Alex Aronis, D.Min., Ph.D., interim senior pastor
“It is my desire to know, love, and serve Christ.”
Pastor Emeritus of both the Union Church of Manila and Kenwood Baptist Church in Cincinnati, Alex Aronis began his career in ministry by serving as a Navy Chaplain for 16 years. An ordained American Baptist minister, he received his Doctorate and Master of Divinity degrees from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena and his Ph.D. from the American University in Washington, D.C. Alex has led spiritual retreats for churches and religious organizations throughout America following themes from his 2002 book, Developing Intimacy with God: An Eight-Week Prayer Guide Based on Ignatius' Spiritual Exercises. In addition to being a minister, Alex has worked as a public relations officer and has been inducted into an athletic hall of fame. Raised in Los Angeles in a Greek-speaking family and having served in Mediterranean and Oriental ports, Alex now maintains a home in Cincinnati. He and his wife Carol have a son and three daughters.
Susan Rice, M.Div. , interim associate pastor
“To connect people with God is the most important and meaningful thing in my life.”
Susan received her Master of Divinity degree from Bethel Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota, after ten years as a counselor and five years as a grief management professor at Northern Kentucky University. A native of Cincinnati, Susan has always been involved in both contemporary and traditional forms of worship and was a member of a contemporary Christian music band. In addition to her many roles at the American Church since she arrived in September 2007, she and her husband Dave actively contribute their time to the New Life Center, a mission in Thailand which aims to protect at-risk girls from exploitation. An avid reader, Susan particularly enjoys studying the “devotional poetry” of Scripture in the ancient Greek language.
Ginger Strickland, M.Div, youth and young adult pastor
"I believe that the Gospel is good news--particularly for youth and young adults and for our world that is so broken."
Houston native Ginger Strickland earned her Masters of Divinity from Yale Divinity School and and a B.A. in sociology and philosophy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is currently working towards her MSW at the University of Connecticut. She has studied in Vietnam and worked in Israel and Palestine prior to joining the ACP in mid-2006. The oldest of three children, Ginger enjoys a close relationship with her brother and sister and makes trips back to Albuquerque, New Mexico, during breaks from her fulfilling work leading the youth and young adults of the ACP.
Fred Gramann, music director
"I highly value providing leadership for the music ministry at ACP which strives to reinforce the spoken word by providing a complementary spiritual avenue in our quest to experience God."
Fred Gramann is a native of Washington State where he began organ studies with Dr. Edward Hansen of Seattle. He earned organ performance degrees from Syracuse University and the University of Michigan, moving to Paris in 1972 for organ study with Marie-Claire Alain and Maurice Duruflé. Since 1976, he has been Director of Music at the American Church in Paris where he is organist and conducts the Adult Choir, the ACP Bronze Ringers, and the Celebration Ringers. Fred also organizes the weekly Sunday evening classical concert series. He has numerous choral and handbell works published in the United States and is the Honorary Associate Director of the Raleigh Ringers of North Carolina as well as co-conductor for the yearly European Handbell Festival.
Bonnie Woolley, MA, DEA, children's, youth, and young adult music director
"The guiding principle in all the work I do with my singers and musicians is to teach them to say: 'This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine!'"
Bonnie Woolley began directing choirs at age 15, and has been a professional choir director since age 19. She has been at the ACP since 1982 and has directed the ACP Youth Music program for more than ten years. Children’s and youth choirs from the ACP have participated in events such as the Festival d’Ile de France, concerts at the Louvre and for two French prime ministers, recording sessions (one of which was for Bob Sinclar) and concerts given in the Paris area for various organizations. Bonnie also created and directs Voices Choeur International, a semi-professional choir, Allucere, an intermediate-level choir, and the Maîtres Sonneurs, a community handbell ensemble. Through her association AMME she works with the French national education system and the French administration to promote choral singing and the use of handchimes in schools and conservatories. Bonnie has a B.A. in music and French, an M.A. and a French D.E.A. in language-teaching methodology, and is currently doing research for a doctoral degree on the relationship between language and music.