Meet Members of our Church Leadership

Get to know the people behind the scenes

Mike Sams, Lay leader

Born on a Marine Corp base at Quantico…..married to Courtney and father of 3 girls…..wishes he had a more exciting hobby, but truth is he actually enjoys yardwork…..New England sports fan…..loves coaching his kid’s teams….passionate about faith, family, and country and appreciating God’s grace on display in our lives every day.

Christine Coffman & Alisa Hilfinger, Outreach Committee Co-Chairs

Christine Coffman

Hails from Upstate NY and a small town called Newark (not to be confused with the big town in NJ)….Married with children…2 boys and 2 girls (Jessica, always in our hearts), 1 grandson, and a 4-legged canine young-un named Peach…..Loves chocolate, long walks in the woods with friends and family, being outside appreciating nature, and being organized….if ever in a “name that tune” music trivia contest you will want to have Christine on your team.  Her dream vacation?.....New Zealand!


Alisa Hilfinger

A MA local, having grown up in Ashland then detoured to NY for a time but returned to MA in 2002, finally calling Westborough home in 2011... wife of a Yankees fan and mom to two kids & a fluffy mutt named Cooper...loves teaching high school science, reading, baking (& sharing baked treats) and being outside...enjoys being a part of the Outreach Committee to help facilitate opportunities for inclusion and connection

Jonathan and Kristine Owen, Appalachia Service Project Chairs

Jonathan:

Born in PA but still an Eagles fan, a MA resident for the past 30 yrs....married to Kristine and father of 2…. Jonathan is not hard to pick out in the church choir given his tall stature, his booming bass voice, and his frequent accompaniment on the guitar. He has a passion for the Appalachia Service Project (ASP)…supporting the program, the volunteers, and the people it serves. Not long after his first trip as an 11th grader in 1985, he began leading trips with both youth and adult volunteers for FUMC. Jonathan also served as the leader of the United Methodist Youth Fellowship (UMWF) for 14 years.


Kristine:

Native to MA….married to Jonathan and mother of 2 young children…..She enjoys spending time hiking and traveling….Along with her husband, Kristine has a soft spot in her heart for youth and spent time working with young adults through both camping and retreat ministries. She also sings in the choir, serves on our church’s building committee, and has a big passion for the ASP program.

Mark and Amy Neil, Rwanda Mission Chairs

Mark:

Born in CA, but grew up in Congo, Africa….son of missionary parents….fluent in Swahili….married to Amy and father of 5….Self-described tinker who enjoys working on computers and vehicles (especially the funky military kind!)….passionate about Africa and being an African travel guide…loves bringing Americans there for the 1st time…helping them overcome any reluctance to go and then seeing them come alive to the beauty of the land and the people when they get there.


Amy:

Raised in Sudbury, MA….wife to Mark, mother of 5 and resident zookeeper of “the best dog ever” (Lacy), a bunny, a hamster, and a small school of fish….Lover of the outdoors and keeping it clean - making a point to pick up trash whenever she goes hiking…..Enjoys tickling the ivory as a pianist in church and seeking new adventures in life that will push and stretch her….Passionate about sharing Rwanda/Congo with members of her local community and with helping provide an education for children in the Congo.

Shellie Rapson James, Staff Parish Relations Committee Chair (SPRC)

Born in South Weymouth, MA, but grew up in Plattsburgh, NY... returned to MA in 1999. Married to Greg since 1994...Mom to two college-aged sons (recent empty nester!). Has participated in numerous ministries with FUMC Westborough, including the flute choir, Interfaith Hospitality Network, Appalachia Service Project and Rwanda/DRC mission. An avid outdoor and photography enthusiast...can be found hiking the local trails with Scruffy, her beloved collie-mix. Pre-pandemic, Shellie loved to travel to far flung places with her family. By day she works in the field of healthcare communications. She loves expressing and deepening her faith by serving others, and has been doing so with FUMC Westborough since 2000.

Susan Reynolds, FUMC Chair on Methodist Admin Council

Originally from Norwell, MA, she visited FUMC for the first time in 1992 and has been coming ever since! Married to Dave and mother of two, her sons refer to her as “the Church lady” because of all the committees she’s served on and how much she enjoys learning more about religion.  In her free time, she enjoys taking in live music, skiing, boating, and other sporting activities. Whether in her occupation as a physical therapist or her work in the church, she is passionate about enjoying the unique things each day has to offer us in life and in helping have an impact on others.

Bill Chase, Trustee Chair

Raised in Westford, MA....married to Shelly, dad of one daughter, one dog, and granddad of two cats (daughter claims them as hers). Bill loves traveling the world with his family, working on home improvement projects, participating in various sports....basketball, sailing, waterskiing, swimming, downhill skiing to name a few...and is always up for a game of mini-golf or scrabble. Passionate about making the world a better place.


Steven Dorval, Finance Committee Chair

Born in Pawtucket, RI, but has lived in Boylston for the last 18 years…Married to Peggy and have 2 sons, both of whom are soon to be in college….Joined FUMC when our sons were attending the Methodist Pre-School…. I enjoy skiing, golf (most of the time), running and spending time with my family…This is my second opportunity to lead the Finance committee and ensure we are making the best use of the churches gifts….volunteering for the benefit of God and the church is a privilege and a gift.