East Granby Congregational Church
Interim Pastor,
Rev. Pamela Rose Vollinger
The Rev. Pamela Rose Vollinger is a Connecticut native and graduate of Russell Sage College in Troy NY with a Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy. She also has a Master of Divinity from Yale Divinity School in New Haven CT. She is an ordained member of the United Church of Christ and has served churches in various positions as full-time and part-time pastor roles for churches in Fisher’s Island, NY, Berlin CT, Kensington CT, Groton CT, Manchester CT, New Britain CT, Enfield CT. Our search team voted unanimously to recommend her for the part-time (50%) Interim Pastor role we were charged to fill.
Pastor Pam, lives in East Hartford with her husband Gary. They share a love for the outdoors through walking, hiking, kayaking, biking. In fact, the day they met to sign the papers to work for EGCC, they were headed up to the rail trail starting in East Granby and expecting to get up into MA. She also enjoys travel, reading, prayer, spirituality – especially Celtic, healing, ecumenism, interfaith activities, pilgrimages and being with family and friends.
Pastor Pam plans to spend time with the staff and Ministry organization to listen and discern areas where focus is required by her, the staff and the Ministries.
Leticia Soltero,
Director of Christian Education
Leticia Soltero is our new Director of Christian Education at EGCC. Leticia is a Granby resident who has lived in Connecticut for ten years. She is originally from Texas. Her passion is to serve others as a Christian life coach. She specializes in a holistic approach to health and wellness that includes exercise, nutrition, spiritual guidance and goal setting through her business called Faithful Living.
She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Religion: Christian Counselling from Liberty University Rawlings School of Divinity, a degree in design, along with certifications in personal training, nutrition, and Christian life coaching. Her hobbies include weight training, kickboxing, reading and spending time with family and friends. Her husband Jason is a Senior Director of Technology at Travelers Insurance.
Leticia and Jason have two children, Jason (1990-2014) and daughter Ryann 19, who is currently attending Gordon College. They are host
parents to Steven, a student from China that attends The Master’s School and Sox is their pet dog that’s 100 years old! “
Mary Larew, Music Director
Mary attended Oberlin Conservatory in Ohio where she obtained her undergraduate degree in music composition. She then went on to the University of York, UK where she earned her Ph.D. in Music Performance (directing) and later completed an MA in Arts Administration from Teachers College, Columbia University in New York.
Mary brings many years of musical experience to our Church. She is originally from Iowa and has been living in Connecticut for 8 years. She now lives with her husband Sam Southgate and their 2-year old son, Pascal, in Bristol, CT.
Juli Hall, Organist
Juliana Hall (Juli) has enjoyed a colorful and varied career, first as a pianist growing up in southern Ohio. After college in Cincinnati and Louisville she went to New York City, where she studied piano, sang in a large church choir, and worked as an usher at Carnegie Hall. Later, she earned a Master's degree in Music Composition from the Yale School of Music, completed her formal composition studies in Minneapolis with Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Dominick Argento, and received a Guggenheim Fellowship.
As a composer, her works have been performed by over 150 musicians in 25 countries on 6 continents, recorded on CD, and broadcast worldwide on the BBC, NPR, and other radio networks. Juli has played at a wide variety of churches around Connecticut over the past 20 years and more recently she studied organ with Patricia Snyder at the Hartt School of Music. Juli also teaches piano in her home in Simsbury, which she shares with husband David, a cellist, and their sweet cockapoo, Pepper. Whenever they can, Juli and David enjoy spending time with their son, Sam, who is a graduate of RPI, and now resides in Hartford, CT.
Erin Schultheis
Sunday School Teacher
Erin Schultheis is our new Sunday School Teacher at EGCC. Erin is a North Granby resident who has lived in Connecticut for her whole life. She is looking to move to Westfield, Massachusetts in the next few months. Her passion is to teach and help guide children into becoming successful people.
Erin graduated in May 2019 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from Westfield State University. She also minored in psychology. Her fiancé Aaron is a paraprofessional educator at Pioneer Valley Performing Arts High School in Hadley, MA.
Erin has been trying to see as many different countries as possible and has been lucky enough to visit Mexico, Poland, and Ireland on vacations with family as well as participate in an exchange program in Spain.
Janet May,
Administrative Assistant
Janet comes to us from our neighboring town of Simsbury. She has two grown
children, a son, and a daughter.
Janet has spent most of her working years in small businesses and not-for-profit companies. She brings a wide variety of skills ranging from administrative, management, sales and event planning.
She is an avid fan of golf and loves to get out on the course and play, and
enjoys entertaining family and friends.