FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF AUBURN, UCC
Meet Our Staff
Dan Spacek
Pastor
Dan took the lead of FCCA in March 2012. He brings with him a passion for leading creative worship. With the kind of sincerity and openness that makes newcomers feel welcome and safe, Dan speaks in spiritual ways without sounding overly “churchy.”
Central to Dan’s approach to worship is attending each others’ story. Each of us has a vital story to tell – we have all experienced joys and sorrows, somewhere along the line our faith has been strengthened and/or challenged. Dan invites people to share from that deep place whenever the community gathers—whether in worship, service, education or fellowship. His attentive listening not only encourages people to open up and share more deeply, but to see their connection to the ongoing story of the faith.
Stories and messages in the Bible touch us so deeply that their stories become our stories. God is still speaking, and creating more sacred stories through each of us. As we more deeply attend that journey, we are opened to profound personal growth and new movement within our wider community.
Dan completed seminary in 2002, graduating from Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, CA. FCCA is the third church he has served. In addition to his church work, he finds joy in his family, music, and in adventurous outdoor activities.
Richard March
Music Director
Richard comes to us with ten years of experience in church music and education. With a Bachelors of Arts degree in Music from San Francisco State University, Richard has worked in churches since 2002 developing and implementing music curricula, directing choirs, leading congregational singing, and writing music. Richard is an experienced guitarist and songwriter, with 15 years touring California and the southwest as both a solo performer and with other music ensembles.
Cecily Dewing
Office Manager
Cecily Dewing became a member of First Congregational Church of Auburn (FCCA) in October 2020. She is a retired Mechanical Engineer, and her hobbies include singing in the choir, outrigger canoe paddling, kayaking, traveling, cake and cookie decorating, beading, rock painting, playing the ukulele, and ballroom dancing.
Cecily has served on the board of two social organizations, including President of the Fremont Frosters and in various capacities on the board of the South Bay Scottish Society including Chief, Scribe, and Treasurer. From January 2022 to January 2024, she served as FCCA’s Council Clerk, and she was a member of the Board of Buildings & Grounds and a member of the BRATS (Bylaws Review & Advisory Team).
Cecily has come out of retirement to serve as FCCA’s Office Manager, and she looks forward to
working with you.
Linda Synder
Church Pianist
Linda has been blessed with many opportunities to express her love of music throughout her adult life. She has served as pianist in churches of a variety of denominations in the San Francisco Bay Area and in Auburn. Currently, she is the pianist in Gold Country Band, which brings music and smiles weekly to residents of local senior care facilities. After a 30-year career in Silicon Valley’s tech industry, she and her husband moved to Meadow Vista in 2012 to hike the many beautiful trails in the Sierras. Linda holds an MBA in Finance from Santa Clara University.