MEET OUR STAFF

Rev. Weatherly Verhelst

Pastor

(248) 879-6363
(989) 598-6506 
revwow15@gmail.com

Rev. Weatherly Burkhead Verhelst (Pastor Weatherly) was born in Duluth, MN and began her life’s travels early, with family moves to Ann Arbor,MI;  Downers Grove, IL; Fairfax, VA; and back to Ann Arbor.  She’s a good person to ask for advice if you ever have to pack a box!
She graduated from Pioneer High School in Ann Arbor, and is a 1991 graduate of Albion College 

(Go Brits!) and Boston University School of Theology (1994).  Pastor Weatherly served churches in Flint, Ovid, Saginaw, and Utica before coming to Troy First in 2015.  She is married to Craig (an accountant by day and a heavy-metal listener and basketball player by night). They have two sons: Isaac, a senior at Albion College, and Caelan, a sophomore at Berklee College of Music in Boston.  Their dog, Classy, orders them around at home, now that the guys have gone to school. Pastor Weatherly rejoined the higher education endeavors in the fall of 2017.  She’s currently in the Master of Arts in Counseling (Clinical Mental Health) program at Oakland University, and hopes fervently that she will be graduating in May, 2021.  When she’s not reading for a sermon or counseling class, she reads for fun, enjoys any kind of theater or dance performance, likes to dance, and has been known to binge-watch “Call the Midwife” and cry over lots of movies.  

Rev. Chuck Sonquist

Minister of Pastoral Care

(248) 515-6537
sonquist @att.net

Lisa Head

Ministries Facilitator

(248) 879-6363
248-797-5360
premhead@aol.com


​

Rev. Cherida Gary

Young Adult & Youth Ministries Director

(313)510-9092
revcherida@gmail.com

Reverend Cherida Gary became our new Youth and Young Adult Ministries Director on November 1st. Cherida is trained as an educator with a Bachelor’s in Elementary Education from Southern University A&M College. She also holds a Masters of Education in Educational Leadership from Wayne State and a Masters of Divinity and a Masters of Theological Studies in Religion, Personality and Culture from Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary. Cherida has 

been accepted as a PhD candidate at Northwestern University. During her work as an educator, Cherida served as both a teacher and an administrator. Rev. Cherida has a passion for working with children and youth and an urgency to share the message and the love of God with all she encounters. She loves to praise and worship God through Liturgical Dance. Rev. Cherida believes that children’s voices matter. She is a native of Louisiana and lives in Rochester Hills with her husband, LaShawn, and has 2 college-age children, Nigel (21) and Niyah (19). In her leisure time, Cherida enjoys reading, staying physically fit and spending time with her family. 

Steve Kosinski

Director of Music

(248) 879-6363
skosinski@gmail.com

Steve Kosinski has been Director of Music at Troy First since the fall of 2009, and has been a choir director, private voice teacher, music educator and professional actor/singer for over 45 years, and has conducted church choirs in virtually every denomination imaginable! Earning his Actor’s Equity Card in 1980, he has appeared in Broadway and National Touring Companies including “Sweeney Todd,” directed by Hal Prince, “”Woman of the Year,” with 

Barbara Eden, “Pirates of Penzance,” with Christopher Hewett and Scott Bakula, “Shenandoah,” with John Raitt and others. He has also appeared in numerous operas and performed recitals and concerts with major opera companies and symphonies, as well as countless voiceovers, commercials and television/film. He is also a proud member of SAG-AFTRA and ASCAP.
 
He holds a Bachelor’s degree from Central Michigan University with double majors in Theatre and Music, as well as an M.M. in Opera/Music Theatre from Southern Illinois University. He has done additional studies in vocal pedagogy and vocal production at University of Illinois, Oberlin College, University of Minnesota and NYU. Steve has four grown children and one grandson, and is happily married to the love of his life, Lynn Fairbrother Kosinski. They live in Grosse Pointe MI.
​

Victoria Aurand

Digital Communications Specialist

(248) 879-6363
troyfirstumc@gmail.com 
victoriaaurand@gmail.com

Victoria joined our staff in June of 2019. She grew up in Troy First and has returned as an adult to serve in her position. She serves as the coordinator of all digital communications in addition to a multitude of administrative duties and assisting the staff in whatever is needed. Victoria graduated from Western Michigan in 2018 and worked as an Executive Assistant for a year in Minnesota before moving back to the mitten state. She has a passion

for serving others, specifically through mission trips, as she has been on 9 and is always looking for opportunities to go on more. Victoria enjoys this role as it allows her to connect with so many church members who have greatly impacted her life since she was a toddler, in addition to helping the church continue to grow and improve. Her favorite things include watching football, listening to worship music, shopping and spending time with her family and friends.

Sue Wesp

Elementary Sunday School Coordinator

(248) 879-6363
suewesp@comcast.net

Sue began working for the church in January of 2010 as the Coordinator of Elementary Education.  Prior to being employed by the church, she was a volunteer in the nursery and Sunday School programs as, she raised her children with her husband, Bill. Sue also worked for Avondale Schools as a Paraeducator for children with special needs.  She has since 

​retired from Avondale, after 24 years of service, so she could spend more time with family.  Sue has enjoyed her job so much because it has allowed her to watch the children of our church grow in faith and has been able to help them to learn what it means to be a Christian.

Casey Baker

Accompanist

(248) 879-6363

Casey joined our staff in the fall of 2019 and we are very excited to have him.

Sheryl Dukes

Handbell Choir Director

 248- 210-6961
bellgirlsad@gmail.com

Sheryl has been the Handbell Director at Troy First since 1986. She was born in Ohio and earned Bachelor of Music Education from Bowling Green State University majoring in clarinet. After graduating, she married Craig, moved to Michigan and worked for Waterford Public Schools teaching music in 7 elementary schoola and all 6 secondary schools. She was also playing clarinet in the Pontiac Symphony. It was then that she joined Troy First for the first time and 

taught children’s music. Sheryl resigned to start a family and moved to Pennsylvania when Craig’s job took them there. It was in her time at Trinity United Methodist Church she became interested in another type of music-Handbells. She joined their choir 1 year later and became the director of the Handbell choir. 3 years later, they moved again, to Dallas Texas and joined another Methodist Church where she enjoyed playing in their Handbell choirs. In 1986, the Dukes moved back to Troy and rejoined Troy First for the second time. Troy First had a 3 octave set of Handbells, but no director. She become the director of one choir which eventually grew to 3 choirs and 5 octaves of Bells along with 4 octaves of hand chimes. For 3 years, she held an instrumental music position with Roeper Schools for before she had a change of heart to pursue a degree in Nursing. Sheryl earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing in 1994 and worked in oncology, geriatric rehab, case manager, and 14 years as a hospice nurse. Presently, her love of history and teaching moved her to become a docent at Meadowbrook Hall giving private tours. Craig and Sheryl have one son, Brian who is married to Kelly who have given them 3 wonderful grandchildren. She continue to direct the Handbell choirs to express God’s Word through music.
​​

Jennifer Shock

Nursery & Toddler Lead Teacher

(248) 879-6363
jrivera9289@yahoo.com 

​Jennifer has been our Nursery & Toddler leaders since 2017. She grew up and our church and has remained a faithful member, now serving & raising her family here. Jennifer graduated from Oakland University in 2017 with a Bachelors in Human Resources, In June 2018, she married David and became a Shock. They have two young boys, Logan and Levi. In her free time,  she enjoys camping with her family, crocheting and canning Jam, apple butter, pickles and much more!