Pastoral Staff
REV. CHERIE HAMBLETON
PASTOR
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The Reverend Cherie Hambleton was called and installed as Pastor at St. John in July, 2024. Ever since Pastor Cherie was a little girl, she has always stopped to smell the flowers. Her mom has said that is one of the things that sets her apart from others: her ability to notice and enjoy the world around her. Pastor would also add her enthusiasm!
Pastor Cherie was born and raised in NE Ohio but spent 5 years of elementary school living in Porterville, CA. She has an older sister who is a social worker in Altoona, PA, and her parents are retired and still make Kent, OH their home.
She attended Bradley University in Peoria, IL where she completed her Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting and photography. She later attended Duke University where she completed her Master of Divinity and, yes, she is a big Duke Blue Devils Basketball fan!
Her first call to ordained ministry was to be the Campus Minister of United Campus Ministry at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and was ordained into full ministerial standing in the United Church of Christ on August 15, 1999.
She is married to the Rev. Paul Burden, who is also an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ. He is currently serving as pastor of Immanuel UCC in Hamel. They have 3 children, 2 grandchildren, a cat and a dog (as well as numerous grandpets).
Cherie has served in many different capacities throughout her ministry including pastor, interim pastor, campus minister and hospice chaplain. She loves spending time with her family, anything Disney, listening to children laugh, feeding the birds, flower gardens (especially tulips), her morning cup of coffee, the sound of wind chimes, and simplifying her lifestyle.
One of her favorite scriptures is 1 Peter 4:8-11
8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
RACHAEL BEARTH
MINISTER OF YOUTH AND CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
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Rachael Bearth has had several constant and consistent things in her life and those are her faith, family and her love of kids. Having reached a crossroads as a third grade teacher at Mascoutah Elementary for 13 years and the opening for the Minister of Youth and Christian Education, Rachael certainly received a calling. Writing her resignation letter for the school district and her visions for her new Youth Minister position each took her 5 minutes of typing. She knew it was her calling. Rachael doesn’t believe in coincidences, just realized the tap on her shoulder meant it was time to do something. In the middle of teaching her Sunday book study class “You’ll Get Through This”, Rachael realized that Joseph, the Bible character being focused upon, waited 13 years for his calling. Teaching has been such an amazing journey for Rachael, but it was time to focus on something more important for her faith and her family.
Rachael grew up and was confirmed at St. John. She was very involved in her church musically and in Youth Group. She loved going on several mission trips that made a huge impact on her faith. Rachael wants a constant Youth Minister; someone that will be a constant in the lives of our church’s children and especially for her own children. Jeremy, her husband of 20+ years, has supported her 110% on this journey and said, “Honey, it’s time for you to do this.” Her children Grace and Thomas are her visions for the future and wants to help foster the love for Jesus in their hearts, as well as the children of St. John.
Rachael is organized, knows communication is vital, has an open office door and her best quality is her sense of humor. Rachael enjoys this chapter in her life and in the life of her church.
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Rachael's full-time service began in June 2016. You can reach her by email.
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