Clergy & Staff

PASTOR VINCE AMLIN

Vince Amlin (he/him) grew up in Indiana and Ohio and is a graduate of New York University and the University of Chicago Divinity School.  Ordained in the UCC in 2010, he comes to us most recently from seven years as Associate Pastor of the United Church of Gainesville, Florida. Vince knows the North Side of Chicago well, having managed the Common Pantry at Epiphany UCC and served as an intern and part-time pastor at Holy Covenant United Methodist Church in Lake View while he was a student. Vince is a talented preacher who is part of the UCC’s “Next Generation Leadership Initiative." 

He also writes devotionals for the UCC’s national website, and loves to sing.  He and his wife Rachelle, a licensed clinical social worker, have a daughter, Nola.

Vince’s hours:
Sun, 6am - noon
Mon - Wed, 9am - 3pm
…plus meetings and events, as scheduled

You can reach him at vince@bethanychicago.com

PASTOR REBECCA ANDERSON

Rebecca Anderson (she/her) is ordained in The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), with standing in the UCC. She’s a graduate of Hampshire College (playwrighting) and the Divinity School at the University of Chicago. Active in the Chicago storytelling scene, she’s performed with events like RISK!, 2nd Story, The Moth, This Much is True, and The Paper Machete. She’s the founder and head honcho of Earshot Stories, running storytelling workshops across the country. Rebecca is a 2025 recipient of a Reflective Leadership Grant from Leadership Education at Duke Divinity.

A weaver, gardener, fair weather cyclist and starry-eyed pessimist, she’s always looking for the least crowded forest preserves, knows the best places to pick juneberries, and almost certainly wants to have coffee with you.

Rebecca’s hours:
Sun, 6am - noon
Mon - Tues, 9am - 3pm
Thurs, noon - 6:30 pm
…plus meetings and events, as scheduled

You can reach her at rebecca@bethanychicago.com

MINISTER OF CHILDREN & FAMILIES

Xander King (he/him) is a bird watcher, a mediocre gardener, and huge fan of karaoke rooms. He is an ordained minister in the UCC. He has been connected to Bethany UCC since 2018 and is set for ordination as a minister in the United Church of Christ (UCC) in 2026. He found Bethany while attending Loyola University Chicago and is a graduate from University of Chicago Divinity School. He is also a Chaplain candidate in the Army Reserves. 

He is passionate about helping kids learn to love the world around us through paying attention to our environment, our neighbor's needs, scripture's stories, and our own experiences. You can often find him identifying flowers or looking for wildlife at Horner Park.

Reach him at Xander@bethanychicago.com

STUDENT PASTOR

Annika Fuller (she/they) is a second-year graduate student at the University of Chicago’s Divinity School, where she is striving to obtain a master’s in divinity and a master’s in social work. She is pursuing ordination in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and is currently under care in her home state of Florida.

Annika has been singing in church since before she could talk and has served as a worship leader in various churches since the age of 13. As a classically trained vocalist and pianist, she finds joy and purpose in sharing her gifts as a musician with her faith communities. She also loves nature, reading, and lifting at the gym. 

Social justice issues, interfaith connections, and ecumenical work are just some of the focuses of Annika’s ministry. One of her goals is to create more LGBTQ+ affirming spaces for faith followers of all backgrounds. She is incredibly committed to learning and listening to other people’s perspectives and stories. 

This Florida girl has only had to brave one Chicago winter so far, but she looks forward to continuing to live in this beautiful city with her partner, cat, and dog.

Yasuko Oura (she/her) is the Music Director at Bethany. She started subbing for Bethany UCC over a decade ago, and she is excited to be the current music director. When she is not at Bethany, she teaches collaborative piano at Northwestern University's Bienen School of Music.  She is also on the faculty at North Park University.  Additionally she works for many prominent musical institutions in Chicago such as Lyric Opera of Chicago, Chicago Opera Theater, Music of the Baroque and Grant Park Festival Chorus.  She earned her doctoral and master's degrees from The Juilliard School, and her bachelor's degree from Oberlin College. 

Jordan Harris (they/them) is the Office Manager at Bethany. They are a trained classical vocalist, a theatre and performance artist, an arts educator/facilitator, and they recently published a new play! They love working at Bethany and they’re glad to be part of the team.

Kelli Manning, MDiv. (she/her) (Pastoral Intern 2024-2025)

Kelli seeks to walk with people in the unknowns, unexpected changes, and dynamic grief. Her career path leads her to hospital chaplaincy, eventually specializing in trauma 1 emergency department. As she is a Member in Discernment through the UCC, she will pursue her Chaplain Residency at Rush University Medical Center in the Fall of 2026. Originally from Racine, Wisconsin, Kelli has called Chicago home for the last 10 years, loving to stay active on her inline skates, host a party and find a place to dance Cumbia or Bachata. She is often part of community advocacy and justice work, dedicating herself to oppose oppressive systems, practices and ideologies. She received a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology and an MDiv. at McCormick Theological Seminary. Bethany UCC is one of many beautiful communities Kelli has dedicated herself to enriching, learning from and living alongside.