Staff
Meet the people who work (and play) here. Our dynamic staff is committed to crafting impactful worship, enriching educational opportunities, deep care during life's important transitions, and an environment that follows the radical example of Jesus.
The Reverend Robin Bartlett was called as Senior Pastor to the First Church in Sterling in May of 2014. She holds dual standing in the Unitarian Universalist Association and the United Church of Christ. Pastor Robin is a 2013 graduate of Boston University School of Theology (Masters of Divinity), and holds a Master of Arts in Counseling/Psychology from Lesley University in Cambridge, MA. She believes that our shared religious purpose is to learn how to love especially when it’s hard, and to heal division in our communities and the world.
Check out Pastor Robin's sermons on her website: revrobinbartlett.com/
You can contact Pastor Robin via email: robinwbartlett@gmail.com, or, in the case of a pastoral emergency, on her cell phone: 617-717-4011.
Ryan joined First Church as the Office Manager in June of 2023. He has a Masters degree in theology and spends his Sundays working with families at a church in Arlington, MA. He believes ministry comes in all forms and has experience working in church offices as well as Sunday School and Youth Group settings. He resides in Rutland with his partner, son, and dog. When he's not doing something for a church, he enjoys running, hiking, experimenting with new recipes, and preparing meals for guests.
Contact Ryan at admin@fcsterloing.org or 978-422-6657
Abby Haynes is a professional musician and teacher who has been involved with creating music in the church since her childhood. She started as music director at First Church in the summer of 2023 and is thrilled to be a part of this warm and welcoming community. She enjoys and employs many different styles of vocal and instrumental music in worship. She will be working with the church choir beginning in September of 2023 and is looking to expand musical opportunities for the First Church family in the coming years. Abby teaches orchestra in the Wachusett School District grades 5-8, along with singing professionally in the Boston and Worcester area. She has a love for string instruments, and plays violin, viola, and cello. She lives in Princeton with her husband and four daughters.
Contact Abby at 88keys@fcsterling.org
Jannatha (Janna) Coffin grew up in northern Maine and began taking piano lessons at the age of 5. She started teaching piano and dance lessons in her town when she was 15 and performed in her first musical theater production at the age of 12. Janna received her B.A. in Theatre from Florida State University and continued her studies at Emerson College where she earned an M.A. in Theatre Education. She plays piano, flute, bells and xylophone in addition to singing various styles from classical to pop.
Janna has been an educator and performer for over 25 years. She’s been a youth choir director, accompanist and music director for several UCC churches and is thrilled to be here at First Church! Janna owns and teaches piano and voice at New City Music Studio in Marlborough. She and her partner, Jim Gaudette have a guitar and vocal duo called January Station and live in Clinton with his 13 year old daughter, Lilly and her 15 year old son, Nathaniel.
Janna will be playing the piano, organ, accompanying the choir both at church and in their rehearsals, and helping Abby Haynes start up bell, children’s and youth choirs.
Kate Sheridan has been a vocalist for First Church since 2019, expanding into a variety of ministries (Pizza Church, OWL, confirmation, off-the-cuff children's messages) before officially taking on the role of Director of Youth & Adult Programs. She has worked extensively in the arts and education alike, with a B.A. in Theatre from Holy Cross, an M.A. in Educational Theatre from NYU Steinhardt, and many many years of childcare experience (middle school special education, 10 years as a private nanny for infants through teenagers, living with twenty-four 19-year-old boys as a college RA...). As an artist, Kate currently serves as Education Director for Reagle Music Theatre in Waltham, MA, is a regular director, performer, and instructor at Theatre at the Mount, and has worked at institutions state-wide including: The Hanover Theatre Conservatory, Walnut Hill School for the Arts, Massachusetts Educational Theatre Guild, and Slate Casting. Her faith journey continues to be greatly rooted in the Jesuit values of reflection, service, and finding God in all things (including a good song, a good show, and a good slice of pizza).
Tony is the kind uncle you never knew you had. A plumber by training, he can fix anything, and always greets everyone at church with a smile. If something needs fixing, Tony's your guy. Any time something is hung up, laid out, or made to look nice in the sanctuary, Tony probably did it.
If you see a picture of an event at First Church or watch one of our services online, odds are that Linda was behind the camera. She has been capturing our community with her camera for years, and she has given us the gift of documenting our church life. She also took all of the photos on this website!
Helen Hill has recently retired as our church administrator, a position she held since 1995. Presently, she is working part-time helping us manage budget, finances and payroll. Helen is passionate about the Sterling Community Theater, and lives in Sterling with her husband, Bob, and two sons.