Senior Pastor

Reverend Jason W. Coulter is the Senior Minister of the First Congregational Church of Evanston, UCC.

Prior to serving FCCE, Pastor Jason was the pastor of Ravenswood United Church of Christ from 2008 to 2022. During his ministry at Ravenswood UCC, the congregation experienced significant growth, developed new ministries, and made substantial improvements in their facilities. Before entering the ministry, Pastor Jason worked for thirteen years in the labor movement, helping thousands of workers across the country organize unions in their workplaces.

Pastor Jason is a native of West Bend, Wisconsin and a life-long member of the United Church of Christ. He is a graduate of Macalester College, received a Master’s Degree from Cornell University, and completed his Master of Divinity at Chicago Theological Seminary.

Pastor Jason is an accomplished activist, compelling writer and powerful speaker. He is married to Mary Kay Devine and lives in the Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago with their four children. His interests include cooking and grilling, baseball, and spending time with his family at the beaches of Lake Michigan, which he considers to be sacred space.

Music Director

Matthew Hogan, a Chicago native, is the music director at First Congregational Church of Evanston. He previously served as music director and organist at churches in Elmhurst, Chicago and Indianapolis. Also a bassoonist, Matthew holds the positions of second bassoon with the Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra and the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra. An active freelance bassoonist, he has worked with many orchestras including the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Ravinia Festival Orchestra, and Fulcrum Point New Music Project. As a performing member of the Chicago Philharmonic, he has worked with the Joffrey Ballet, the Chicago Opera Theater and other area arts organizations. Matthew is on the faculty at Northeastern Illinois University and VanderCook College of Music and received Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from Indiana University. Matthew appreciates First Congregational's historic pipe organ and enjoys working with the talented Chancel Choir in continuing the tradition of inspiring music at FCCE.

Justice Fellow

Jordan Griffin is the FCCE Justice Fellow for the 2023-2024 academic year. A native of Talahasse, FL, Jordan sensed a call to ministry at age 9 and was licensed to preach at 16. Since his calling, Jordan has been committed to transforming lives through the mission and message of Jesus. During this time, Jordan drew inspiration from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and developed a raving passion for social justice and interfaith relations. Jordan holds an AA in political science from Tallahassee Community College, a B.A. in religion from Morehouse College, and a Master of Dvinity from Vanderbilt University. While at Vanderbilt, he served in many capacities which include a Graduate Scholar for the James Lawson Institute for the Research and Study of Nonviolent Movements and as a Public Theology and Racial Justice Fellow. Currently, Jordan is a Ph.D. student at Chicago Theological Seminary where his research interest centers Public Theology, Ethics, and the African American Experience. Jordan’s passion for justice stems from his desire to aid in building a beloved community that is rooted in love. Jordan enjoys traveling, reading, eating good food, and hanging out with friends and family.

Nursery Supervisor

Kelly Tran is our Sunday morning Nursery Supervisor, providing care for infants and young children aged 0-4. A graduate of Loyola University Chicago, Kelly is an experienced early childhood educator and currently works in the Chicago Public Schools.

FCCE’s beloved Church Administrator Mahdia Lynn died suddenly in September 2024. Please visit our memorial page for more information.