Meet the Team

(424) 203-6272

Tim grew up in a small town in Western New York never imagining that a larger world existed outside of what he knew. But along the way he stumbled into new experiences with new people in new places, including a move to Seattle where he fell in love, got married, drove a school bus, and eventually became a pastor.

Tim has served churches in Oregon, Paris (France) and now Santa Monica. When not doing pastor-type stuff, he likes to ride his bike, play basketball, and spend time with his wife, Maija, over a good cup of coffee or good food. Finally, Tim and Maija have three children who (in all the ways) continue to expand their world.

(310) 451-1303

(310)451-1303

(424) 203-6270

Peter Earhart grew up in a Presbyterian family of eight children in Pittsburgh, PA. His journey westward to southern California included a sixteen-year stop in Washington, DC, and a seven-year stay in Tucson, AZ. He completed his Master of Arts in Christian Education degree from Union Presbyterian Seminary in 2008. He served as Director of Children’s Ministry at Northminster Presbyterian Church in Tucson, AZ for three years and then Director of Children’s, Youth, and Family Ministry here at First Pres since 2011. He is married to Laurel and they have four grown children.

(424) 203-6273

Paula Lowe is passionate about children, families and education, and has been in the field of early childhood education for over thirty years. She was a teacher and Director of The Growing Place Child Development Center for twenty years. She is a teacher of our preschool and kindergarten children’s groups which meet on Sunday mornings and during the week. She and her husband Rob are the parents of two wonderful young adults.

(424) 203-6271

Jen Philbin was born and raised in the South Bay and served at the Presbyterian church they grew up in for over 10 years. Throughout their service to the church, Jen invested in children’s, youth, worship team, and missions ministries and has brought energy, enthusiasm, and dedication to everything they do. They graduated from California State University Long Beach with two degrees in Family Life Education and Child Development & Family Studies. “I feel so grateful to be welcomed into a church community that loves and accepts all of me. Serving here has transformed my faith in the best way.”

Mark Alan Hilt is the Director of Traditional Music at the First Presbyterian Church of Santa Monica. He began as organist in 1999 and continues to lead the choir, accompany the service on organ and piano, and collaborate with his colleagues in music, Noah Needleman and Irene Navarro. Mark began his study of the pipe organ at Wichita State University in Kansas with Robert Town, and continued his work with Marianne Webb at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. He is the Orchestra Conductor at Harvard-Westlake School, where he works with 10th, 11th, and 12th-graders in Symphony, Camerata Strings, Beginning Music Theory, and Advanced Placement Music Theory. Mr. Hilt is co-founder and Music Director of Jacaranda, where he has led a variety of ensemble works, concerti, chamber symphonies, and varied works for large ensembles, including the US premiere of Olivier Messiaen’s Song of the Deported (1945) for large chorus and orchestra.

(424) 203-6269