Diaconate Executive Committee

Seattle First Baptist Church uses a Congregational model of governance. The congregation is ultimately responsible for all policies and decisions of the church and owns the property of the church. We make major decisions as a congregation during an annual meeting. Special congregational meetings are convened for extraordinary business such as calling pastors. The congregation approves the budget for each year and elects all officers of the church.

The day-to-day governing body is the Diaconate, which is similar to a Board of Directors. This body has about 25 members and makes decisions by consensus during its monthly meetings. It includes two Members at Large, representatives from various organizations within the church, and the officers of the church.

The officers of the church comprise an Executive Committee, which deals with confidential personnel issues and any business that arises between Diaconate meetings. This Committee includes the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Lead Pastor. The President chairs the Diaconate and congregational meetings. Following are profiles of the lay members of the Executive Committee and Members at Large of the Diaconate.

Jim Segaar, President of the Congregation Jim Segaar Jim Segaar has been a member of Seattle First Baptist Church since 1990. He grew up in the Christian Reformed church and spent a time in Metropolitan Community Church before finding his way to SFBC. He has been active in the Sanctuary Choir, Stewardship Commission and Worship Commission. His passion is best expressed as a writer, and he has written a variety of meditations for the church over the years. He works in Information Technology and lives in Seattle.

Margaret Norton-Arnold, Vice President of the Congregation Margaret Norton-Arnold Margaret Norton-Arnold has been a member of Seattle First Baptist Church for fourteen years. She has sung in the choir and has accompanied other SFBC talent on the piano. Margaret is the president of Norton-Arnold & Company, an environmental mediation and facilitation firm located in Seattle. She is also the co-owner — with her husband Steven — of Norton Arnold Vintners, a small winery operating out of eastern Washington. Margaret has a daughter, Caitlin, and in her spare time she loves to travel, play music, garden, write and cook. She began serving as the congregational vice president in 2009.

Phil Mortenson, Treasurer Phil Mortenson Phil Mortenson joined SFBC to sing in the choir in 1995 and became a member two years later because he had nothing better to do. He has no idea whether there is a God but participates in worship just in case God exists. Outside of choir he chairs the Investment Committee, sits on the Stewardship Committee and acts unofficially as the legal advisor to the church. He resides in Seattle with his wife, Belle Chenault, and practices law when the spirit moves him.

Sandra Jones, Secretary Sandra Jones Sandra Jones came to Seattle in 1991 and to Seattle First Baptist shortly thereafter. She was raised as an Episcopalian and values an interfaith perspective. While at Seattle First Baptist she served several years on the Membership Commission and then was active in the Nominations Committee being Chair more than once. Sandra was one of the founding members of the Eco Spirituality Group and has been active within that group for over 7 years.

Michael Zaugg, Member at Large Michael Zaugg Mike Zaugg, local eccentric, reads Ken Wilber, hikes/camps in the winter, has been married over 40 years, raises rhubarb & raspberries, needs help with "the vision thing," is not a process person, loves his two grown children Karin and Erik (and four grand-children), sings in the choir, and needs to get a handle on what he calls his sense of humor. He is part owner, with son Erik, of a boutique real estate firm on Capitol Hill. A member of SFBC for over 35 years, he's been on the usual committees and contributed mightily to the local gossip wars. Mike is so liberal he's almost a gay Buddhist, but his wife, Linda, keeps him in check.

Dr. Melanie E. Mitchell, Member at Large Dr. Melanie E. Mitchell Dr. Melanie E. Mitchell has been a member of SFBC since 2004. She grew up in a Southern Baptist Church in rural Pennsylvania before moving to Maryland in 2000 to complete an undergraduate degree and moving again in 2003 to Seattle, WA. She completed her doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Argosy University in 2009. She served as treasurer for Friendship Circle for two years, participated as part of a mission group from SFBC to Myanmar, and served on the pastoral search committee for the current lead pastor. Her interests include running, quilting and traveling. She and her husband JJ Mitchell are the proud parents of Alston, a toddler who is growing up too quickly. She lives in Seattle.