Meet the Staff

Meet the Staff

Lake Park United Methodist Church

This page gives us the opportunity to introduce the pastor and key staff members.

Reverend Barbara Horikoshi-Firebaugh has been the pastor at the Lake Park UMC in Oakland since July 1, 2002. Previously, she served 5 years at the Ione Community UMC in Ione, CA, which is located east of Stockton, towards the foothills. While serving as pastor there, Rev. Barbara also served on the Board of the Interfaith Council of Amador, which runs the Interfaith Food Bank in Jackson, CA. She also served on the Board of Hospice of Amador, also in Jackson.

This is her second career. Previously Rev. Barbara was the Coordinator of the Asian Community Center of Sacramento Valley, Inc., developing and administering the non-profit, community-based organization’s programs, activities and policies. The agency ran a skilled nursing facility and programs for the elderly. While she was there, Rev. Barbara developed ESL (English as Second Language) classes for the Southeast Asian refugee community.

Rev. Barbara attended San Francisco Theological Seminary and graduated in 1997, and was ordained deacon in 2001. She is married to John Firebaugh and has two grown children, Robert and Renee.

James Meredith joined Lake Park as our organist in September 2002. The following biography was taken from the website of his handbell ensemble, Sonos:

A native of North Carolina, Mr. Meredith received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Master of Fine Arts degree from Tulane University. He has been a musical partner with mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade and dramatic soprano Olivia Stapp. As a solo pianist, vocal and instrumental accompanist and conductor in America, Europe and Asia, his work has brought him into contact with such artists as Elly Ameling, Elizabeth Schwarzkopf, Eleanor Steber, Gerald Moore for whom he has played masterclasses. He has been Dalton Baldwin's assistant in art song in summer masterclasses at the French Conservatory in Nice. Concerts with Ms. Von Stade include an appearance on Garrison Keillor's "A Prairie Home Companion" reaching a National Public Radio audience of over two million listeners. He has been conductor of the Oakland Symphony Chorus, been on the faculty of Merritt College and taught masterclasses at Holy Names College and San Jose State University.

As a professional musician in the classical musical community, he brings a high standard to his work with handbells. Sonos Handbell Ensemble has done much to bring the art of handbell ringing into the musical mainstream by appearing with symphony orchestras, performing on major concert series and collaborating with other well-established performing ensembles.

Since 1983 Mr. Meredith has been a clinician and conductor at workshops and festivals and has been on the faculty at Handbell Exploration and American Guild of English Handbell Ringers Directors' Seminars in Springfield and Spokane, where Sonos had been invited to play featured concerts.

Mr. Meredith is the author of many arrangements and transcriptions performed around the world. He composed a major work for handbells, handchimes and percussion, "Kodo Tryptich", premiered at the 1997 AGEHR Directors' Seminar to great critical acclaim and continues to be performed by Sonos and other groups. He is CEO of Meredith Music Press which publishes advanced music for handbells sold nationwide and internationally.

James Meredith

Organist/Pianist

Visit the Sonos Handbell Ensemble Website!

Ellen St. Thomas joined Lake Park in November 2002 as our Music Director. She has performed widely as a lyric soprano for Bay Area opera companies, including Livermore Valley Opera, Golden West Opera, San Francisco Lyric Opera, and West Bay Opera. Ms. St. Thomas recently added directing to her resume for the Russian Center Opera Company in San Francisco in its production of La Boheme, and she was Assistant Director & Stage Manager for the Livermore Valley Opera production of Tosca. Ms.St. Thomas was a featured soloist with the San Francisco Community Chorus in their performance of Mendelssohn's St. Paul Oratorio, and has worked with Kent Nagano and other well-known opera directors in various workshops.

Ms. St. Thomas taught voice and beginning piano for the Community School of Music & Arts, Mountain View, CA and is currently teaching privately and at the Alameda School of Music. She conducted several youth choruses for the Mountain View School District, and has contributed her talents to the Summersong Institute.

Ms. St. Thomas has studied voice with David Tigner of San Francisco, Paula Anglin of San Jose/London England, and Martha Randall of the Univ. of Maryland.

Feel free to come by and meet us!

281 Santa Clara Ave * Oakland * CA* 94610* 510-444-7262