Our Church Leadership

Our Church thrives because of the energy and style of the people who have stepped up to lead. Here are a few of the people that make our church community special.

Rev. Dr. Diane Baker
Pastor
Before opening her private counseling practice in 2000 Diane Baker worked in corporate America for 16 years. She holds a Mechanical Design Engineering Technology degree from Michigan Technological University; a Bachelors in Psychology and a Masters in Counseling from Oakland University with a Post-Masters specialization in Marriage and Family Counseling; She also earned her Masters of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees from Ecumenical Theological Seminary. Her Doctorate in Ministry focused on how church leaders can become more mindful through family systems-based conflict training.  Diane also has trained extensively through the Lombard Mennonite Peace Center on how to work effectively with conflict in churches.  She has a heart for and interfaith relationships and creating healthy churches. She enjoys golf, scuba diving, landscaping and decorating and lives in Clarkston with her husband Dean.

Cathy Maher
President of Bethel UCC Council
Cathy has over 25 years of experience with non-profit organizations in fundraising, communications, marketing, program management, and executive leadership. Most of it has been in religious organizations. Cathy is currently the Executive Director of Detroit Friendship House.  Previously, Cathy has worked as the Director of Annual Fund and Donor Relations at Ecumenical Theological Seminary in Detroit where she also directed their outreach program, a soup kitchen called Everyone Eats. Cathy also directed the Annual Fund and Special Events for the Capuchins Ministries in Detroit and was a marketing director for several Catholic Schools in Detroit. Cathy has one daughter and one granddaughter who live in Chicago.

Julie Charron
Member of the Bethel UCC Council
Information coming soon.

George H. Marshall, Jr.
Member of the Bethel UCC Council
Resident of the city of Pontiac, Michigan. A member of the New Hope Missionary Baptist Church of Pontiac for twenty-nine years, eleven of those years serving as Youth Director before joining Bethel UCC in April of 2016. Hobbies Acting, singing, arts. Loves karaoke and Diana Ross!