Who We Are
Creating a community
where people connect with Christ
and partner with God in making things right

Creating Community
“The Bible knows nothing of a solitary religion” (John Wesley). We don’t grow in faith isolated from each other. We need community! Through small groups, retreats, age specific ministries, and social gatherings, we’re creating relationships that offer strength, joy, and hope through all the changes of life.

Connecting with Christ
Through worship, communion, prayer, study, and conversation, we’re deepening our faith and experiencing Jesus Christ--who reveals the love of God, restores our souls, and empowers us to walk in this world with love and grace.

Partnering with God in Making Things Right
We believe God has a hope for our world, not only in the next life, but here and now. Praying that God’s will is done on earth as it is in heaven, we seek ways to serve our community and world, especially through community and global partners in housing, food security, disaster relief, social justice, equity, and more.
Click below to access our latest and past e-newsletter.
What We Believe
In things essential: unity;
in things non-essential: liberty;
in all things: love.

Faith Church is Christian
We believe with all Christians in God who is revealed in three persons: Creator (God above us), Jesus Christ (God with us), and Holy Spirit (God in us). We affirm with all Christian communities the historical creeds, and pray, as Christ did, for the unity of all believers.

Faith Church is Protestant
We believe that the church is always reforming itself, and that the Bible (the 66 books of the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament) is our primary source for ordering the faith and practices of the church.

Faith Church is United Methodist
We believe that love is not just a characteristic of God but that love is at the center of who God is (1 John 4:7). We belong to a tradition that finds its roots in the 18th century Methodist revival, led by John and Charles Wesley. The Methodist revival was a movement of small groups with the desire to truly feel the love of God and participate in God’s love for the world. Over 80 million Christians around the world trace their roots to the Methodist revival. We belong to the United Methodist Church, the largest group inside of Methodism.
This is just a snap shot of Methodist beliefs and practices. Learn more about the United Methodist Church at umc.org.
- We believe that God loves us first and empowers people to love, do good, and desire God before people ever come to know God.
- We believe, because God is love, that God honors our free will, and so we must choose to receive the grace and mercy God freely offers in Jesus Christ.
- We believe that the Christian life is a continual growth in the love of God and love of neighbor.
- We believed that tradition (the community), reason, and experience guide us in interpreting Scripture and ordering the practices of the church.
- We believe God’s Spirit is poured out on all people (men, women, young, old, of every background and race) to serve in every area of the church.
- We believe in putting faith into action. God is calling us to partner with God to make earth as it is in heaven—to end suffering, hatred, injustice, and inequality.
This is just a snap shot of Methodist beliefs and practices. Learn more about the United Methodist Church at umc.org.

Faith Church is Local
We believe God calls communities to specific times and locations to be the Body of Christ for that context. Faith Church lives in the communities of the eastern suburbs of Seattle, reflects these communities, and is called to serve these communities. We value diversity, affirm our LGBTQ siblings, acknowledge the native communities on whose land we live, seek to take greater care of creation, and partner with local groups in serving the needy of our community. We seek to continue to grow in love for neighbors, reflecting the best of our communities and, with God’s help, correcting the harms in our communities.
Clergy & Staff
Offices are located in the Talbert Building, open Monday–Thursday, 8:30am–3:30pm

Rev. Ric Shewell
Lead Pastor
Pastor Ric came to Faith Church in the summer of 2022, previously serving churches in Portland, Idaho Falls, Boise, and Kansas City. He holds a Master of Divinity from Nazarene Theological Seminary and is passionate about New Testament interpretation and helping churches grow in mission, especially in housing needs. He and his wife, Joanna, have two amazing kids and two decent puppies. He also really likes sneakers.

Pam Zajac
Operations Manager & Congregational Care Lead
Pam started at Faith Church in the summer of 2007 as Office Administrator and has worn many hats over the last 15 years. A native of Chicago, and a graduate of Indiana University, Pam married her high school sweetheart, and they have three adult children. Pam resides in Sammamish with her husband and five cats. When she’s not at church, she’s at the gym, on a hike, or watching the Cubs, the Mariners, or the Bears.

allie Miller
Ministry Director
Allie came on staff at Faith Church in the summer of 2025. She has been serving in various ministry contexts since 2016, after she received her BA in Biblical Studies and Linguistics. She moved to Seattle in 2023 to finish a Master’s of Divinity after working at an International Church in Portugal for several years. She is passionate about connecting people to Christ, community and creation. In her free time, she enjoys surfing, backpacking, and theological conversations over Italian sodas!

Emily CowGill
Music & Worship Director
Emily has been the pianist at Faith Church since 2010 and the director of music since spring of 2022. She holds a bachelor of music degree in piano performance from Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle. She enjoys collaborating with other musicians, crafting, and taking road trips with her husband and their dog. She also accompanies the Seattle Ladies Choir and various other theater/music projects throughout the Puget Sound.

Rachel Hayes
Children's Ministry Director
Rachel joined the team at Faith in the summer of 2025. She is a mother of two boys and has 20 years of experience working with children and youth as a preschool and daycare teacher, administrator, and ministry volunteer. She is passionate about trauma-informed discipleship and pastoral care. She loves coffee shops, bookshops, gluten-free treats, and being outside in nature.

Michael hand
A/V Tech & Coordinator
Michael grew up at Faith Church and came on staff in 2020 to help navigate our media needs, having experience tech and show productions. Since then, he's continued to grow and expand audio/visual and tech ministries. Michael also serves in youth ministry and always has an energy drink in hand.