Meet our new co-pastors!
Rev. Veronica Johnson and Sarah Lusche are the co-pastors of Hyde Park Union Church. 

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Pastor veronica  johnson,
​co-pastor

Rev. Veronica M. Johnson was born in Chicago, IL and in the Baptist Church. Veronica earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois, Urbana/Champaign, and worked in the field for 20 years prior to answering her call to ministry in 2006. Rev. Johnson joined the pastoral staff of Greater Bethesda Missionary Baptist Church in 2010, earned a Master of Divinity Degree from McCormick Theological Seminary in 2012, and on December 14, 2013, became the first woman ordained in Greater Bethesda’s 131 year history, holding an American Baptist USA ordination. Rev. Johnson has also served in the UCC and AME churches.

Rev. Veronica M. Johnson is Senior Director of Admissions and Enrollment at McCormick Theological Seminary. She is also the mother of two academically and musically gifted children, Curtis Johnson II and Vanessa Johnson. Veronica has a passion for education, social justice, and most of all for preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ which liberates us, for as John 8:36 states, “for whom the Son sets free, is free indeed!”

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​Pastor Sarah Lusche,
​Co-Pastor

Pastor Sarah is a minister who is passionate about community engagement, multifaith conversation, and social change. While she is originally from Alabama, and often surprises/disappoints people with her lack of a Southern accent, Sarah lived and ministered in both UCC and Baptist churches in Vermont and New York City before coming to Chicago. Since making a home in the Second City, Sarah has served as a pastor in Hyde Park and as a hospital chaplain. She is a graduate of the dual master’s program in Divinity and Social Work at the University of Chicago.
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Sarah’s ministry work is characterized by innovation and the intersection between religion and the public square, always with an eye toward justice and equity. In addition to her work at Hyde Park Union Church, Sarah volunteers as a chaplain at Cook County Jail and works to build multi-religious and interfaith dialogue. In 2018, she was honored to speak on a panel at the Parliament of World Religions about the multi-faith imperative in ministry training. Sarah is passionate about interpersonal development, social engagement, and relational modalities of change. And in her free time, she likes to explore Chicago theatre, practice yoga and aerial tricks, and bake delicious pies.

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Elikem Fiase,
​Director of Music and Office Administrator

Elikem Fiase has both a BA in Business and a BM in organ performance from Coe College as well as a certificate in organ performance. Originally from Ghana, Mr. Fiase has settled here in Chicago, and we are blessed to have him here at Hyde Park Union Church.

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