Greenfield Avenue Presbyterian Church

Sue Smith, a graduate of the University of Dubuque, has been an elder at GAPC for more than 30 years. After a stint teaching 5th & 6th grade Sunday School, she spent over 25 years teaching out popular Adult Sunday School.

Storytelling is Sue's passion, & she tells us: 

"As a follower of the greatest Storyteller who ever lived, it's important to me to help spread His message. It's much easier for people to engage if a speaker shares what is said as story. You know what they say: 'Gather the folks, break the bread, tell the story.' That's my favorite preaching style."

I am a 42 yr member of GAPC, I have served as an elder and deacon and also served on several Presbytery committees.  I am a widow, mother and grandmother. I oversee the church prayer chain and love all the friends I have made during my years in this church and consider them family. 

I am a lifelong Presbyterian & have served as an Elder and a Deacon at Greenfield Avenue Presbyterian Church.  I’ve been a member here for more than 20 years.    I have taught Sunday school to youth of various ages.  My full time job is in health care having worked as an EMT as well as a Pharmacy technician.  My current role is as a Medication Access Specialist helping patients better afford their medications.  I enjoy giving a sermon and writing the liturgy for the services. 

I was raised attending Greenfield Avenue Presbyterian Church. I graduated from Deaconess Hospital School of Nursing and enjoyed a 45 year career as a pediatric/neonatal nurse in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Florida and Wisconsin, with the last 28 years at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin in their Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. While attending a nondenominational church here in Wisconsin, I was involved in a ministry of Trauma Care where I was a small group leader and did some of the large group teachings. Now retired, I enjoy quilting, gardening, canning and reading.

Office Administrator 

Sheri began her journey in office work at age 7 when her dad bought a Smith-Corona portable typewriter. She was directed to type names/addresses on invoices and envelopes for his business, Goldmann’s Electrical Dept. She mastered the hunt-and-peck typing method, later taking typing at Whitnall High School where she earned honorable mention in the Spencerian Business College contest (90 words a minutes on a typewriter with blank keys). Her own business in Greendale—Seasons of the Heart (1998-2008 sole proprietor) honed her organizational skill and eventually brought her to this role at GAPC.

 Music minister at Greenfield Avenue Presbyterian, immediate past Dean of the Milwaukee Chapter, is also Music Director for the Permanent Diaconate Formation Program of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.  She frequently assists other congregations in the Milwaukee area including Congregation Emanu-El B'ne Jeshurun-Reform during the High Holy Days.   She holds degrees in organ (Alverno College ’74BM, Westminster Choir College ’77MM) and a Master of Arts/ Pastoral Studies (St. Francis de Sales Seminary ’97MAPS).  She is a candidate for the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in organ (UW-Madison) studying with John Chappell Stowe.  Her dissertation project is the “Solo Organ Music of Sr. Theophane Hytrek (1915-1992)”. Sr. Theophane was a professor of music at Alverno College and acclaimed Catholic composer.

John has maintained the financial records for Greenfield Avenue Presbyterian since the early 2000’s.  The role consists of payment of financial obligations, recording income, assisting in the management of investment accounts, preparing monthly financial statements, and advising the Session on financial matters.

John graduated from Purdue University with a bachelor’s degree in Forest Production and a master’s degree in Urban Forestry. For the bulk of his professional career, he has been a City Forester or a consulting arborist, advising smaller communities throughout southeastern Wisconsin with the management of their public tree assets.

John lives in West Allis with his partner Sue Long.  He has been blessed with two wonderful daughters, Emily and Melissa.  Emily is a very busy stay at home mom in south Florida. She and her husband Jarrod have three children, Ava, Jett, and Jordan.  Melissa is a staff veterinarian with ASPCA in Ashville, North Carolina working with a team of professionals performing and teaching high volume spay and neuter techniques, providing much needed population control services for dogs and cats.