Our Pastor
The Reverend Carolyn G. Peck has served as our pastor for over seven years and has over 16 years of church pastoral ministry experience, having served two other churches prior to her call to North Adams. Pastor Carolyn is a life-long resident of Berkshire County who, after graduating from college with a BA in French and Business Administration, worked for 11 years at the Sheaffer Writing Instrument Company in the Creative Services; as a Marketing Project Manager and Brand Manager and subsequently for five years in the Purchasing and Finance Departments of Kay-Bee Toys, Inc. After 16 years in the corporate world, she was called to pastoral ministry. Pastor Carolyn is a graduate of Boston University’s School of Theology where she earned a Master of Divinity Degree, magna cum laude. She was ordained in the United Church of Christ in 2005. Pastor Carolyn preaches from the heart-connecting Scriptures to our everyday lives and present-day issues. Her creativity, compassion and care for everyone, and her love of art and music are reflected in our worship experiences. Seasonal inter-generational services and “Moments for the Young and Young-at-Heart” engage everyone and are enjoyed by all. In addition to caring for her flock, Pastor Carolyn and her husband, Doug, enjoy hiking local trails and biking on the Ashuwilticook Rail Trail. Our pastor also loves to read, play the piano, knit, draw and paint, and garden.
Our Director of Music
Michael Daunis, a native of Berkshire County, is the Director of Music here at First Congregational North Adams. He has a B.A. in Music degree from Westfield University, a Mass. Music Teachers Certification K – 12 from UMASS Amherst, and a Masters of Education/Arts degree from Wesley University. Michael has been serving as organist and choir director for several churches since high school, all over the New England area. He also has spent 20 years as an Instrumental and Choral music teacher in public school systems throughout central Massachusetts and Berkshire County. Michael presently works as a Resident Accompanist at MCLA in North Adams, rehearsing and performing with students and faculty at the campus via various recitals and musical programs. He also directs the North County Chorale, a group of local singers from area churches and communities, which is hosted at FCCNA. This group presents an annual North County Christmas concert as well as other classical and gospel style music for community events.
Michael brings to First Congregational of North Adams a strong background of musical training and experience. He has worked with and directed all age groups, from elementary school age through college and adult level singers and instrumentalists. He enjoys using music of various styles for church services and musical programs, offering a bit of something for everyone, along with following the UCC Lectionary and the subject material provided by the Pastor. The Sanctuary Choir at FCCNA consists of a solid, capable core of singers, meeting once a week, utilizing the church’s Aeolian-Skinner pipe organ, and a new model Yamaha baby grand piano for rehearsals. As part of the variety of musical offerings each week, Michael regularly schedules vocal and instrumental soloists for service music.