Pastors & Music Directors

The Rev. Odette Lockwood-Stewart

Interim Senior Pastor

Odette was born in Stamford, Connecticut and raised in southern California. Ordained in the United Methodist Church, she pastored, founded, and redeveloped congregations and university ministries in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area including UCLA, UC Berkeley, and San Diego State University.

With a BA in Religious Studies from California State University, Northridge, she graduated summa cum laude from Boston University School of Theology with a Masters of Divinity. While a student she co-founded the Anna Howard Shaw Center, and was delegate to the World Council of Churches Consultation on Women in Theology in Cartigny, Switzerland. She taught seminarians in the practice of ministry as Faculty Director of Community Engaged Learning at the Pacific School of Religion, teaching immersion courses in Colombia, Washington D.C., and at the U.S. Mexico border, engaging Christian theology and the public square.

Her writing includes devotionals, curricula, sermons and poetry, as well as articles on social religious history, prayer, and Christian formation. Grateful to serve with the ACP in this transitional season, “In Christ, our lives and our life together are shaped and reshaped by the Spirit. Every gift is needed. Christ removes barriers we place before the Lord’s Table or the altar of our hearts.”

Odette and her husband of thirty-five years, the Rev. Jim Lockwood-Stewart, take delight and loving pride in their four grown children, and eight grandchildren, who live in California, Oklahoma, and Maryland. Rev. Jim is a retired United Methodist pastor and a bassoonist. For re-creation, Odette enjoys reading, writing, cinema, theater, studying languages, and she revels in being a flaneuse.

The Rev. Jodi Fondell and The Rev. Doug Fondell

Interim Associate Pastors for Congregational Ministries

Jodi and Doug have been active in International Church ministry since 1998. Their first call abroad was to Immanuel International in Stockholm, Sweden where a 3 year call yielded 17 years of fruitful and meaningful ministry. Since then they served at the American Church in London, at the ACP, and at All Nations Church Luxembourg.

Prior to moving to Europe, Doug served as associate pastor in the Chicago area where his responsibilities included ministry to youth and young adults along with preaching, leading worship, working with the Christian Education board, teaching Sunday School and directing Vacation Bible School programs. Jodi served as Chaplain of North Park University, a Christian liberal arts college in Chicago where she was engaged with college-age students through pastoral care, leading and planning chapel services, and building campus ministry teams. Both Jodi and Doug have extensive experience in leading mission trips both in the US and abroad.

The Rev. Allison Wheeler

Director of Children's Ministry

Allison attended Ohio Wesleyan University, graduating with degrees in Religion and Theatre in 2008. After graduation Allison remained in her hometown of Columbus, Ohio, teaching theater classes for children and teens at various institutions and working as a Volunteer Management Intern for the Available Light Theatre Co. During this time she was also heavily involved in the youth program at Northwest Christian Church.

Allison and her husband, Jonathan, came to Paris in January of 2011 after he accepted a post-doctorate research position in physics here. Since that time she has been involved in both the youth and Children’s Worship ministries at ACP. She also began work towards her Masters of Divinity at Phillips Theological Seminary in the fall of 2011.

Allison and Jonathan are the proud parents of Josephine and Benjamin.

In her free time Allison enjoys exploring Paris’ beautiful museums, parks, and churches, as well as cooking, reading, and singing (although these days it’s mostly rounds of “Old MacDonald” to keep the baby entertained). She also enjoys spending time with her family travelling and seeking new adventures.

You can contact Allison here.

Fred Gramann

Music Director

Fred "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 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 the Embellish Handbell Ensemble of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Fred is the newly appointed director for the Bay View Week of Handbells, Bay View, Michigan, and continues to be the permanent director for Bronzefest and UK Bronze.

Natalie Raynal

Contemporary Music Director

NLM "Leading worship brings together everything I love and value most; it's an opportunity to testify to who God is and what he has done, in fellowship with other musicians, through music that I love. 'Because your love is better than life, my lips will praise you…with singing lips my mouth will praise you.'"

Natalie is a native of Richmond, Virginia who came to Paris after 7 years in Milan, Italy. After graduating from the Peabody Conservatory of Music with a Bachelors of Music in voice performance under Phylis Bryn-Julson, she continued her vocal studies with Renato Cazzaniga of La Scala. In Milan she performed in classical and jazz concerts and lead worship at the Milan Bible Church. Natalie has lead the Contemporary Service since it began in 2008, and joined the ACP staff as Contemporary Music Director in 2009. "I love the diversity of what we can do as a worship team at the ACP. The extraordinary diversity of our backgrounds and blend of classically and self-trained musicians allows each of us add our own unique style and faith experience to the blend."

Sara Barton

Director of Children’s and Youth Music Ministries

Born in Geneva, Switzerland, Sara was raised in Miami, Florida. Her first experience in music was playing the xylophone for a school play at age 5, and piano lessons soon followed. She studied both piano and later the organ, and became organist at a local church at age 15. Sara earned a BA from St. Catharine’s College, Cambridge where she studied English Literature and served as Organ Scholar. She then returned to Miami and served as organist and handbell director first at Christ the King Lutheran Church (1999-2006), and later at Coral Gables Congregational Church (2006-2008). While in Miami she obtained a Master of Music from Florida International University, whilst also serving as an adjunct professor. Sara has been a music teacher for many years, and currently teaches at École Jeannine Manuel for students at collège level. Sara has lived in France since 2008, and resides in Villejuif with her family.

Pastors & Music Directors