meet our TEAM

Lynn grew up on a farm in Pearl City, IL—a tight-knit rural community where her high school graduating class had just 39 students. In a town that size, everyone wore many hats. Case in point: her football players doubled as halftime band members! That small-town spirit of versatility has served Lynn well in her 25+ years on staff at Grace, where she has spent the last 20 years as a full-time member of the Music Ministry. Her journey began when she volunteered to lead music for VBS. Armed with a guitar and a “why not?” attitude, she jumped in—and one opportunity led to another.

Today, Lynn oversees the Children’s Music Ministry, directing the 4th–7th grade Junior Singers and leading music sessions for Parent’s Day Out, Treble Tikes Pre-K classes, and Riverwalk Recreational students. Lynn believes nothing compares to the joy of sharing music and God’s love with children. She also serves as the Worship Leader for the 9:00AM Gathering in the Activity Center, where she is incredibly grateful for the talented, humble musicians and vocalists who make the contemporary worship a true blessing each Sunday.

Since moving to Naperville in 1986, Lynn raised two daughters—one now across the pond in London with her husband. When she's not immersed in music, you’ll find her gardening, experimenting with vegan recipes, or battling it out on the pickleball court!

Dr. Peter Jarjisian joined us as Chancel Choir Director at Grace UMC in September 2021. After retiring as Director of Choral Studies at Ohio University in Athens and serving as Director of Music at Athens First United Methodist Church, Peter and his wife moved to Illinois to be close to family.

For the last three years, he sang in NaperVoice, the community’s philanthropically oriented choir, before responding to a request to serve as Guest Conductor for The Naperville Chorus’s presentation of Johannes Brahms’ A German Requiem in April. 

José was born and raised in Chicago, and is of mixed Mexican and Puerto Rican heritage. His love for classical music, the piano and the organ, was evident at a young age. At age 11, he and his mother attended Easter mass with some members of the Roman Catholic side of the family. José knew well that this would be a rare opportunity to finally see and hear a pipe organ in person. From that moment on, he knew what he had been called to do. After mass, as they exited the church, he said to his mother, "Yo voy a tocar uno de esos cuando yo sea grande." / "I'm going to play one of those when I grow up."

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José began private piano studies at age 13 and soon discovered a knack for playing by ear. His quest for knowledge was further aided by general music classes in high school.  At age 16, he met Dr. Louis Playford, who was impressed by the knowledge that José had attained in such a short period of time and was so moved by his enthusiasm and interest in the organ, that he took it upon himself to teach and mentor him in organ technique and hymn playing for about five years.

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José has played countless services, weddings, funerals, and recitals in many churches spanning a total of nine denominations. This has taken him far and wide across Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. José's love for sacred and liturgical music is deeply rooted in the Lutheran tradition of robust congregational singing and the great Anglican / Episcopal tradition of choral music and chant. This has greatly influenced his approach to solo organ playing and accompanying.

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José currently works full time in the aerospace industry. Aside from his passion for sacred music, he enjoys cooking, learning about cuisines from around the world, architecture, science, history, languages and cultures.

Growing up in Chicago, Sue has always enjoyed music, especially singing. She and her husband, Darrel, joined Grace Church 30 years ago after moving to Naperville. Sue has been directing the Cherub Choir for about 20 years. She enjoys sharing fun songs and music activities with the choristers, as well as sharing aspects of our Christian faith as the choir learns music for worship.

Sue also sings with the Grace Praise Team, and she and her husband ring with the Grace Bell Ensemble. They have two grown daughters who also rang handbells at Grace while growing up, and all four family members were able to ring together at a Christmas Eve service this past December!

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Debbie John directs the Grace Bell Ensemble (for adults), the Joyful Ringers (for youth), and the Ring Tones (an advanced bell ensemble). She first became involved in the bell program at Grace as a volunteer in 2008 when her son first joined the children’s bell program, and kept saying “yes” every time there was an opportunity to do more with bells at the church.

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Debbie was five years old the first time she played handbells! It was a small UCC church in Connecticut with a loving director who pointed to each child when it was their turn to play the one or two bells in their hands. Debbie remembers she was only allowed one bell because she was one of the younger ringers. And was mad she only had seven notes in the song! She started flute in the 4th grade and that became her main interest until bells re-entered her life in college.

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With a Bachelor’s degree in music education from the University of Illinois, Debbie was a band director for a while and now focuses on teaching private flute lessons when she isn’t with the bell choirs. She is a member of the Naperville Municipal Band and the West Suburban Flute Orchestra, and occasionally plays her flute at church.

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Debbie really enjoys teaching, and would welcome the opportunity to help anyone interested learn how to ring!

Sherri has been our accompanist for the last twenty years. The favorite part of her job is watching the kids grow in confidence and knowledge of the Bible and music. She says, "They brighten my day!" 

Sherri is originally from Virginia and has two married sons and one precious granddaughter. She and her husband own and run a business together. 

Claudia is from Sciota, IL, a small farming community just northwest of Macomb. She graduated from McKendree University in Lebanon, IL and taught high school English for many years, interrupted for a period to raise her two sons. Throughout her life, she have continued to play piano and stay involved with music, usually through the various churches she and her family have attended.

Claudia has been a member of Grace Church for 34 years and has loved being part of the music program in some way for most of that time. She enjoys most genres of music and the way it reaches the heart to connect us. She also enjoys gardening and reading whatever she chooses, especially now that she's retired. For those who know Claudia as a generally cautious, non-risk taking person, she recently zip-lined across canyons in Mexico, and she would do it again in a heartbeat!