we'd like to introduce you to our amazing staff

  • Rev. Jacob Poindexter

    Senior Minister

    EMAIL 

    Jacob (he/him) sees his call to ministry as creating opportunities and practices of faith with people to build and participate in communities that welcome and affirm one another as we are and live bravely enough to believe that such a world is possible.  As a local church pastor he sees his role as inviting people to discover what grounds their faith and imagine together an abundance of hope in the way of Jesus.


    Jacob is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ. He was called as the pastor of Wichita UCC in February of 2022. He earned his Master of Divinity from Eden Theological Seminary in 2017. Jacob previously served a congregation in Anchorage, AK, where he shepherded the process of becoming a registered Open & Affirming congregation.


    Jacob's public advocacy work is focused on the power of self-advocacy, public witness, and the building of partnerships with and as part of communities most impacted by social struggles and injustices. Jacob writes and lectures on congregational social action and communal participation in the creation of a more just society. He also has varied experience as a non-profit leader, including in the areas of interfaith dialogue, social advocacy organizations, and was the founding co-director of an after-school non-profit partnership between his congregation and the local university to serve college students and their dependent children.


    Jacob and his family are originally from Kansas, and they are excited to be home and making a home in Wichita.

  • wendy lee

    administrator

    EMAIL 

    Wendy has been the backbone of this team since 1991. She oversees office operations, making sure that everything runs smoothly. As assistant to the Pastor, Wendy oversees scheduling of appointments and use of space. She is the "go-to" person on the team for reports, data, and distribution of the weekly Communicator electronic newsletter. 

  • john goering

    director of music

    John has been part of the team since 2016. He can also be found performing around Wichita in various jazz, Latin, and classical settings, including leading his own jazz trio and 7-piece Cubana Bop Latin jazz ensemble and performances with the Wichita Symphony Pops Orchestra. 


    John is an assistant music professor in the School of Music at Wichita State University, where his courses include jazz piano, jazz arranging, jazz history, World Music, and direction of the university salsa band, Banda Hispanica. Jon also maintains a private studio teaching piano lessons for students of all ages, from beginning through advanced. John earned his Master of Music in Piano Performance from Wichita State in July, 2001. For a complete resume, click here.

  • Luke harnish

    choir director

    Praised for his “luxuriant baritone” (San Diego Story), Luke Harnish is a promising young singer based in Wichita, KS. This summer, he made his Opera Kansas debut as Walter Beech in the World Premiere of Staggerwing. Harnish was an apprentice artist with Opera NEO during the ‘20 and ‘19 seasons, where he most recently performed the role of Papageno.  The previous year he sang the title role in Eugene Onegin.

    Harnish enjoyed a close relationship with Nashville Opera in previous seasons, performing several roles with the company. His concert credits include the role of Jesus in a staged production of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion with Vanderbilt University and the Baritone Soloist for Serenade to Music with the Nashville Symphony Orchestra.


    Outside of his performing career, Harnish maintains an active private teaching studio. He is also

    in demand as a church musician, working as a conductor, accompanist, and singer for multiple

    congregations.

    For more info, visit lukeharnish.com/about.