Reverend Doctor Barbra “Bonnie” Hardy,
Associate Minister of Christian Education
Rev. Dr. Bonnie Hardy’s first career was as a public school teacher and music educator. She is currently writing her dissertation on “Child-Spirit” as well as volunteering at the Center for Prayer and Pilgrimage at the Washington National Cathedral. Bonnie is a member of Spiritual Director’s International, with a private practice as a spiritual director. She also writes church educational curriculum for Pilgrim Press.
Bonnie lives with her husband, Navy Chaplain Bill Middleton, in Alexandria, VA. They have a blended family which includes six children, two dogs, and five feral cats.
Gary Fitzgerald, Director of Music
Gary Fitzgerald is a professional musician with a life-long commitment to music in the church. He was trained at The Juilliard School, has previously served large parishes in Virginia and South Carolina, and has conducted choir festivals in the Episcopal cathedrals in Washington, D.C. and New York City.
As a performer he has been anorchestral musician with leadership roles in Montreal, Perth (Western Australia) and New York City; a pit musician in a number of shows on Broadway, including over 1100 performances of “Cats;” and played various roles in a large and diverse collection of recordings from the first complete recording of Virgil Thomson’s opera “Four Saints in Three Acts” to solo piano performances for a variety of Discovery Channel documentaries.
His greatest joy comes from helping congregation members join together to create environments of worship in which God is glorified, God’s people are blessed, and all involved know that they have been changed by the time spent together in the presence of their Creator.
Nan McConnell, Moderator
Nan McConnell, CFRE, President of The McConnell Consulting Group, has more than thirty years experience in the nonprofit sector including positions in senior management, government relations, and program development. In her consulting capacity, Nan has worked with organizations to plan for long term sustainability, managed strategic fund development assessments, and conducted training to provide boards of nonprofit organization with the tools to be effective fundraisers. She has managed capital campaigns, conducted feasibility/planning studies, and has secured millions of dollars in gifts from diverse sources.
Nan lectures, teaches, writes, and serves in leadership capacities on local boards. She is currently Moderator (chair of the Board of Trustees) of her church, and on the Board of Safe Shores, the District of Columbia’s Child Resource Center. She earned the CFRE, Certified Fund Raising Executive Certificate recognition, issued by the Association of Fundraising Professionals. For many years she served on the Board of Directors of the, Association of Fundraising Professionals/DC Chapter and continues to serve on the Chapter’s Education Committee. In 2005 she was recognized as the Outstanding Fundraising Professional at National Capital Philanthropy Day.
Nan and her husband Nick have been members of First Congregational Church for 35 years. Their daughters, Abigail and Rebecca, were baptized and confirmed at FCC and live in the area. Nan has served on every Church Commission and as Moderator many years ago. Nan and Nick enjoy family time with their daughters, son-in-law and grandson; travel, sports, music and almost everything.
Barno Khadjibaeva, Office Manager
***Information to come
Updated: 2/1/11
