Mission & Vision

• Connect with Jesus Christ as their Savior, Lord and best friend—growing in their relationships with him.
• Strengthen and build healthy relationships with one another.
• Connect with each other in the body of Christ—knowing they belong and have a home here in which to experience discipleship and mentoring.
• Minister in the world—the home, neighborhood, school, workplace and beyond—becoming God's life-giving, life-changing agents.

Children & Family Ministries Staff

	David Hallgren, Pastor        davidh@upc.org, 206.524.7301 x136 David grew up in Ferndale, Washington, a town that was smaller than UPC. He graduated from UW with a degree in history, and from Princeton Theological Seminary with an MDiv. He has been married to Kristin Hallgren since 1997, after meeting at Camp Firwood in 1994. They have two daughters, Anna and Josephine. He enjoys gathering with friends, drinking coffee, working out, running, listening to music, gardening, fishing, and snow skiing.
	Sarah Baldock, Director, Early Childhood Ministries sarahb@upc.org, 206.524.7301 x149 Sarah has been with UPC for four years, and oversees the birth-kindergarten programs at 5:00. She was an elementary teacher for nine years, mostly as a kindergarten teacher. She loves having the chance to provide a place with caregivers and teachers who love God and show God’s love to the children on Sundays and where parents are confident that their children are in the best care possible, so that they can enter into worship. Sarah and her husband, Matt, live in Edmonds with their three kids, Brendan (7), and Kate and Hannah (3) and our Bernese Mountain dog, Dexter.
	Charlie Scoma, Director, Elementary Ministries charlies@upc.org, 206.524.7301 x146 Charlie coordinates the morning elementary teams (1st-5th grades), provides oversight and leadership to the elementary staff, and leads the summer interns. He grew up in Eastern Washington and was a full-time fire captain at age 20. He has a Christian Education degree from Toccoa Falls College, a M. Div from Princeton, and a Masters in Social Work from Rutgers. He’s married to a wonderful woman named Crickette, and they've been truly blessed with great children Ethan and Gracean (Tiger Lily).
	Stephanie Bolle, Ministry Coordinator stephanieb@upc.org, ;206.524.7301 x169 Stephanie was born in Seattle, but spent most of her childhood in Wisconsin. After graduating from University of Wisconsin in Psychology she worked as a Social Worker in Chicago for 6 years. She moved to Seattle to be near her sister and her husband. She has lots of fun with her two nieces who are in 6th and 8th grade.
	Jeny Carlson, Ministry Coordinator, AM Beginners & Community jenyc@upc.org, 206.524.7301 x177 Jeny grew up in Seattle and graduated from UW with a degree in Biology Ed. and has a Masters in Pastoral Studies from Seattle University. Jeny and her husband, Lars, have 3 children (Annika, Erika and Gunnar) who have been a part of Children & Family Ministries since they were born, and she has really appreciated the love and care they have received here.  She is passionate about living a vision of  community as part of our daily lives at UPC and can talk for hours about the theological themes in the works of Joss Whedon.
	Nicki Dyer, Early Childhood Intern nickid@upc.org, 206.524.7301 x193 Nicki was born and raised in Kennewick, Washington and graduated from both Kennewick High and Columbia Basin College the same year via the Running Start Program. She attended Whitworth, graduating with degrees in Theatre and English Writing. Nicki has been helping with camps and VBS at Kennewick First UMC (her home church) for many years, and is excited to continue this path as the early childhood intern at University Presbyterian Church. As she builds relationships with both the kids and the parents, she enjoys the moments when one of the kids "gets it" out of the blue.
	Betsy Fay, Ministry Coordinator betsyf@upc.org, 206.524.7301 x119 Betsy, grew up in an Army family, mostly in the D.C. Virginia area. She went to college in Texas, worked in Paris for 4 years, and has been married for 27 to a Maineac, a "Jeremiah Johnson Old-Man-of-the-Sea type." They have four children, who grew up through Children & Family Ministries. She enjoys giving back to families what Children & Family Ministries gave to hers.
	Dani Forbess, Faith Formation Lead danif@upc.org, 206.524.7301 x227  Dani graduated from Redmond High School, went to SPU, and enjoyed the full offering of high school and college ministry at University Presbyterian Church. She served as a High School and College Pastor in Los Angeles after seminary and then came back to Seattle before the 1st birthday of her first child. She spent the last two years serving part time at Union Church as the Young Family Lead, where they implemented the Godly Play curriculum.
	Michele Ward, Intern michelew@upc.org, 206.524.7301 x174 Michele worked as a summer intern with Children & Family Ministries in 2008 and 2009. When an opportunity to continue working in ministry at University Presbyterian Church emerged, she was more than willing to come back for a year! Michele believes that children have the knack for teaching her more than she ever teaches them, and is drawn to their joy and uncomplicated faith. Developing a place for families to nurture one another and receive nurturing by the church is so important to her, and she is excited to be a part of that process as an intern at University Presbyterian Church.
	Missi Young, AM Preschool Ministry Coordinator missiy@upc.org, 206.524.7301 x377 Missi was born and raised in Seattle and attended Western for her undergrad. She has spent her career working with children and families, and particularly enjoyed working as a public school speech-language pathologist. She met her husband, Will, at University Presbyterian Church, and they now have two little girls.