Our Staff Rev. Dr. E. Scott Jones Senior Minister Rev. Dr. E. Scott Jones has served First Central as Senior Minister since July 6, 2010. Scott has also served as a Lecturer in the Philosophy Department of Creighton University and is the author of Open: A Memoir of Faith, Family, and Sexuality in the Heartland. Scott currently serves as the secretary of the Blackstone Neighborhood Association, on the Advisory Board for the Omaha Salvation Army, and the Board of Directors of Kaleo on the River. He has recently served as Chair of the Board of Directors of the Nebraska Conference of the United Church of Christ. A native Oklahoman, Scott earned a B.A. in Religion and Philosophy at Oklahoma Baptist University and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Oklahoma (Yes, he is a Sooner fan). He is also a two-time alumnus of the Yale Writer’s Conference. Scott moved here from Oklahoma City, where he was Pastor of the Cathedral of Hope for five years and a columnist for the Oklahoma Gazette. Scott previously served churches in Arkansas and Texas as Associate Pastor and Youth & College Minister and was ordained in 1997. In 2015 Scott and his former husband celebrated the birth and adoption of their son. Fathering is the true delight of Scott’s life. Scott’s active involvement in the community has included serving on the writing team of the anti-racism organization Voices United, as an author of the Heartland Proclamation, and the coordinator of the #ReadyToMarry campaign for marriage equality in Nebraska. Scott was also a leader of the Equal Omaha Coalition that lobbied successfully in 2012 for the passage of Omaha’s Equal Employment Ordinance. He is also a former foster parent. Scott actively blogs, enjoys hiking, reading, gardening, and travel. Liz Patterson Interim Director of Christian Education Liz Patterson is the Interim Director of Christian Education at First Central. She graduated from Doane University in 2015 with a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction, and spent nine years as a kindergarten teacher before staying home with her two children, Kate and David. Having grown up in the church, Liz has been lucky enough to have been a part of all aspects of the education program at First Central as a child, teen, and now adult. She enjoys working with everyone in the congregation to continue making intergenerational education engaging, purposeful, and fun. In her free time, Liz loves spending time with her husband, Kamaal, and their family. Katie Foster Church Office Administrator Katie Foster is our Office Administrator. She is a writer, with work appearing in literary journals and magazines like A Public Space and Hobart Pulp. At First Central, she enjoys coordinating with community members, visitors, and vendors to ensure smooth daily operations in the church office. She writes and designs the weekly Congregationalist email newsletter, as well as the monthly print newsletter. Rev. Dr. Jim Harmon Minister of Visitation Rev. Dr. Jim Harmon is our Minister of Visitation. Jim has a Doctor of Ministry degree from United Theological Seminary, and has worked over 30 years in full time ministry. Jim calls on our homebound members and visitors, and will also bring communion on request. Stephen Bouma Director of Music Stephen Bouma is our Director of Music and Organist. He is a published composer and an active performer throughout the Omaha area as a singer and keyboard player. He regularly premieres his music at First Central: for choir, solo organ, and for bells. He and his wife, Lyn, have worked as a musical team for nearly forty years. Stephen holds a MM from the University of Nebraska and a BM from Nebraska Wesleyan University. He studied piano with Dr. Larry Jones, Dr. James Johnson and Beth Miller Harrod.
