Paul Corner, Senior Pastor

Paul joined the staff at First Covenant in January 2013 after serving in various capacities in churches in Tucson, Arizona; Glenview, Illinois; Chicago, Illinois; and Washington, Connecticut.    He graduated from North Park Theological Seminary in Chicago, Illinois in 2005, and he was ordained to Word and Sacrament by the Evangelical Covenant Church in June of 2007.  His deep desire is to be involved in work where all people are given the opportunity to flourish in body, mind and spirit as God intended. He is happily married to Marcia, and he is grateful for the shared task of parenting his two young children, Josiah and Anastasia.

pcorner@firstcovenantseattle.org

Carolyn Poterek, Associate Pastor

Carolyn is a native of Northbrook, Illinois, and a graduate of North Park University in Chicago where she received her BA in Secondary Education. Carolyn was a middle school Spanish and Social Studies teacher in Long Grove, IL before she began serving in full-time ministry. While completing her graduate studies, Carolyn worked as a chaplain at Evanston Northwestern Hospital and as the Youth and Children’s Director at the Covenant Church of Hinsdale. After receiving her M.Div Carolyn moved to Salem, OR, where she served as a Youth Pastor at Trinity Covenant Church.

Carolyn joined the staff at First Covenant in March 2009. She currently serves on the Covenant World Relief Commission, and assists as a facilitator for the National Covenant Church’s Invitation to Racial Righteousness.

cpoterek@firstcovenantseattle.org

Joel Ulrich, Choral Director

Choral Director and Organist Joel Ulrich began playing organ at 1st Covenant in the fall of 2005. He received his BA in Music Education from Seattle Pacific University in 1969 and studied Choral Conducting at UW during his fifth year. He spent 39 years as Choral Director and Music Department Chair at Bellevue Christian High School and has served in a musical capacity at several different churches in the Pacific Northwest. He has been the State ACDA H.S. Repertoire & Standards Chair since 2005. He and his wife, Linda, have 5 grown children.

julrich@firstcovenantseattle.org

Corbin Sheffels, Director of Student Ministry

Corbin began as the Youth Director at First Covenant Church in 2009 after graduating from Seattle Pacific University with a degree in English Literature and a secondary teaching certification. He grew up in the farming community of Wilbur, WA before moving to Seattle for college. Since that time he has been working and volunteering in church youth programs around Seattle, and has found a home at First Covenant Church. Corbin is in charge of youth programming for Wednesday nights, Sunday mornings, and other youth events and trips throughout the year.

He and his wife, Jo, have been attending First Covenant Church since 2005 and became members in 2010. csheffels@firstcovenantseattle.org

Cinda Madonna, Coordinator of Ministerial Operations

Cinda is the mother of three very different and very successful men: Peter, 42, Christopher, 40, and James, 38. She married Darryl Johnson in 2004, God was gracious to bless her with Carl 26 and Katherine 21, who are love as her own. Altogether, Cinda has 7 granddaughters and 3 grandsons, ranging in age from 1 to 23. These families are the love of her life; all else pales in comparison, she tells us..

She grew up in New Jersey. Earned a B.S. in psychology at the University of Washington, and, later, a Master’s of Divinity at the Church Divinity School of the Pacific. In addition to her terrific grandchildren, Cinda’s interests/hobbies include, tennis, skiing, knitting, reading, the morning Sudoku and cooking. Church has been her home from the time she was a little one. Cinda has served as a Stephen Ministry Leader, a Eucharistic Worship Leader, and as a Spiritual guide. Cinda brings to this position twenty five years experience in business operations and a plethora of ministerial experiences as she has worked to serve God’s people. cmadonna@firstcovenantseattle.org