Our Staff Rev. Sarah Rentzel Jones Interim Senior Minister Rev. Sarah Rentzel Jones was born and raised in Central Pennsylvania, where she lived until 2014. She received a Master of Divinity from Lancaster Theological Seminary and has served in a variety of ministry roles, including pastor at UCC churches, hospital chaplain, and Associate Conference Minister in the Hawaii UCC Conference, and Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota Tri-Conference. She received training in Interim Ministry from the Interim Ministry Network in 2023. Sarah’s husband, Don, is a seventh-grade math teacher at McMillan Middle School, and together they have three children: Jack, Irene, and Maggie. Sarah and her family have lived in Omaha since June, 2021. Liz Patterson Director of Christian Education Liz Patterson is the 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. Meg Sharpe Church Office Administrator 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 Minister of Music Stephen Bouma is our Minister 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.
