Our Staff

Praise Band Leader:

Angeline Stierch

Angie has been singing as long as she can remember. Inspired by her mother, Angie ‘followed her dreams’ and worked in the music industry for many years, pursuing a career as a singer songwriter and as a backup singer, recording and touring locally and abroad. However, after experiencing the uncertainty of the industry, Angie decided to settle down, going back to school to become an English teacher and marrying Dan, eventually becoming a proud mom to McKenna and Brady.

Over the years, with her husband’s support, Angie has kept her passion for music and performance alive, playing in local establishments and at charity events. Angie and her family joined SUMC in large part because of the contemporary music and welcoming nature of the church. She is proud and excited to be a part of SUMC’s Praise Band and to be able to share her passion and gift of music with the church community.

Director of Music and Organist:

Audrey Shultz

Audrey came to SUMC at the invitation of a neighbor, who mentioned their organist had left and asked if she could fill in. It was six weeks before Christmas. She agreed to do it through the holidays. That was 1974, and she stayed until Christmas of 1993 and retired. She had a full piano teaching schedule and was finishing up at Westminster Choir College, but it was hard to stay away from church music, so she played at Mendham Hills Chapel and then Hillside Lutheran, three years each. Then in the summer of ‘99 she ran into Rev. Mary Lou Ballentine, Pastor of SUMC at that time, at Shop-Rite. She was offered to come back. It’s hard to stay away from SUMC!

Her double major was Sacred Music and Bible (BSM) from Northeastern Bible College, now The King’s College, NYC; Church History (MA) from Newburgh Theological Seminary, IN; and Piano Pedagogy certification from Westminster Choir College, NJ.
She retired from teaching in 2007 to have more family time with her four children, eleven grandchildren and two greats. Audrey loves singing with Morris Choral Society, Unity Choir in Newton, and the Ocean Grove Choir Festival. Since her teen years she has loved making music with others and doing group Bible study, the best sources of growth and friendship.

Administrative Assistant:

Caryn Porter

Caryn has spent most of her career in a corporate environment having worked for 27 years at Prudential Insurance Company in the Underwriting Department at various positions. Caryn also worked for IMS Health, an IT company that tracked pharmaceutical sales data for 8 years. The last several years after “retiring” from Prudential, Caryn enjoyed driving for Uber and Lyft and was a companion for Home Instead Senior Care clients.

Caryn enjoys driving, spending time with family and friends, loves dogs (5 at home), and has a love for drum corps. She is a past member of The Emerald GrenaDears All Girl Drum and Bugle Corps and marched 4 seasons with The Hawthorne Caballeros 2009 – 2013. Caryn plays the drums, baritone bugle and can swing a flag!

Sexton:

Aura Smith

Aura Smith is a native of Nicaragua. Aura is a devoted Christian who grew up in a Christian home. Her grandfather was a local pastor, and she was taught to take care of the church from her early years. “It is my faith in God that sustains my everyday life, ” says Aura. She feels called to serve and help others, especially the elderly. Aura enjoys walking in nature. She has a 21-year old daughter, Angalee.