Who We Are

Rev. Dr. Randle (Rick) Mixon began serving as Interim Pastor of First Baptist Church of Ann Arbor in October 2024. Rick is an ordained American Baptist minister with over 50 years of experience in pastoral ministry, church leadership, and social justice advocacy.

He served as the Pastor of First Baptist Church of Palo Alto, California from 2006-2020 and has served as Interim Minister for four congregations over his career – Dolores Street Baptist Church, San Francisco, CA; First Baptist (now United) Church of Granville, OH; Fairview Community Church, Costa Mesa, CA, and Old Cambridge Baptist Church of Cambridge, MA. He is a long time member of Lakeshore Avenue Baptist Church, Oakland, CA, the church that ordained him in 1996 as the first openly LGBTQIA+ Baptist to be ordained.

Rick has also been involved in various regional and national organizations, such as the Alliance of Baptists, the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists, the Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America, the American Baptist Minister’s Council, and the Santa Clara County Council of Christian Churches. Currently he serves as Affiliate Professor of Pastoral Care at Berkeley School of Theology in Berkeley, CA, and emeritus board member of the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists.
Rick brings to First Baptist Church of Ann Arbor a passion for preaching the gospel of love, grace, and liberation, a commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive community of faith, and a vision for engaging in prophetic witness and service in the world.

Education:
Ph.D., Religion and Personality, Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, CA
M.Div., The American Baptist Seminary of the West, Berkeley, CA
M.S., Marriage and Family Therapy, California State University-East Bay, Hayward, CA
B.A., English, Columbia College of Columbia University, New York, NY

​Xan joined the staff team in early 2017. She has years of experience in the field, as the Director of Children and Family Ministries for nine years at St. Clare’s Episcopal Church and as a Middle School math teacher at Ann Arbor Christian School for five. Xan graduated from the University of Michigan in 2004 with a Bachelor of Science in Education. Xan and Kevin have three children – Emmanuel, Asher and Piper. They love to play team sports, knit, kayak, and act for justice together. Xan and Kevin take their role as the primary faith formers in their children’s lives seriously. Xan is passionate about creating time and space for kids to meet with God and about partnering with the parents of First Baptist Church as they guide their children on their faith journeys.

Christina Alaniz serves as the FBC Childcare Supervisor and, in November 2024, joined the staff team as the Associate for Youth Ministry and Communications. She is a long-time member of FBCA2, having grown up in the church. She received her Bachelor of Arts at the University of Michigan School of Public Health in 2019. She then moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where she assisted with community-based participatory research projects and earned her Master of Public Health degree at the University of New Mexico. After several months traveling through Europe and living in Spain, she is happy to be back with her church family in Ann Arbor and is excited to part of the team.

Bonnie Kidd has served as our Sanctuary Choir Director since 2011. Prior to becoming the choir director, she was serving as the soprano section leader for the choir for more than 20 years. Bonnie is also the Concert Choir conductor of the Ann Arbor Youth Chorale, a community children and youth choir in Ann Arbor. In 2021, she retired from the Ann Arbor Public Schools where she served as Director of Choirs at Tappan Middle School, and Co-Director of Choirs at Huron High School for almost 29 years. Bonnie trained as an opera singer at the Juilliard School and Boston University School of Music. She received her Bachelor of Music Degree in vocal performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music, and her Master of Music Degree in vocal performance from the University of Michigan. She lives in Ann Arbor with her husband Bob. They have one son, Sam, who is also an opera singer. Bonnie and Bob offer their home and love to many beautiful and wonderful cats!

Shin-Ae Chun has been serving First Baptist Church of Ann Arbor as Organist since 2011, helping the congregation from the three-manual Robert Noehren Organ to praise God in worship. She also accompanies the sanctuary choir and provides worshipful music with instrumentalists. Separately from her responsibilities at church, she runs the Ad Libitum Concert Series (October-May) connecting local audiences and professional musicians from all places through variety of music.

Shin-Ae received degrees from the University of Michigan in Organ Performance (DMA) and Harpsichord Performance (MM). She also holds degrees from Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea, in Nursing Science (BS), Church Music (BM) and Organ Performance (MM). She is a concert organist and harpsichordist represented by Concert Artist Cooperative and has given concerts on festivals and concert series as soloist and with ensembles and orchestras in the U.S, South Korea, Germany, Poland and Romania. She has two organ solo recordings: The Angels Dance and On Cherubim Wings. Music selections from these CDs were featured on Pipedreams, a nationally broadcasted radio station devoted to organ music in the U.S.

For more information, visit www.concertartistcooperative.com/shin-ae-chun

Kat Becker has been with FBC for more than nine years. Prior to that, she spent over 20 years working in the financial industry, including working and living abroad for eight years. As church administrator, Kat wears a lot of different hats at FBC, and can usually be found running around the church buildings, checking up on things.

Kat went to Kenyon College and NYU Stern School of Business. She was co-captain and assistant coach of the Kenyon Women’s Varsity Soccer team. She grew up on Long Island (NY) and eventually made her way to Ann Arbor, by way of London and Paris. She is happy to be in Ann Arbor and close to family. Kat is a loving aunt to three nieces and three nephews. She is an avid reader and loves music, cooking, walking, and needlepoint.

In October 2017, Lee Foley joined our staff as our half-time Facilities Manager. With a deep background in facilities management and maintenance, Lee has worked on a contract basis for a number of years on various church facilities projects. In his position as Facilities Manager, Lee is responsible for managing the daily continued operations, maintenance, and safety of our buildings and grounds.

Paula became a member of First Baptist Church in 2012. She followed her husband, Allen, from Ohio who is currently a professor at the University of Michigan. At that time she was working at the Cardiovascular Center at Michigan Medicine as an Administrative Manager. After retirement from Michigan Medicine she wanted to continue in a way that was helpful to others while still utilizing some of her professional skills. She immediately began Chairing Trustees and recreated the once active Personnel Department. She began working in the office on Tuesdays and Thursdays where she spends most of her time working on Personnel and Trustee functions. Being in the office has given her a clear idea of what is involved in day to day operations which has been invaluable as she continues to Chair Trustees and Personnel and now Chair of Interim Transition Team! She loves the work she is doing for FBC and hopes to be able to continue to help in some way in the years to come.

Janice was married and raised her family at First Baptist Church. She is a pharmacist and retired from the University of Michigan College of Pharmacy in 2019. She enjoys her time volunteering in the church office, primarily serving as Xan’s intern.

Paul began his ministry at First Baptist Church of Ann Arbor in January 2001, having previously served in pastorates in Missouri and Kentucky. He and his wife, Stacey Simpson Duke, served as Co-Pastors for over 20 years before his retirement in June 2024. Prior to moving to Ann Arbor, Paul was Professor of New Testament, Preaching, and Worship at McAfee School of Theology, Mercer University, in Atlanta, Georgia. He continues to teach preaching as an adjunct professor. He holds a Ph.D. in New Testament and a Master of Divinity from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky. His publications include several articles in three different volumes of Feasting on the Word: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary ​and ​Feasting on the Gospels (Westminster/John Knox Press). He has written several books, including The Parables: A Preaching Commentary (Abingdon Press, 2005), Anguish and the Word: Preaching That Touches Pain, with David N. Duke (Smyth & Helwys, 1992), and Irony in the Fourth Gospel (John Knox Press, 1985). He has also written numerous articles and the texts for several hymns, anthems, and songs. He has been a guest lecturer at various seminaries, universities, colleges, and professional conferences.

Stacey began her ministry at First Baptist Church of Ann Arbor in 2001 as Co-Pastor, working alongside her husband, the Reverend Dr. Paul Simpson Duke. She also served as Campus Minister for the American Baptist Campus Foundation at the University of Michigan and as Youth Minister. Previously, she was the pastor at Fellowship Baptist Church in Edison, Georgia. Stacey held a Doctor of Ministry in Gospel and Culture from Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia, and a Master of Divinity from Candler School of Theology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia. Her publications include a chapter in the book There’s a Woman in the Pulpit, several articles in volumes of Feasting on the Word: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary and Feasting on the Gospels (Westminster/John Knox Press), and numerous essays, articles, and chapters in various other publications. She was an invited guest presenter at both church and professional conferences, as well as a camp pastor and retreat leader in a variety of settings.

Stacey was vibrant, fierce, intelligent, creative, resilient, and filled with life and love. Her smile and gaze warmed the recipient; her laughter was readily shared. She was passionate about writing, teaching, preaching, knitting, singing, reading, improv, cooking, baking, and being a good friend and a great mom. She had a large online following as she lived with and documented her 6-year experience with stage-four cancer (leiomyosarcoma). Her posts on Substack, Facebook, Twitter (@revdrduke), Instagram and TikTok (@dr.staceyduke) were honest, informed, and inspiring to many.

Stacey has left a legacy of countless people whose lives were deeply touched by her example, her faith, and her love. The spirit, creativity, and hospitality of her long and faithful ministry at First Baptist Church continue to inspire our congregation. Stacey has made an indelible contribution to our commitment to following Jesus in the ways of justice, mercy, and humility.

Stacey’s full obituary is available online.