Rev. Dr. Steve Poos-Benson
Senior Pastor

Steve’s Blog

Email
303-798-1845 ext. 19

I’m passionate about God, Christ, and life. In my personal and professional life I seek to explore the many different dimensions of how God permeates all part of creation. I’ve been a pastor at Columbine since 1984. I started as the Associate Pastor for Youth and Christian Education. I mentored under Ken Biel who is now our Pastor Emeritus. As the church grew, so did my sense of call. In 1987 my call was changed to Associate for Congregational Nurture and Care. When Ken Biel retired in 1991 I was called, by an act of God, to be Senior Pastor of the Church. It has been my joy and challenge to serve with the other members of the staff and congregation.

I was born and raised in San Diego, California. I went to Whitworth College in Spokane Washington where I majored in Literature. It was at Whitworth that I met my wife Phoebe. We were married the day after graduation. Phoebe and I migrated to San Francisco where I went to San Francisco Theological Seminary and she went to The Dominical College in San Rafael. Upon graduating we moved to Denver and Columbine. I earned my Doctor in Ministry in 1998. Phoebe and I have enjoyed raising our three kids in beautiful Colorado where we enjoy horses, dogs, running, cycling, and all things outdoors.

Mitch Samu
Director of Music and Arts

Email
303-798-1845 ext. 21

Mitch Samu is a professional Music Director, Conductor, Composer, Accompanist. He is the composer of major choral works & musicals including:  “JESUS, THE LAST MILE…”, “GOD’S TROMBONES”, “JUST A MIRACLE”,  “WE’LL BEAT THE ODDS”,  and  “MOTHERHOOD: THE AGONY & THE ECSTASY?”

Mitch has over 200 productions as Music Director to his credit during his career.  Some of his Broadway credits include:   “THE LION KING”, “SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER”,  “LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS”.

Mitch is the proud father of Willow & Orion, and loving husband of Kristen.   www.mitchsamu.com

Mitch’s motto:  “if not now, when?”

Rev. Carol Parsons
Interim Associate Pastor for Children’s Ministries

Email
303-798-1845 ext. 22

I’ve been the Interim Associate Pastor at Columbine United Church since the summer of 2007 and it’s been a fabulous journey.  My responsibilities have run gamut — you name it I’ve done it.  Flexibility and resourcefulness seem to come naturally to me.  This is my third career.  I taught English in middle school and high school for 11 years and I loved it.  I worked in advertising and marketing for 17 years and I loved it.

I was born in the Cajun country of Louisiana and grew up in Minnesota, where I earned my Bachelor’s at Mankato State College.  I relocated to Colorado in the 70’s and fell in love with the Rocky Mountains and the many opportunities for outdoor recreation.

I earned my Master’s in Divinity in 2005 from The Iliff School of Theology.  Among my seminary highlights were studying Hebrew and Greek. A little known fact about me is that I studied Nepalese before traveling to Nepal in 1994.

Whether on a mountain or in my garden, I love to be outdoors with my son and his family and with friends and neighbors.  I like reading, writing and basset hounds.

Rev. Laurene M. Lafontaine
Interim Director of Youth

Email
303-798-1845 ext. 24

As a clergyperson, my ministry opportunities have been diverse and quite interesting. Of course, it’s been, for the most part, a prolonged five-ticket ride, particularly now during my time here at CUC as the interim youth director where I am having a renaissance of my call to ministry and thoroughly enjoy being in community here.  Prior to March 2008, I served as the part-time stated supply pastor at Highland Park Presbyterian Church in Northwest Denver for a long three and half years. I was on the high school faculty at St. Mary’s Academy where I coached various teams, taught AP European History and 20^th Century World History among other duties. During my activist years, I served as the National Co-Moderator for Presbyterians for Lesbian/Gay Concerns and directed the Voices of Faith program for GLBT civil rights with Equality Colorado. My first two years following graduation from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1987, were spent as a hospital chaplain It’s been pretty amazing, considering all the challenges of being an out lesbian PCUSA clergy person.  I’m grateful for this opportunity to live out God’s call.

I currently live in Northwest Denver with my dog, Gypsy and three cats: Dante, Ellie and Abby.  I grew up in the Northwest… Spokane, Washington and graduated from Whitworth College.  I love bicycling, being outside, creating things with my hands and hanging out with my friends .

Dwight Rudolph
Business Manager

Email
303-798-1845 ext. 17

Dwight comes from Northwest Florida, and earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees Electrical Engineering at Georgia Tech in the 1970s.  He wasrecruited by Martin Marietta in 1980 as a systems programmer, and served in technical and management roles both on Government contracts and on internal IT staff.  In 1994
Dwight declined a transfer to New Jersey, took his severance pay, and became a consultant, working on contracts such as the implementation of the BLM’s oil and gas inspection system in the 1990s, and private oil and gas database systems in the 2000s.

Although a devout atheist for much of his life, after a long study of C.S. Lewis’ arguments Dwight returned to the church and joined Columbine.  He served as Treasurer from 1997 to 2000, and joined the staff as Business Manager in 2004.  He likes rabbits, oil and gas, and math.

Dot Schicktanz
Executive Secretary

Email
303-798-1845 ext. 10

Twenty + years ago, I interviewed with then Associate Pastor Steve while Ken Biel was in Germany and with the search committee chair, Bob Kettle for the position of church secretary.  I said to myself, “I’ll try the job for six months and see how it goes.”  Obviously, it went well.  I love being your secretary. The position encompasses so many things, happy times, and sad times.  I’ve seen your children grow up and I’ve helped bury a lot of very dear friends here at CUC.   You are a very caring congregation and I thank you for the privilege of working at CUC.

Dot graduated from Kansas State University with a degree in elementary education.  She and husband Bill have four adult children and nine grandsons.  She has been employed at CUC for the past twenty “wonderful” years.

Rae Bird
Parish Nurse

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I have a Bachelors Degree in Nursing from the University of Kansas.  Worked in the Pediatric Department at the University of Kansas Medical Center for 10 years. I have four children and nine grandchildren. I returned to nursing after our children were grown and worked at The Denver Hospice doing home hospice nursing for seven and a half years.  I have completed a class in facilitating Grief Support groups taught by the Grief Education Institute, as well as a course in  Basic Preparation for Parish Nurses from the University of Colorado Health Science Center.

Lee Woodhall
Facilities Manager

Email
303-798-1845 ext. 18