Staff
Ruth Chadwick Moore
Associate Pastor
Ruth is real. She's got a dry sense of humor. She's open-minded. She's easy to talk to. She always has a great story. She's one of those people you'd love to have at your dinner party because you know that everyone there will love talking with her, which is why she is perfect as a pastor. You can talk with her about anything, and while you see her as being "good" in the religious sense, you also see her as someone who will not be judgmental. She's the perfect balance.
Ruth was born and raised in suburban Philadelphia (where her parents owned a funeral home, so if you loved the TV show "Six Feet Under," talk to Ruth!), spent several years of her married and child-bearing life in Washington D.C., but has made Indiana her home for most of her adult life. She has an undergraduate degree from DePauw University, which she acquired promptly after high school, and a Master of Divinity from Christian Theological Seminary, which she promptly acquired a few years later.
Ruth was ordained as a Teaching Elder (Minister) at Northminster in January 2003. Her call includes working with the Deacons, the Mission Team, the Congregational Life Team and the E-Team. She and Teri share the responsibility of pastoral care. Her call means that her gift of being a good listener and one who uses her words wisely, is being put to excellent use.
Ruth is married to Mark Moore and they have three adult children.
Melissa Hopkins
Interim Christian Education Director
Rev. Carol McDonald
Parish Associate
Tim McElroy
Custodian
Marko Petricic
Music Associate Director/Organist
Marko Petričić holds D.M.A. and M.M. degrees from Indiana University and a Bachelor of Music degree, summa cum laude, from Ohio University. He is a member of the music faculty at the University of Indianapolis where he has initiated a program in organ and sacred music.
As an accomplished bayan-accordion performer, Dr. Petričić has won top prizes at International competitions in Italy, Germany, Yugoslavia, and the United States. He has performed for the Yugoslav National Radio and Television and with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra.
Marland Pittman
Interim Youth Director
Teri Thomas
Pastor & Head of Staff
Teri was born in Mt Vernon, Ohio and grew up in Ohio and Indiana. She attended Otterbein College in Westerville, Ohio. She received her Master of Divinity from the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary and her Doctor of Ministry from McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago. Although she seems to be just about as educated as she can get, she continues to be a voracious learner, and she especially loves it when she can learn something useful at the movies. One could almost count on one hand the number of sermons in which Teri does not make reference to some movie.
Before she arrived at Northminster, Teri served congregations in Iowa and Nebraska. She served in the governmental level of the Presbyterian church in the Presbyteries of Detroit and National Capital (Washington DC), where she gained a better understanding of how church policy is formed (think, "Does the church as an organized body support or not support gay marriage?" and "How can all of our churches work together to help the impoverished in the inner-city?"). In January 2002, Teri arrived as the Pastor of Northminster. We are so thrilled that her career path has led to our door!
Teri has a son, Thomas Taylor. He is married to Sara Fanucci and is working in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The couple has recently provided Teri with two beloved grandchildren.
John M. Wright
Director of Music Ministries
John Wright has served as Director of Music Ministries at Northminster Presbyterian Church since 2000. He previously served as the conductor of the Butler University Chamber Choir and as Director of Music Ministries in United Methodist Churches in Morristown, Tennessee and Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
At Northminster, John oversees the choir program; conducts Bel Canto, the Chamber Ensemble and the Chancel Choir; conducts major works with choir and orchestra throughout the year; serves as Artistic Director of Sound & Spirit, the church’s arts series; and prepares liturgy for all worship services.
A native of southwestern Virginia, John holds the Bachelor of Arts degree in music (vocal performance) from Emory & Henry College; a graduate teachers’ certification from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro; and the Master of Music degree in choral conducting from the University of Tennessee.
John is the ICDA (Indiana Choral Director’s Association) Repertoire and Standards Chair for Music in Worship. He served as the Director of the 2016 Montreat Conference on Worship and Music, sponsored by PAM (Presbyterian Association of Musicians). In his spare time, John enjoys backpacking and landscaping, and is a charter member of the Andy Griffith Show Rerun Watchers Club.