Rev. Thomas Ott will be leading today's church service. Tom grew up in the Allentown, PA area and became active as a youth in St. John’s UCC, Fullerton. He earned his Master of Divinity degree from Andover Newton Theological Seminary. Following ordination, he was called to serve as pastor of the First Congregational Church UCC in Manistee. In 1990, he earned his Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology from Western Michigan University. From 1990 until 1995, he worked in a bi-vocational pastorate, splitting his time between First Congregational Church in Manistee and the Manistee-Benzie Community Mental Health Counseling Center. In 1990, he accepted the call to become senior pastor of First Congregational Church UCC in Webster, NY where he served until November of 2008. In December of 2008, he began his ministry as senior pastor of First Congregational Church UCC in Battle Creek, MI.