Erin Raska
Senior Minister
erin@glencoeunionchurch.org
847-835-1111
The Rev. Erin Raska serves as Senior Minister at Glencoe Union Church. She grew up in a Northern Idaho, and has lived in Washington, New Jersey, New York, and Zambia. It was in the northeast corner of Washington State that she met her husband Brent. From the West Coast to the East Coast she and Brent went, both attending Princeton Theological Seminary. [M.Div. 2009] Together, she and Brent, landed their first ordained position as Global Ministry Fellows at New York’s Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church, which provided the opportunity to experience the global church. After twelve months in Zambia, Africa and two and half months of travel, Erin and Brent sought a home that would encourage and nurture all that they had done up to this point. In 2011 they moved to Wilmette, IL – another suburb of Chicago - and Erin served for 9 years at the First Presbyterian Church of Wilmette. Erin values doing ministry in relationship, is invigorated by new and meaningful ways of being the church and is grateful that part of her job is to be an advocate for the stranger, particularly coming alongside refugee families seeking to build a new life in Chicago.
After serving as a pastor for five years, Brent opened Burning Bush Brewery in 2020. Brent and Erin live in Skokie – yet, another suburb of Chicago – with their two girls, Esme (7) and Brooklyn (5).
Erin enjoys any chance to be outside, particularly hiking or cross country skiing. She loves to travel, appreciates big talk – not small talk – and values time with her family and friends.
AJ Keller
Music Director
akeller312@gmail.com
847-835-1111
A.J. is an active performer, conductor and educator throughout the Chicagoland area. Prior to joining the GUC worship team, he held music positions at First Presbyterian Church in Lake Forest and Gary United Methodist Church in Wheaton. He earned his B.M.E. from Illinois Wesleyan University, after which he taught K-12 music for four years at public schools in Cicero, Waukegan, and Winnetka before beginning graduate studies in choral conducting at Northwestern University, where he earned an M.M. He is currently Director of Choirs at Beloit College in Wisconsin, where he also teaches private voice.
A.J. lives in Logan Square, where he enjoys making music with friends, seeing plays, reading voraciously and going on adventures.
Dr. Hyea-Young Cho
Organist
847-835-1111
Hyea Young Cho (her first name is pronounced Hey Young) is a native of Seoul Korea where she began playing the piano for worship services at the age of 13. She earned a Bachelor degree from Sung Sim University, where she majored in Classical Piano Performance and, subsequently, earned a Master of Church Music and Organ Performance degree at Concordia University. Hyea Young also holds a doctoral degree in organ performance from Northwestern University’s School of Music.