Rev. Debbie Earthrowl
PASTOR
Our pastor, Rev. Debbie Earthrowl describes her ministry as follows:
I consider it a privilege to serve congregations and communities as we seek ways to welcome all, grow in faith and discipleship, and bear witness to God’s truly amazing grace and mercy available to all. I appreciate the sense of belonging that a faith community fosters, and the way God continues to call and equip us all to be about God’s mission in particular places, using the unique gifts that each one brings. First United Methodist Church of East Greenbush is a wonderful place to live out my call in partnership with many gifted disciples and faith explorers, and I look forward each day to what God will do among and through us.
Katelyn Flintrop
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
Katelyn was born and raised in Vermont where she graduated from Essex High School and attended Champlain College.
She and her husband, Justin and their son, Nicholas, moved to Tennessee in 2014 and stayed until Justin’s job moved them back up north to New York, where they have lived in East Greenbush since 2020.
Katelyn enjoys gardening, baking, reading, and spending time outdoors with her family and three dogs, Piper, Clover, and Cinder.
Lauren Lehmann
SUNDAY SCHOOL COORDINATOR
Lauren is a wife and mother. Her husband, Bob Lehmann, is also a member of our church, and they have two children- Gracie and Emma.
Lauren is a business owner by day, and mom by night. She owns a hair salon, and truly enjoys her profession. She went to college to be an elementary school teacher- and life just took her down a different path.
She has a lot of education and experience working with children, and was a volunteer Sunday School teacher when she was in her twenties. Some may say, working with children is her calling.
Robert Thomsen
CHOIR DIRECTOR
Robert joined the FUMC Sanctuary Choir in 2019, as a way to bring music into his life again and became Director in 2021.
Robert has always loved music and performing arts, from early days helping turn the pages of his grandmother’s music as she played the piano beside him. In the years that followed, he took on dance, piano, and voice lessons, and was a part of musical and theater productions throughout school and into his early twenties.
Robert went onto a career in cosmetology, building a client base in the capital region. He found working in hair and beauty fulfilling artistically, but he couldn’t keep away from the spotlight for long. He carved a path as a platform educator on conference stages, teaching for the Goldwell product company, traveling the region and educating fellow hairstylists with the latest cutting and styling techniques.
He returned to music in 2019 when he was asked by a longtime friend and fellow performer to ‘come out of retirement’ and appear in a cabaret performance at the Wood Theater in Glens Falls, NY.
Robert enjoys working with an incredible group of musicians and looks forward to continuing to provide new and exciting music to enrich our church’s ministry.
Martha Deyo
ORGANIST
Marty was born in Ayer, MA, but raised in the small rural town of Wolcott, NY, which is in the “lake effect” snow area on the southern shore of Lake Ontario. Marty’s father was the instrumental music teacher in the local school, and her mother was a professional seamstress.
She earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education, with a minor in music, from SUNY Oswego, and a master’s degree in education administration from Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX. She retired from teaching at Green Meadow Elementary School and currently lives in Averill Park with her rescue dog, Olive.
Marty began playing the piano at the age of seven, her teacher was the organist at her Presbyterian church. She started playing the trumpet in fifth grade, with her dad as her teacher. She participated in bands, recitals, and church choirs throughout her school years and as an adult has continued to be involved in music as an Accompanist, Substitute Organist, Principal Organist, and small Bell Choir Director. She has also played in several bands and is currently playing in the Yankee Doodle Band, from Rensselaer, and the Eagles Concert Band in Pittsfield, MA.
Her daughter Kelly and her husband, Manuel, live in Castleton. Kelly teaches Special Education at Averill Park High School and is also a musician. Manuel is a welder. Her son Corey and his family live in Cumberland, RI. He is a comptroller for a large company, and his wife Lisamarie is a reading teacher.
She has five grandchildren and one great-granddaughter! Although all her family members have wonderful careers and talents, she is immensely proud of her grandson, Cooper who is a junior at West Point studying for a degree in Mechanical Engineering while serving in the Army.
She looks forward to sharing her gift of music and being part of our music ministry.
Steven Green
CUSTODIAN
Steven Green is the church custodian. He is also a Department Supervisor at The Home Depot and has previously performed maintenance and custodial work for Catholic Charities and Kinderhook Reformed Church.
Steven lives in Latham and has three grown children, Steven Jr and Ashley who are twins and Amanda. His hobbies include bowling and fishing.