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Rev. Virginia Lohmann Bauman serves as the Senior Pastor of St. John’s United Church of Christ, a historic urban church in Columbus, Ohio, where our city is transformed through vibrant worship, prophetic preaching, social justice witness, compassionate pastoral care, mission and ministry to the homeless and marginally housed, and a wide range of faith-filled activities for all ages. St. John’s is an Open and Affirming (ONA) church with the United Church of Christ, www.ucc.org, where the church affirms the dignity and worth of all.
Rev. Bauman is a prophetic advocate, who uses her collaborative networking skills in our diverse faith community, and her pulpit, to create a more just world for all. Under her leadership, St. John’s free Wednesday meal and outreach program for those struggling with hunger, The Largest Table, continues to grow as a transformative community-building model for churches across the country. Rev. Bauman also leads and participates with various national and state faith working groups in advocacy efforts to end hunger and poverty in our communities.
Rev. Bauman is a published author in “The Christian Citizen: Voices for Biblical Justice,” and she has served as an editorial consultant to Homiletics. She has contributed to ministry resources on local church, ecumenical, and interfaith justice topics. She continues to serve as a speaker, moderator, and facilitator in various professional and education settings. In 2015, Rev. Bauman’s seminary, the Methodist Theological School in Ohio, awarded her its highest honor: the John and Ruth Mount Alumni Award for Distinguished Service in Parish Ministry.
Before joining St. John’s Church, Rev. Bauman worked for Church World Service, the emergency response, sustainable development, and refugee resettlement ministry of 36 Christian denominations and communions founded in 1946. Rev. Bauman was one of only three people selected in the United States to pilot new initiatives for CWS, working across the theological spectrum to unify people of faith around their common commitment to welcome the stranger and love their neighbor. In 2010, she was awarded the I-CAIR for Justice Award by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Ohio) “for her stand in promoting social justice, interfaith understanding and peace” in recognition of her exceptional work in ministry.
Rev. Bauman also served in ministry as the Ohio Director for Sojourners, where she developed her expertise in faith-based education, organizing, and advocacy around the common justice issues of our day, working directly with Jim Wallis and the national staff of Sojourners. Rev. Bauman has preached all over the state of Ohio and in our nation’s capitol in her work for justice, particularly on issues of hunger, poverty, and income inequality.
Rev. Bauman further served in ministry in her home church, United Church of Granville (Ohio), and she was active at Westerville Community United Church of Christ. Rev. Bauman earned her Masters of Divinity degree from the Methodist Theological School in Ohio (MTSO), with graduate awards in Bible, theology, ethics, and Christian activism. Rev. Bauman is ordained in the United Church of Christ and in the American Baptist Churches USA. She has undergone post-graduate training in conflict transformation in church and ministry settings. Rev. Bauman currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Central Southeast Ohio Association of the United Church of Christ.
Before entering ministry, Rev. Bauman had a distinguished career as a trial lawyer and mediator, working with the law firm of Porter, Wright, Morris & Arthur. In addition to earning awards for her civic and professional achievements while practicing law, she remains a Fellow of the Ohio State Bar Foundation and of the Columbus Bar Foundation. Rev. Bauman served an eight year term on the Board of Trustees of the Legal Aid Society of Columbus. She also served on the Board of Trustees of the United Methodist Children’s Home, on the Advisory Council for the Gault Center for Christian Leadership, and on the Board of the Capital Area Humane Society. Rev. Bauman is a published author in the Ohio State Law Journal, Defense Counsel Journal, International Association of Defense Counsel Journal, National Business Institute Journal, and American Bar Association publications. She was profiled in the Columbus Monthly magazine, in an article entitled “Second Acts” (May 2006).
Rev. Bauman earned her J.D. degree from the Ohio State University College of Law, where she served as an editor of the Ohio State Law Journal and received graduate awards. She is a graduate of Denison University (B.S.) where she was a Battelle scholar and an Owens-Corning National Merit Scholar. Rev. Bauman is married to Gerhardt (Gery) Bauman, and they have a teenage daughter, who is an honors student and a champion Irish dancer.
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May Schwarz, Minister of Music, leads a diverse music program at St. John’s including: multiple choirs, the Triune Concert Series, Java & Jazz Series, Mostly Mozart, Messiah Sunday, and Taizé-style Evening Prayer. She encourages
musicians of all ages to share their musical gifts -- vocal and instrumental.
May is a graduate of Oberlin College - Conservatory of Music (Bachelor of Music), The Ohio State University (Master of Music), and Trinity Lutheran Seminary (Master of Theological Studies). She also pursued graduate studies at
Erlangen University and the Kirchenmusikalisches Institut in Erlangen, Germany. Before coming to St. John’s, she served parishes in Erlangen, Germany; Oberlin, Port Clinton, and Sandusky, Ohio. She served as Dean of The Columbus Chapter American Guild of Organists and as National Vice-President of the Association of
Lutheran Church Musicians.
Her music compositions are published with Morning Star Music Publications (Magnificat and She Came to the Banquet), Augsburg Fortress (Come, Holy Spirit, Blow Across the Waters, and psalmody in Psalter for Worship), and The Pilgrim Press (Psalm tones in The New Century Hymnal).
She enjoys playing Mozart and Joplin four-hand piano works, attending music events, composing music, travel, and spending time with her family. At St. John’s she enjoys the people, the wide variety of musical and spiritual gifts they bring, and making music together!
musicians of all ages to share their musical gifts -- vocal and instrumental.
May is a graduate of Oberlin College - Conservatory of Music (Bachelor of Music), The Ohio State University (Master of Music), and Trinity Lutheran Seminary (Master of Theological Studies). She also pursued graduate studies at
Erlangen University and the Kirchenmusikalisches Institut in Erlangen, Germany. Before coming to St. John’s, she served parishes in Erlangen, Germany; Oberlin, Port Clinton, and Sandusky, Ohio. She served as Dean of The Columbus Chapter American Guild of Organists and as National Vice-President of the Association of
Lutheran Church Musicians.
Her music compositions are published with Morning Star Music Publications (Magnificat and She Came to the Banquet), Augsburg Fortress (Come, Holy Spirit, Blow Across the Waters, and psalmody in Psalter for Worship), and The Pilgrim Press (Psalm tones in The New Century Hymnal).
She enjoys playing Mozart and Joplin four-hand piano works, attending music events, composing music, travel, and spending time with her family. At St. John’s she enjoys the people, the wide variety of musical and spiritual gifts they bring, and making music together!
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Mary Torok, Director of Children's Ministry, was born and raised in Columbus. She has a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education with departmental honors from Otterbein University.
After teaching preschool and kindergarten for several years, Mary and her husband Mike had children of their own. Molly attends The University of Dayton, studying Biology. Spencer is in high school and runs track and cross country. Mike owns his own home improvement business, and enjoys serving with Habitat for Humanity.
Mary answered the call to ministry and journeyed to seminary at The Methodist Theological School in Ohio in 2002. She holds a master's degree in Christian Education with a focus on children's ministry, and graduated with the Bishop Judy Craig Prize in Christian Education.
Mary worked at both Linworth UMC and Hilliard UMC before coming to St. John's in 2016. Mary is happy to be serving in an open and affirming church.
Her passions include advocating for the dignity and rights of all people, especially women and children. Mary is excited to see what God will do at St. John's.
After teaching preschool and kindergarten for several years, Mary and her husband Mike had children of their own. Molly attends The University of Dayton, studying Biology. Spencer is in high school and runs track and cross country. Mike owns his own home improvement business, and enjoys serving with Habitat for Humanity.
Mary answered the call to ministry and journeyed to seminary at The Methodist Theological School in Ohio in 2002. She holds a master's degree in Christian Education with a focus on children's ministry, and graduated with the Bishop Judy Craig Prize in Christian Education.
Mary worked at both Linworth UMC and Hilliard UMC before coming to St. John's in 2016. Mary is happy to be serving in an open and affirming church.
Her passions include advocating for the dignity and rights of all people, especially women and children. Mary is excited to see what God will do at St. John's.
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Dan Clark was born and raised in Columbus, and though he’s also lived and worked at churches and nonprofit organizations in Chicago, Virginia Beach, and Colorado Springs, he loves this city and loves living in here. Dan lives in South Bexley with his 3 kids, Jude age 10, Lucy age 9, Sadie age 7, and their dog, a lab/pit rescue named Molly. (All of them are named after Beatles songs, by the way.) Dan started leading contemporary worship on piano and guitar 20 years ago while he was still in high school. He then went on to get degrees in music business from Valparaiso University and theology from Fuller Theological Seminary. He wandered through various churches and denominations for a decade, but was finally drawn to make his spiritual home in the United Church of Christ, where he is a rostered clergy with Privilege of Call, because of the focus on justice and compassion, and the posture that everyone is welcomed fully.
In addition to music ministry, Dan is active in several nonprofit organizations, including Health Gives Hope which provides healthcare, clean water, and safe sanitation in rural Ethiopia, Columbus Songwriters Association which empowers the lives of songwriters through teaching, advocacy, support, and monthly showcases, and Faith in Public Life which empowers interfaith leaders to fight for social justice and the common good. Dan is excited for his role at St. John’s UCC because he senses that his call is to live, play, work, and worship at the intersection of creativity, compassion, and community. You can hear how he’s done this in these two songs he wrote and recorded: Raise Your Hands in Hope with his band Sons of Solomon and We Will Live Again on his solo project, Doxology EP. When he’s not parenting, playing music, community organizing, working for justice, or fundraising for a nonprofit, you can find Dan enjoying soccer, local music, mindfulness practice, food and wine, time with friends and family, and the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.
In addition to music ministry, Dan is active in several nonprofit organizations, including Health Gives Hope which provides healthcare, clean water, and safe sanitation in rural Ethiopia, Columbus Songwriters Association which empowers the lives of songwriters through teaching, advocacy, support, and monthly showcases, and Faith in Public Life which empowers interfaith leaders to fight for social justice and the common good. Dan is excited for his role at St. John’s UCC because he senses that his call is to live, play, work, and worship at the intersection of creativity, compassion, and community. You can hear how he’s done this in these two songs he wrote and recorded: Raise Your Hands in Hope with his band Sons of Solomon and We Will Live Again on his solo project, Doxology EP. When he’s not parenting, playing music, community organizing, working for justice, or fundraising for a nonprofit, you can find Dan enjoying soccer, local music, mindfulness practice, food and wine, time with friends and family, and the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.