Senior Pastor - Gary Staddan

Gary Staddan was born in El Paso , Texas . He graduated from Austin High School in May 1965. Gary attended University of Texas – El Paso from September 1965 to December 1966.

In 1967 Gary felt the calling to move to Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, where he attended Kenmore Christian College from 1967-1970 earning his Certificate. While at Kenmore he met and courted Judy Roberts. Gary and Judy were married in January 1970.

Gary and Judy were called to the Pastorate of Arana Hills Church of Christ in Brisbane while Gary finished his studies at the University of Queensland earning his Bachelor of Divinity degree in 1973.

After returning to the U.S., Gary and Judy served at First Christian Church in Alamogordo, NM, and First Christian Church in Leesville, LA.

Gary has shepherded the flock here at First Christian Church of Fredericksburg since November 1992. In addition to collecting primarily USA stamps and building plastic models, Gary enjoys both Christian and historical readings, playing games such as ping-pong and doing puzzles, teaching The Bible and on Christian subjects, tinkering on various projects and watching movies of yesteryear.

Gary and Judy have two daughters, Jennifer and Caralyn, and 3 grandsons, Zhane, Dylan and Clayton.

Gary serves as a spiritual director to the local Emmaus Community.

Associate Pastor - John E. Roberts

John comes from the south, and was raised in Chattanooga, TN where he calls ‘back-home’. He attended Central High School in nearby Harrison, TN, and later attended college at Chattanooga State Technical Community College (CSTCC).

In his earlier secular career, John traveled much as a Tour Bus Driver, and finally a Private Coach Tour Driver. He has seen the stars, and driven under the big ones at night. He has worked for several, with his final end run touring with Garth Brooks and several other mainstream acts in many genres of music. He has seen and visited every state except Alaska & Hawaii, and been to both Mexico & Canada. In his travels, John has been blessed with a unique perspective of life, and God has used that time to train him how to relate to every race & face.

John also has been very active in music, and has performed with several (what he calls) great players! At an early age John was impacted by his grandparents, who took it upon themselves to place instruments in his hands, with the first being the piano. In his grandparents play room he actively began tinkering with the upright stringed instrument (John calls it the “pi-any” = piano). Later, John would indulge in several different instruments, and by the time he graduated High School, he could play the most of them.

He enjoys playing music, and with his background deep in southern tradition, he has won several awards in bluegrass competitions and performed for and with several musical groups in bluegrass and Christian music. In his church “back-home” he enjoys playing with the praise and worship team, filling in with the bass guitar, where he believes he is most proficient. “A solid foundation is important and necessary to anything in life, and the bass is nothing more than a foundational instrument” John says. However, give him a banjo, a little radio or mix of ‘pickers’, and he is right at home, playing into the night, enjoying that high lonesome sound.

He met his wife Sandra D. Gray in college. He had gone back to CSTCC where he joined the gospel choir there for just an extra credit. Little did he know that God’s will was involved in this totally? It was during this time of extra credit, that God would bless John with a credit of extra! Sandra was on the front row, singing – they call it SANG’IN – to her hearts content. John began to take notice to her, and after several attempts to say the right words, he put his foot in his mouth and stumbled right on down to her (he was on the back row, and tripped coming down).

On a serious note – the one that John can’t sing – He began to be shown the beauty and the life of a young woman that not only caught his eye, but finally his heart. They traveled to Memphis, TN on a choir trip, and then they learned that there was something kindled deep within them. God began to turn their hearts toward one another. It would be later that John proposed, Sandra accepted, and the rest is HISTORY! PRAISE HIM!

John has always known that God was doing something in his life, and early on, when he was about twelve, John began to hear the voice of our Heavenly Father, and answered the call to be an ambassador to the Kingdom of God. He did not know how, or by what force, but he knew how to say YES LORD! John comes from Covington Theological Seminary in Rossville, GA, where he has completed his Bachelor’s & Master’s Degree in Pastoral Studies & Theology. He is in pursuit of His Master’s Degree in Church Management, and will hope to pursue the Doctorate in Theology.

John, along with Sandra his wife, comes to us from Sandra’s home town of Dunlap, TN. They have three small children, and four big children. In reverse baby order, climbing the steps of life, Trinity – 18 months; Thomas – 4 years; Jay – 6 years; Micah – 18 years; Kevin – 20 years; Nikki – 21 years; Amanda – 22 years. John and Sandra’s family is big, not only in size, but in their hearts.

Church Secretary - Jennifer Davidson

Jennifer came to First Christian Church in April, 2006, after having served as an Administrative Assistant at Calvary Church in Charlotte, NC for numerous years.
Originally from Thomasville, NC, Jennifer graduated from Gardner Webb University in Boiling Springs, NC in 1999 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Religious Education.

Jennifer is a member of Bethel Baptist Church where her husband, Jim, is the Sr. Pastor. She and her husband love to travel when the opportunity lends itself and their only child is their dog, Maggie, a two year old English Setter who is her mama's pride and joy!

Steve is from Centreville, Virginia. He met and married Virginia Johnson at college and moved to Fredericksburg, her hometown. As the son of a Marine, Steve lived in a different town every couple of years, so he's delighted that his wife and their children were born not just in the same town, but the same hospital!

Steve attended William and Mary College in Williamsburg. Since then, he has been a newspaper reporter, typesetter, full-time dad, magazine editor, database contributor, and teacher.

Steve has two children, Autumn, 16, and Benedict, 10.

Music Director - Gene Philipp

Gene came to us on October 12, 1981, to serve as our Choir Director. Now serving as Music Director, he has previously served as either organist and/or Choir Director at both First Christian Churches in Concordia and Salina, KS, as well as during his U.S. Navy tour in Sidi Yahia, Morocco.

Born in Oklahoma, raised in Kansas, Gene served in the U.S. Navy after attending the University of Kansas at Lawrence and the Brown-Mackie Business College in Salina, KS.

Upon entering the Navy, he completed his tour in Washington, D.C., after leaving Morocco, while serving primarily as an administrator. Gene retired from the federal government in 1994, after almost 30 years of service, from his position as Director of Security Policy.

Gene married Dianne (nee: Quante) in 1973, and they have two children, Jon and Michelle, and three grandchildren: Ashton, Kylie and Logan. They are both active in the Upper Room Emmaus of Greater Fredericksburg.

His vision while at First Christian has included serving the Lord through all types of music (contemporary, bluegrass, hymn favorites, classical, southern gospel, etc.) and letting the music and its words touch the minds and hearts to supplement "The Message."

Gene is scheduled to retire as our Music Director on August 31, 2008.

Custodian - Marie Stanley