale master. She was responsible for weighing all of the cattle that came through the auction yards after they were sold and had to call out pen numbers as to where she wanted the cattle to go for each buyer. She attended Montana State University at Billings and graduated in 1999 with an Associate degree as a medical secretary.  She holds degrees as a registered Medical Assistant, Helath Information Management and is Certified as a Medical insurance coder.  Candace graduated with honors and says that she enjoyed the college experience.  She was care giver for her father for 3 years. Candy’s interests include working with  cattle, training horses, needle work, sewing, swming, and snowmobiling. Her greatest love is spending time with her two daughters and four grandchildren.  They are the love of her life.  To contact Candy, send email to office@mayflowerofbillings.com

Dr. Fred B. Binckes serves as organist at Mayflower UCC and Professor of Music at Rocky Mountain College. He holds music degrees from Oberlin Conservatory, Valparaiso University, and Ball State University.  He is a Fellow of the American Guild of Organists and also holds a citation for exemplary teaching from the Board of Higher Education of the United Methodist Church.

 Julie Bishop
Director, Senior Choir

Vocal music is central to Julie's life and her appointment as Senior Choir Director is a dream come true. Her goal is to continue Mayflower’s long tradition of musical excellence and inspire as many courageous souls as possible to join in song, fellowship and fun.

Julie received her Bachelor of Music degree in vocal performance from the University of Montana School of Music in 1976. Following years of experience teaching voice lessons, while also managing and leading her popular performance band, “Meadowlark,” Julie focused her spirit and enthusiasm on training vocalists of all ages.

From 1991 until 2005 she directed Mayflower’s Junior Choir with energy, enthusiasm and love. During this same time, Julie regularly served as a judge at District and State High School Music Festivals. For the past five years, she has been a member of the faculty of the Montana Music Institute. Most recently, Julie has devoted her days during the school year to volunteering voice lessons and performance expertise to Senior High’s Varsity Singers, Sonsonnettes and substitute teaching in Senior High’s music department.

Performance has always been an important part of Julie’s musical life. In addition to her 25 year commitment to the Mayflower Choir, she has been honored to perform the Soprano solos in the Messiah on three occasions and as a frequent soloist in the Shrine Chanters’ Annual Holiday Concert. She has also performed the role of Mahala in the opera Pamelia, written and performed at the Alberta Bair Theater in celebration of Montana’s Centennial; Amahl’s mother in her most cherished opera, Amahl and the Night Visitors; Adani, in Mona Lyn Reese’s, Choose Life, Uvacharta Achayim; the Virgin Mary in Respighi’s Laud to the Nativity; and a leading role in the Billings Studio Theater production of The Medium.

Julie’s invitation is this: “Come. All are welcome. Join us. And through the remarkable magic of music, let your spirit soar!” 

joolibish@Bresnan.net
 

Melissa Hofstad
Nursery Attendant

Melissa has been our nursery care attendant since January, 2007. She has been faithfully caring for our babies and toddlers and meeting the new families that visit Mayflower. She enjoys the children and the members.
We are thankful to have her caring spirit and gentle personality teach our children.

Melissa’s full time job is working at St. Vincent’s Daycare. She lives with her Mom and Dad, Patti and David, sister Allison and nephew Keegan. Her hobbies are playing basketball, going for walks and watching movies with her friend, Steve.

Mark and Sherry Ferguson
Sexton