Our Church

Leadership

Here are a few of the people that make our church community special:

Dr. Lajos Zeke - Music Director 

Ph. D., adjunct professor of musicology at the New World School of the Arts of Miami, Florida, is a native of Hungary (born 1958, Budapest) where he spent the first three decades of his life.

A graduate of the Franz Liszt Academy of Music (Organ Performance 1981, Musicology 1987), he was active simultaneously as a traveling organist (gave recitals in Hungary, Finland, Germany, Austria, the Ukraine, Greece, and Japan) as well as a musicologist (conducted research at the Institute for Musicology of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in diverse fields: analytical study of Franz Liszt's music, 19th century music history, organology, experimental music theory). In 1990 he began his doctoral studies in the United States and in 1999 received his degree from the University of Miami. As part of his Ph.D. project, he embarked on a thorough study of certain aspects of philosophy and the history of logic and introduced his new understandings into his approach to theoretical musicology. In the last two decades church musicianship, composing, piano performance and, above all, teaching have eclipsed his musicological activities. However, during this same period - prompted by certain crucial discoveries concerning Plato's "Pythagorizing" musico-mathematical theories - he has launched a new project. This project is aimed at disclosing aspects of a half-forgotten, yet alive and still unfolding, worldview: a sort of "Musical metaphysics", a participatory science of consciousness.

Staff

Ruth Goelz - Thrifty Treasures Manager

Ruth served in the US Navy: five years active duty and twenty years in the reserves.

She joined our church in 1988. She has served as Vice Moderator, Music Committee member, and Chair of the Board of Christian Outreach. Ms. Goelz has been the Thrift Shop Manager for many years. 

Kathy Zuendel - Office Administrator

Kathy grew up in a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio and moved to Florida in 1989. She had a seventeen year career in commercial banking, and retired from the City of Hollywood (Human Resources and Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts) in 2005. She enjoys traveling, reading, crocheting, and community service.

Tom Zuendel - Custodian

Tom was involved in the family nursery and landscaping business MRZ Nursery in Streetsboro, Ohio until it was sold in 1988. Tom was a "seasonal" resident of Hollywood, Florida for about fifteen years before living here year round since 1989. He worked at Orangebrook Golf & Country Club for more than twenty years as a cart man and ranger. He is an avid golfer and also enjoys traveling.

Connie Purser - Church School Teacher

Connie was born in Lakeland, FL and graduated from Lynchburg College in Virginia. Her graduate school years were spent at Lexington Theological Seminary in KY.

Connie taught First Grade in Nicholasville, KY; swimming at the YMCA in Lynchburg; worked at a Y-Camp in Lusby, MD.

Their first pastorate was in Knoxville, IL. They moved to Ft. Walton Beach, FL, their second church where Connie taught First Grade and swimming at Eglin Air Force Base. They then returned to Florida and served Faith Christian Church, Hollywood, FL. Jasper, AL was their final pastorate.