Staff at Harvard-Epworth
Rev. Mitch Hay & Rev. Barb Lemmel
Co-Pastors
Terry Halco
Music Director
Terry has over 25 years' experience in church positions in the Boston area. He has previously served as music director at Grace Episcopal Church in Everett, First Presbyterian Church in Brookline, Christ Lutheran Church in Belmont, and Payson Park UCC in Belmont.
Terry worked for ten years in the Harvard University Library system, first in the Law School Library and then in the Loeb Music Library.
He was born and raised in northern Ohio, and received his musical education at Baldwin-Wallace College in Ohio, at the New England Conservatory, and at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey.
Sandra Barrios
Director of Christian Ed and Young Adult Ministry
Sandra graduated from her Master of Divinity at Boston University in the Theology and Arts track. She is currently in the ordination process as a Deacon to pursue a vocation within Christian Education, Interfaith leadership, Mercy ministries and Short-term Missions. She currently lives in the Boston area and moved from Mexico City to pursue her call as an intercultural agent in ministry.
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics and joined the pool of volunteers of Christian Veterinary Mission soon after her graduation. Sandra was also a Coordinator of International Logistics; she has been involved in several Short-term mission trips and taught in Children’s and Youth Ministry for about two decades. She has been part of musical projects like Miguel Hidalgo Youth Symphonic Orquestra, AdorArte Christian Choir, Miguel C. Meza Methodist Choir, Boston University Marching Band, Boston University Symphonic chorus, and she collaborated in musical projects in Salvation Army and the Rarámuri Symphonic Orquestra for kids in central and northern Mexico. Although she’s had a diverse Christian background La Iglesia Metodista de México was key in her discernment process and ordination goals. She joined the United Methodist Church upon her arrival to Boston and is a certified candidate in the Deacon track.
Flynn Fernandes
Church Administrator
Flynn Fernandes is the Office Administrator at Harvard-Epworth UMC. He also serves as the Director of Faith Formation for Holy Trinity Parish, Quincy, in the Archdiocese of Boston. Born and raised in Mumbai, India, Flynn came to the United States to pursue higher education. For many years, he worked as a project and program manager for different firms in the healthcare technology and services sector. During the evenings, he volunteered as a middle and high school catechist for his parish church. Flynn earned a Master of Theological Studies from Boston University School of Theology, as well as the licentiate and doctorate in sacred theology from Boston College School of Theology and Ministry. He has taught courses in theology at Emmanuel College.
George Savage
Facilities Manager
George Savage has been a woodworker and carpenter for 45 years, working for numerous schools, theaters and shops in the greater Boston area. He has been a traveling facilities maintenance man for a regional retail store chain, and a woodshop teacher for Rockler Woodworking and Hardware for 10 years. George has repaired hundreds of old doors and windows (he likes doors and windows!) and has assembled, tuned and repaired thousands of woodworking machines. He has been a woodworking machinery mechanic for home shops, pro shops, schools and Makerspaces for 20 years, has designed woodshops for schools, and has had home shops and a proshop. Somehow, he has also managed to fit in 20 years of shipping, receiving and truck driving.
George brings his many years of experience to his management of the physical plant of Harvard-Epworth Church; he also interfaces with the groups who rent the building for events.
Rev. Natalie Hill
MIT Chaplain and Deacon
Natalie holds a B.A. and M.Div. from Boston University and an M.S.W. from Simmons College. She has worked as a clinical social worker for many years, and has specialized in eating disorders for most of her career. Her ministry is an extension of this work, with a specific focus on counteracting societal forces that objectify or vilify the body by drawing on the Incarnation, the promise of resurrection, and other aspects of the Christian tradition to help people experience a transformed and transforming relationship with their own bodies.
To fulfill this mission, Natalie also serves as founding director of Seaspring, an urban counseling, retreat, and community engagement center. Seaspring offers individual and group counseling alongside programs to foster spiritual growth and missional service.
Rev. Karen Skalla
Deacon
Rev. Karen Skalla was ordained as a Deacon in the Methodist Church in 2020 after completing seminary at Boston University School of Theology. Her first appointment as a Deacon is currently at Silver Bay YMCA Retreat and Conference Center on Lake George in Silver Bay, New York in the Adirondacks.
She serves as Chaplain of their Spiritual Life Center. Chaplaincy training was done through Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center while she was a Nurse Practitioner for nearly 30 years. Karen has a very broad fulltime ministry now at Silver Bay which includes: worship planning; program planning; meeting with staff and guests for formal Spiritual Direction; pastoral care; support of the Respite Ministry through the Spiritual Life Center; and helping with the Teen Center.
Her secondary appointment is with Harvard Epworth Community Church where she periodically uses her background to offer adult forums and supply preaching as needed. In addition, she has been part of a weekly online worship community called “Faithwaze” at www.faithwaze.com for many years and leads as co-pastor. Karen lives in Vermont with her husband and has two young adult daughters of whom she is very proud. She is passionate about her horses and dogs, and enjoys being outside hiking and snowshoeing as well as reading, art of all kinds, and photography. She is delighted bring all these skills to be a part of Harvard Epworth.