Meet the Calvary Staff:

In July 2023 Rev. M. Michelle Fincher became the 12th pastor of Calvary Presbyterian Church.  Rev. Fincher is a native of Arkansas and attended Baylor University in Waco, Texas where she was awarded a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting. Her career as a Certified Public Accountant was short-lived, however. After two years in the field, she left to pursue the call of ministry. That call led her over several years to serve as a Conference Coordinator for the Family Ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ, as Director of Music for a military installation chapel, and as Director of Small Group Ministries for Fairfax Presbyterian Church in Fairfax, Virginia.  In 2004 Rev. Fincher graduated from Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, Virginia. She served as a hospice chaplain and as the Interim Associate Pastor for Centreville Presbyterian Church in Centreville, Virginia before being called to Calvary Presbyterian Church in Alexandria, Virginia where she was the pastor for nearly eleven years.

Rev. Fincher brings warmth, energy, humor, and a deep love of God to Calvary.  She lives (and preaches!) from the core conviction that God is present at all times, in all places, in every situation, in every person. That, she says, “compels me to actively look for what God is doing, how God is moving, and the ways in which God is speaking.”  Further, Pastor Michelle says, “I believe in the power of God’s grace to change lives, utterly and completely. I believe it makes a difference that we worship each Sunday morning in Spirit and in truth and that we pray, sing, confess, proclaim, and praise from our hearts. I believe it is critical that we know—and more importantly, live—the difference between ‘coming to church’ and ‘being the church.’  And I believe that joy is our birthright, not because everything always goes our way, but because our hope is in Christ.”

Michelle is an avid (and loud) supporter of the Arkansas Razorbacks, especially when March Madness rolls around. She is a voracious reader of theology, leadership books, and interior design magazines.  She believes dark chocolate deserves its own food group.  She is delighted to be back in Colorado after a 30+ year hiatus and to resume her love affair with the mountains and lack of bad hair days.  She is “Mom” to two exceptional adults:  her daughter, a Physical Therapist, lives in Lakewood with her husband and Murphy, the four-legged member of the family, and her son lives in Philadelphia where he also works in health care as a PTA.  She shares a home in Lakewood with her longtime soul-sister and co-adventurer in life, as well as four chickens: Chickeeta, Princess Lay-a, Hennibal Cluckter, and Hen Solo.

For Michelle, nothing is more fun, meaningful, or compelling than encouraging people of all ages along their own spiritual journeys.  She is looking forward to getting to know you!

Rev. Ruth McCollum Huff, Parish Associate, joined us as a student pastor while completing the M.Div. at the Iliff School of Theology.  Following ordination as a Minister of Word & Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church (USA), she served as the temporary supply pastor at Highland Park Presbyterian Church (Denver) while also working as a securities and corporate governance paralegal.  She happily released fulltime work as a Director of Legal Services in 2022. Ruth received her undergraduate degree in business and legal studies from Metropolitan State University of Denver, and the M.A. Writing from the University of Iowa.  She is an active Presbyter, serving as Denver Presbytery’s Vice Moderator and on the Presbytery’s Vision Leadership Commission, and the Assembly Worship Planning Team.  Ruth cherishes being one of 3 sisters, a stepmom, longstanding friendships, the arts, book clubs, cooking, her Bichon-Havanese pup, British Shorthair cat, and her Calvary Presbyterian family. 

Heidi Thomas is a Colorado native and a graduate of the Lamont School of Music at the University of Denver. She has taught Pre-K through High School Music in public schools, run her own private piano and voice studio, and been a successful musician in the Denver metro area for four decades.

Heidi took early retirement from teaching and now has her own business, Health Through Music, which teaches others how to use music as a tool for health and wellness. From parents of children and teens to students themselves, from caregivers and first responders to people re-entering society after prison and those in palliative care, Heidi’s message and music reach across all demographics to help anyone learn how to use music intentionally for their physical, mental, and emotional health.

Heidi continues to offer live piano music in retirement centers, hospitals, and hospices, as well as being an accompanist for area churches, schools and universities throughout the Denver/Boulder metro area.

You can learn more about Heidi’s work, hear examples of her music, and contact her on her website at www.HealthThroughMusic.com .

Emily Lewis joined Calvary Presbyterian in May 2018. She is a freelance violinist and violist, performing a range of musical styles from classical to bluegrass. She is currently a member of Sphere Ensemble, a vibrant Denver chamber music ensemble, and plays in the pit orchestra for the Main Stage productions at the Arvada Center. Emily also teaches violin/fiddle and viola privately, and at Do Re Mi Lessons.