Leadership
Rev. Susan Valiquette
Pastor
In grade 10, on a church youth retreat, she sensed a calling to ordained ministry. After high school, she completed her Bachelors of Art degree in Religion and Communication. She furthered her studies to obtain a Masters of Divinity and was ordained in the United Church of Christ (UCC). She was hired as an Associate Minister of a large 1500-member UCC congregation before she completed her studies.
Susan then applied to be a mission co-worker with Global Ministries. Susan was then seconded to serve as the Chaplain of Inanda Seminary, an all-girls secondary boarding school located in a township in Durban, South Africa. Inanda Seminary was started by Congregationalist missionaries in 1869. She served as the school’s Chaplain for 18 years.
Susan has two children, Micah and Madeline and she loves to cook, travel, practice yoga and hike the desert mountains. She believes that the church has the potential to heal the world and she feels called to be a vessel used for healing.
Spencer Sperling
Administration Moderator
Spencer moved to the Phoenix area in 2022 and quickly got involved with First Church UCC. Spencer has been active in different spiritual communities from a young age, and has found a home with First Church’s uniquely progressive and inclusive approach to church. Spencer is in his second year on First Church's leadership council, serving as treasurer in 2024.
Professionally, Spencer holds a PhD in aerospace engineering from The Ohio State University, earned in 2021. His background in engineering and research, combined with expertise in project management and analytical thinking, has been instrumental in supporting the church’s mission—especially when tackling the “how can we make that happen?” types of challenges.
Spencer and his wife, Rebekah, met while playing in a college ministry worship band. Together, they are raising their son, Jackson, and are enjoying the joyful energy and challenges of raising a toddler. Spencer enjoys making music with his family, exploring Arizona’s hiking trails, and experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen.
Teresa Blythe
Spiritual Director
Teresa has been working as a spiritual director with individuals, groups and organizations since 1997. Teresa works with people from a variety of faith backgrounds as well as those who are in-between, searching or from the "it's complicated" category.
In addition to running the Phoenix Center for Spiritual Direction and serving as spiritual director for First Church, Teresa is Director of the Hesychia School of Spiritual Direction at the Redemptorist Renewal Center at Picture Rocks in Tucson. She is a published author, blogger for Patheos (Spiritual Direction 101) and the Southwest Conference of the United Church of Christ, frequent public speaker and a full-time advocate for the practice of spiritual direction.
An ordained minister in the United Church of Christ (UCC), Teresa received her Master of Divinity and Diploma in the Art of Spiritual Direction from San Francisco Theological Seminary in 2000. She is a member of First UCC Phoenix and Spiritual Directors International.
Gordon Street
Commissioned Minister
Gordon focuses on helping people find their own spiritual connection. He grew up in Chattanooga, Tennessee, moved to Phoenix in 1988, and has been a member of First Church since about 2000. Gordon has served in many capacities in First Church leadership over the years and has worked with other churches and non-profit groups.
Gordon’s thirty years of recovery and working with others gives him special insight into the common struggle (in and out of recovery) of finding a genuine experience with God, which is the essence of spirituality instead of religion and dogma. Gordon likes to say his ministry is a gift from the recovery community back to the wider church. He currently facilitates a weekly spiritual connection group for anyone interested in exploring spiritually of any religious and non-religious tradition. He also is available for one-on-one meetings.
In Gordon’s spare time, he frequents too many coffee shops, enjoys life with his husband of 24 years and their furry children, two beagles. His fondness for beagles exemplifies his attraction to stubbornness and endearing bad behavior.