About the NACCC
About the NACCC
As a member of the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches, your church joins with other churches around the country for mutual encouragement and support. By sharing fellowship through the NACCC, each church is made stronger by access to a multitude of resources and expertise and by the assistance of neighboring churches.
Our History
Our History
Over 60 years ago, the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches (NACCC) was incorporated as a fellowship of Congregational churches. The churches in this fellowship opposed merging with the Evangelical and Reformed Church that some Congregational churches favored. While the idea of merging with another denomination was not, in and of itself, offensive, the concerns about this particular merger centered on Congregational identity, practice, and cherished values.
Those against the merger feared that it would establish a church hierarchy and that the local congregation would lose its independence and ability to self-govern. While this is a simplistic summary of a complicated and emotionally-fraught period of history, it illustrates how core principles and practices of the Congregational Way were the driving values that formed the NACCC.
Understanding Congregationalism The Art and Practice of the Congregational Way
Our Mission
Our Vision
Because the NACCC is an association of individual churches, the NACCC depends on a structure of volunteers to determine and manage its programs and policies. NACCC staff serves to encourage and support this important work on behalf of member churches.
Governing Documents
As a recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the NACCC follows a series of standardized bylaws and incorporation standards to ensure successful adherence at all times.
Leadership Teams
The NACCC Leadership Teams
The NACCC is stewarded by a dedicated board of volunteers who form our Leadership Council and Board of Directors. Each elected leader gifts their unique experience, insight, and expertise to help ensure the versatility and stability of our organization. If you require contact information for a leadership team member, please email the NACCC office.
Current Leadership Council
The Leadership Council is responsible for program implementation and the strategic visioning of the NACCC.
Rev. Dr. Martin Hall
Moderator & Chairperson
Fox Point, Wisconsin
Varn Philbrook
Vice-Moderator
Yarmouth Port, Massachusetts
Patrick Stewart
Treasurer
Marshalltown, Iowa
Rev. Thomas H. Van Tassell
Historian
Saugatuck, Michigan
Kate O’Dell
Secretary
Anchorage, Alaska
Rev. Robb Tarr
Vitality Ministry Council Rep.
Gahanna, Ohio
Rev. Julie Sheridan Smith
Vitality Ministry Council Rep.
Wauwatosa, Wisconsin
Rev. Irven Gammon
Growth Ministry Council Rep.
Florence, Massachusetts
Rev. William “Ron” Toliver
Growth Ministry Council Rep.
Columbiana, Ohio
Rev. Richard Miller-Todd
Mission & Outreach Ministry Council Rep.
Berwick, Iowa
Joanne Simpson
Mission & Outreach Ministry Council Rep.
Peabody, Massachusetts
Melinda Jaster
Youth Representative
Elkader, Iowa
Current Ministry Council Members
Our development, clerical maintenance, and organizational advancement are the direct result of our ministry councils, who volunteer their time to enhance the vitality, growth, and mission work of the NACCC.
VITALITY
Encouraging and supporting the congregations of the NACCC in their mission of strengthening church life.
Rev. Robb Tarr, Chair
Leadership Council Representative
Gahanna, Ohio
Rev. Julie Sheridan-Smith
Leadership Council Representative
Wauwatosa, Wisconsin
Rev. Mark Tanner
Skowhegan, Maine
Rev. Chris Kurtz
Royal Oak, Michigan
Rev. Dr. Chris Surber
Naples, Florida
GROWTH
Encouraging and supporting the congregations of the NACCC in their mission of faith and discipleship.
Rev. Irven Gammon, Chair
Leadership Council Representative
Florence, Massachusetts
Rev. Dr. William “Ron” Toliver
Leadership Council Representative
Columbiana, Ohio
Sharon Brown
Novi, Michigan
Pastor Michael Freeman
Princeton, Illinois
Lisa VanAlst
Plainfield, Connecticut
MISSIONS & OUTREACH
Encouraging and supporting congregations of the NACCC in their mission of spreading the word and work of Christ in the world – both locally and globally.
Rev. Richard Miller Todd, Chair
Leadership Council Representative
Berwick, Iowa
Joanne Simpson
Leadership Council Representative
Lynn, Massachusetts
Shaun Wissmann
Redlands, California
Ann Goecke
Des Moines, Iowa
Marilyn Danielson
Lake Odessa, Michigan
Current Board of Directors
The Board of Directors is responsible for all legal and financial matters of the NACCC.
Varn Philbrook
Vice Moderator & Chair
Yarmouth Port, Massachusetts
Rev. Carol Taylor
Beloit, Wisconsin
Rev. Dr. Martin Hall
Moderator
Fox Point, Wisconsin
Dan Vellinga
Marshalltown, Iowa
Patrick Stewart
Treasurer
Marshalltown, Iowa
Rev. Sarah Terlouw
Saugatuck, Michigan
Kate O’Dell
Secretary
Anchorage, Alaska
Robert Weers
Soquel, California
The NACCC Staff
Members of the NACCC staff serve our organization in a professional capacity, to provide administrative, development, communications, and structural support to our mission, vision, and overall association.
Connect with the NACCC Team
If you have any questions or would like to know more about the NACCC, please send us a message. We look forward to hearing from you!