Meet the Team
While we have a devoted team of individuals who keep things running, we also pride ourselves on the virtues of Congregationalism, holding true that all members of the church are spiritually equal.
Meet Our Pastor – Pastor Phil Kirui
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We are blessed to welcome Rev. Phil Kibet Kirui as the 9th settled pastor of Pilgrim Congregational Church in Green Bay!
Born in Nairobi, Kenya, into a Christian family, Pastor Phil has served in diverse ministry and leadership roles for over two decades. God’s call on his life became unmistakable while he was working as a paralegal, having earned a Diploma in Law and pursuing a Bachelor of Laws degree at the University of South Africa (UNISA). From that point on, his passion for ministry flourished, impacting lives locally, nationally, and internationally.
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At the age of 25, he was appointed as a regional Christian youth leader with the African Inland Church, coordinating Christian youth activities across some 350 churches. He would later serve as a Mission Director with Youth for Christ Kenya and a team leader for AFLEWO (Africa Lets Worship), an international prayer and worship movement, where his transformative leadership was evident. He served for several years in Kenya as a Pastor before moving to the USA.
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Pastor Phil has been honored for his service, including his immense contributions to the Boston community as an international student president and graduate assistant in the Spiritual Life Office at Boston University. He served as a student chaplain at Brigham and Women's Hospital and as a pastoral intern for 2 years at Ruggles Baptist Church in Boston, Massachusetts.
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Rev. Kirui holds a Bachelor of Theology from Scott Christian University (Kenya), a Master of Divinity degree, and a Master of Sacred Theology from Boston University. He earned a Certificate in Religion and Conflict Transformation from the Boston Theological Interreligious Consortium and Unit of Clinical Pastoral Education at The Brigham and Women’s Hospital. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Intercultural Studies at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.
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Pastor Phil is married to Winnie Kirui, and they are blessed with a son, Alpha. They are all very excited about moving to Green Bay and find the community very similar to their home country. He looks forward to sharing his giftings and talents with a community. When not engaged in his pastoral role, he will be either socializing, watching a movie, or simply enjoying a glass of whole milk and cheesecake.
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Pastor Phil believes the church is called to be a life-giving, diverse, and Spirit-filled community that reflects Christ’s love. He is thrilled to walk alongside Pilgrim Congregational Church in modeling a Christ-centered, people-centered, and mission-focused ministry locally and to the greater Green Bay community.
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Senior Pastor Phil Kirui
Licensed Lay Minister
Polly Bodjanac
Polly has been a licensed Lay Minister since 2013, having completed her training through the Wisconsin Congregational Association Lay Ministry and Leadership Program.
She sensed a call into ministry in 2007 when she began providing pulpit supply for PCC when our senior minister took his annual 4-week vacation. Her spiritual gifts are teaching and preaching, administration and leadership. She has been an alto in the chancel choir for the past 9 years and has held a variety of leadership positions in the 38 years she has been part of the PCC family.
Currently, she is the Administrator of the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches (NACCC) Lay Ministry Program. She has a passion for raising up leaders within the local church and equipping them to use their gifts to strengthen the church.
She lives in Allouez with her husband Mike. They have 3 grown children and 5 grandchildren.
Music & Choir Director
Dick Cayer
Dick began playing the piano at the age of 5 and began lessons at age 7. By the time Dick finished Junior High School, he had memorized the entire Methodist hymnal. His love of music led him into a variety of musical opportunities throughout his youth. He played for the Green Bay Recreation Department for kids' dance lessons at age 14. At 16, he became the organist at Zion Lutheran Church and was also Choir Director for Suamico Methodist Church.
When he was 18, he became the organist for PCC and was the first organist in the new church building. He remembers the symbolic “burning of the mortgage” just after the first year of the construction of the beautiful building designed in the style of Massachusetts architecture. At that time, choir practice was held at the home of Cliff Wall, Sr. Dick was very proud to be a part of the church and its rich history. When it was time for him to leave for college in Madison, the church presented him with a check to cover his first semester’s tuition.
In 2002, Pastor Gary Pierce approached Dick about returning as organist of PCC and he accepted. Although he has been the pianist/organist in many places throughout his lifetime, PCC is his favorite!