Our Staff
Rev. Steve Awbrey
Interim Pastor
Rich Cook
Director of Music
RickyB
Office Manager
Brad Jewell
Bookkeeper
Our Church Council
The Leadership of our church, the Congregation Council, is a strong team of volunteers elected by the congregation to carry out the business of the church and support its ministry. The Council is charged with all financial, administrative, business, personnel, and structural guidance. Please feel free to contact our Council Members with your questions and ideas about how we “build a church.”
Karen Walton, President
Hi, I’m Karen Walton, I retired from my 38-year career in Insurance Risk Management in August of 2019 to enjoy more time on my hobbies of photography, traveling, cooking and attending cultural events of all kinds which came to a screeching halt due to covid! My husband of 35 years, Steve and I first attended River of Hope while wintering in Palm Springs for a couple of months in 2023, we were sad to leave to go back to Chicago and couldn’t wait to came back in 2024; we loved the area and weather so much that we made the decision to move as lifelong Chicagoans to Palm Desert in March of 2024 and the rest is history. As a lifelong Lutheran I have been involved in the church since my teenage years as an acolyte and communion assistant. In my adult years I’ve served as chair of the altar guild, have been a member, president and secretary of various church councils, chair of a call committee and co-chair of the Homeless Ministry, all in the Chicago area. I become part of RoH Council and accepted the role of Vice President in May 2025 and became President in February of 2026. I look forward to serving the congregation of RoH in any way I can.
Ken Forney, Vice President
Ken has served multiple churches as Organist, Pianist, Choir Director and/or Council member for over 40 years, including 10 years at Bristol Lutheran Church ELCA as Director of Music Ministry. In his secular life his background is in finance and non-profit management. After frequent visits to Palm Springs, Ken moved to the desert full time in September 2019 accepting the role of Director of Music for Bloom in the Desert UCC. His first experience with River of Hope was a Sunday evening service at Temple Isaiah that fall. Then came COVID and he ended up serving every Sunday for Bloom, leading all music from his home, on Zoom for over a year. Ken lives with his fiancé Augustus, friend Brian and Brian's cat Raven in Cathedral City.
Paul Daniels, Secretary
Hello, I am from Minneapolis, where most of my family lives, including my 2 daughters and 4 grandchildren. I'm able to see them quite often as I am still working on a monthly basis. I love being here in Palm Springs all of the other time. I'm excited to be serving on council at this time in the young life of River of Hope. We are poised to continue growing and offering an important worship and service community to Palm Springs and beyond. I have served on church council and as congregation president in other churches. I am grateful to bring what I learned in those previous settings to this exciting, and at times challenging, setting we find ourselves in today. I look forward to the months and years ahead to see what God has in store for us as we seek to do God's will for the sake of our neighbor in this place—and beyond.
Brad Jewell, Treasurer
Hi, I’m Brad. I’m originally from Kalmazoo, Michigan. My husband and I met there in 1977 and moved to Atlanta in 1989, following my career in Healthcare IT Consulting, working for clients in both technical and management roles. A contract in 1999 first brought me to Palm Springs. I immediately went home to Atlanta for the weekend and told my husband, “I found the place we should move to”. It wasn’t until 2005 that we actually made the move! My career evolved into both client management and project management, eventually setting up my own business specializing in project management and designing and implementing custom project management methodologies. It was a great career working with clients in every part of the country!
When I learned of the formation of a new ELCA Lutheran church in Palm Springs, I immediately joined the original Launch Team. At one of the first Launch Team meetings in 2019 where we were planning for our first Easter Sunday service (in Victoria park), I was “volunteered” to be the bookkeeper. I’ve been in that role ever since. It’s been wonderful to be part of such a close-knit group of friends as we continue to grow as a church family. River of Hope is a special place! I rarely miss attending a Sunday service!
John Dubler
John Dubler is a retired IT Project Manager who has lived in Palm Springs since 2020. He is married to his husband for the last 11 years, and enjoys traveling and cooking. John enjoys running and recently joined the Palm Springs Gay Men's Chorus. He grew up in the Chicago area, moved to NY (where he met his future husband), and they moved to Los Angeles together over 35 years ago.
Marc Anderson
coming soon
Max Wipperman
My name is Max Wipperman and I started attending River of Hope in March of 2023 and knew immediately it was a perfect fit. My partner and I moved here from MN 10 years ago after being seasonal residents for 9 years. During all those years I had been attending Our Saviors and I can only say how happy I was when I found River of Hope. I was member of an ELCA church in MN for 25 years so it immediately felt right. Not only did it feel right but the preaching, the music and the people keep me coming back. Sadly my partner of 53 years passed away in April of last year and I must credit the spirituality I received at River of Hope and the friendship of many of its members for helping me through this very life altering event. I look forward to serving River of Hope as a member of the Church Council.
RickyB
Hi, I'm RickyB! A native Kansan, I moved to the desert in the Fall of 2019 and soon began attending Hope Palm Springs, now River of Hope. Loving the passion of our developing congregation, I joined the Launch Team in 2020. I have served on the Council since then as Secretary and, most recently, as President. Additionally, I am the Office Manager for River of Hope.
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Formerly, I was Choir Director/Accompanist at Our Savior's Lutheran Church (ELCA) in Topeka. In addition to my musical responsibilities, I also served on their Worship Committee, planning services and themes for the liturgical seasons.
Shelley Alexa Somerville
I am a preacher, teacher and minister to disadvantaged communities, in particular unhoused families and children, and those who suffer prejudice, abuse and violence for simply being who they are. As a Christian Minister, ordained in 1987, I’ve preached and taught at Protestant and Catholic Churches, offering mystical perspectives on scripture. As a Nonprofit Management Consultant, I have shaped the global strategies of humanitarian organizations, such as Save the Children. As a transgender woman, I was the first-ever trans Member of the Board of the Harvard Gay & Lesbian Caucus, where I led its evolution to the more inclusive Gender & Sexuality Caucus. While I have lived and worked in more than forty countries, I now live and work happily in Palm Springs, where I partner with River of Hope and others to improve lives.