Rev. Salvatore Sapienza
PASTOR

Reverend Salvatore Sapienza is the pastor of Douglas UCC.  Pastor Sal is a graduate of New York University (NYU) and All Faiths Seminary in New York City. He is a former Catholic monk and an ordained interfaith minister with Privilege of Call in the United Church of Christ.
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Pastor Sal is the author of the books: Seventy Times Seven; Gay is a Gift; and Mychal's Prayer. His latest book is Childish Thinking: How the Church Keeps Us Stuck in Sunday School. Pastor Sal has facilitated workshops and retreats around the country. He and his husband, Gregg, have lived in the Saugatuck/Douglas area for fifteen years and are actively involved in the community. 

Peter Black
Pianist/Director of Music

​Peter Black has been the pianist at our church since 2004. 

Where most congregations begin filing out of the church during the final song, everyone at Douglas UCC stays seated each and every week for Peter's incredible postludes. It's like a mini-concert each week with our own extraordinary pianist!

In 2015, Peter officially became a member of our church, and in August of 2019, he became our Director of Music.

Julie Ridl
Administrative Assistant

Julie began serving as our church administrative assistant in December 2019. At the marketing communications agency where Julie developed communications strategies for all sorts of organizations, she was known as the agency’s “Chief Empathic Officer.” She has told stories in every medium from typescript to Twitter, and is delighted to put her skills to work serving her “happy place,” her community at Douglas UCC, where she has been a member since 2017.