Leadership
Rev. Susan Valiquette
Pastor
In grade 10, on a church youth retreat, she sensed a calling to ordained ministry. After high school, she completed her Bachelors of Art degree in Religion and Communication. She furthered her studies to obtain a Masters of Divinity and was ordained in the United Church of Christ (UCC). She was hired as an Associate Minister of a large 1500-member UCC congregation before she completed her studies.
Susan then applied to be a mission co-worker with Global Ministries. Susan was then seconded to serve as the Chaplain of Inanda Seminary, an all-girls secondary boarding school located in a township in Durban, South Africa. Inanda Seminary was started by Congregationalist missionaries in 1869. She served as the school’s Chaplain for 18 years.
Susan has two children, Micah and Madeline and she loves to cook, travel, practice yoga and hike the desert mountains. She believes that the church has the potential to heal the world and she feels called to be a vessel used for healing.
Carlos Da Silva
Moderator
Carlos Da Silva is the Founder and President of Powered By Love, Inc., a nonprofit built on the philosophy of "love in action." Driven by a commitment to collective impact, Carlos leads the organization in providing essential resources, including clean water, warm clothing, hygiene products, and school supplies, to underserved communities and schools in need.
His leadership and collaboration skills are further reinforced as CEO of Change Agents 831, where he provides organizations with innovative training solutions. Through both his nonprofit service and for-profit expertise, Carlos is dedicated to fostering a culture of learning, inclusion, and resilience, uniting individuals and communities to pursue a more inclusive future for all.
Rebekah Sperling
Faith Formation
Rebekah was 11 years old when she began discerning a call to ministry. She grew up in a small rural Kansas Methodist Church that supported her in that journey from the very beginning. From giving sermons, leading music, attending church camp, participating in conference youth events and more, Rebekah was given many opportunities to find her voice and calling inside and outside the walls of the church, all the while feeling valued, loved, and important in the body of Christ- no matter her age.
Now, as a parent herself, Rebekah realizes even more how important a supportive community is to a child's faith and overall development. When she moved with her husband to Arizona at the end of 2021, she knew that their growing family would need a support system and community. And ironically, First Church was the first (and only) church they ended up visiting. They know that as their children Jack and Emmy grow, they will have the support and space to explore questions and learn about God's love in a safe and inclusive environment.
Rebekah brings 10 years of experience surrounding children's ministry and education, previously serving in a range of ministry roles such as Nursery Attendant, Sunday School Teacher, Assistant Youth Director, and Youth Pastor. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music from Kansas State University, as well as a Master of Arts in Social Justice and a Master of Arts in Practical Theology with an emphasis in Parish and Community Ministry from Methodist Theological School in Ohio (MTSO).
Outside of ministry, Rebekah enjoys reading fantasy novels and drinking coffee, spending time with her husband Spencer, their two kids, Jack and Emmy, and their dog Jelly. Rebekah finds happiness in being creative and cultivating inclusive spaces for all people to experience the joy of worship and God's presence through play.
Teresa Blythe
Spiritual Director
Teresa has been working as a spiritual director with individuals, groups and organizations since 1997. Teresa works with people from a variety of faith backgrounds as well as those who are in-between, searching or from the "it's complicated" category.
In addition to running the Phoenix Center for Spiritual Direction and serving as spiritual director for First Church, Teresa is Director of the Hesychia School of Spiritual Direction at the Redemptorist Renewal Center at Picture Rocks in Tucson. She is a published author, blogger for Patheos (Spiritual Direction 101) and the Southwest Conference of the United Church of Christ, frequent public speaker and a full-time advocate for the practice of spiritual direction.
An ordained minister in the United Church of Christ (UCC), Teresa received her Master of Divinity and Diploma in the Art of Spiritual Direction from San Francisco Theological Seminary in 2000. She is a member of First UCC Phoenix and Spiritual Directors International.