We are currently seeking a new part-time pastor as this position is currently vacant. 

Elaine Palmer is Co-Minister of Music and has been a member of First Congregational Church of Antioch since 1979. She has served as musician in various capacities ever since, either on the Music Committee, in the choir or at the keyboard. She has a background and appreciation of a broad spectrum of music but, true to her roots, she holds a special place for Southern Gospel. 

Elaine began playing piano and organ at church in her teens, and one of her goals is to inspire, evoke emotions, and memories with her music. She has sung in various choral groups over the years, including the East Bay Festival Chorus and the Jubilation Singers. She has a special place for those in assisted living situations and continues to volunteer her time and piano skills at various facilities.

She lives in Pittsburg and also serves as Coordinator of Ministries for East County Shared Ministry. Her tasks include communications: eBlasts, newsletters, church directory, attendance records, large-print editions of publications, maintaining the prayer lists, and directing incoming communications (email, voice, and snail). In addition, she assists in creating some of the elements of the worship service for our guest speakers as well as scheduling those guest speakers, ensuring they receive an honorarium, and various other efforts to make sure that all collateral material is accurate and up-to-date on Sunday mornings. 

Lastly, Elaine schedules the space rental and usage of our facilities, both in-house and with tenants and other community entities.

With her blended and extended family, she has three daughters, two sons, and five grandchildren, all of whom are the collective apples of her eye.

“Where words leave off, music begins.” Heinrich Heine

Michael D. Miller has served as a Co-Minister of Music at Community Presbyterian Church of Pittsburg, since 2009. He is a lifelong musician with a foundation built on years of study as a classical and jazz saxophonist, as well as a music education major at Southern Illinois University and San Francisco State University. During Sunday services, he bridges traditional worship music with world music, classical and jazz saxophone, Afro-Cuban hand percussion, contemporary song, as well as various African American musical influences. This helps to create an inclusive and immersive worship environment, appealing to a diverse congregationMichael’s music ministry is supported by his passion for social justice. 

• Steering Committee member over 20 years with the non-profit parent advocacy group, Parents of Children of African Descent (PCAD), supporting struggling students and their families in the Berkeley Unified School District. 

• Dedicated member since 2009 of the Lucy Kinchen Chorale, an ensemble devoted to preserving the legacy of the Negro Spiritual through performances across the Bay Area. 

• Former Anti-Racism Trainer and Facilitator for the San Francisco Presbytery, providing training for Presbytery congregations. 

• Michael and his wife Kathryn, with a team of volunteers from the Bay Area, were involved in several reconstruction efforts in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina.

• “A journey of faith through the lens of scripture, music, and social justice.” This theme is central to understanding Michael's life and work. His embracing of diverse musical traditions in worship services, combined with his dedication to social justice advocacy, illustrates a life where faith, music, and the fight for justice are deeply intertwined. He uses his musical gifts to create a welcoming and inclusive space, while his activism addresses real-world issues of racial inequity and community needs.