Plymouth Staff

Rev. Craig French

Bridge Pastor

Following his call to ministry on a youth mission trip to Appalachia, Craig French served a variety of ministry positions and contexts—urban, suburban and small town—as a United Methodist pastor. Although raised in the hills and towns of New Hampshire, he was attracted early on to urban ministry and to the city itself—its people, diversity, possibilities and struggles. After retirement, he followed his wife, Barbara, to Plymouth, where he has been part of both the choir and Church Council.

Craig remains active in the Syracuse community in several different social justice causes dealing with poverty and racism. Interfaith work has become increasingly important to him, with both Learning Together with Our Neighbors and the Interfaith Racial Equity Network. At home, he has a front row seat for watching and appreciating the maturing of the three grandchildren who live with them. He’s still figuring out if he’s an active contemplative or a contemplative activist.

Joseph Downing

Director of Music

Joseph Downing, music director, is a native of Toronto, Canada, and has been at Plymouth since the mid 1990s. He coordinates the entire music program, including Jazz & Justice, the Plymouth Bells, and the Adult Choir as well as playing the historic Plymouth organ. The Plymouth music program uses a variety of music in different styles, so any given Sunday may feature jazz, broadway, spirituals, renaissance motets, or any other styles of music in addition to composers such as Bach and Mendelssohn. Joe is retired from a 38 year career as professor of composition and theory at Syracuse University’s Setnor School of Music. In addition to his Doctorate from Northwestern University, he is also a Fellow of the Royal Canadian College of Organists. The Plymouth Bells, Adult Choir, and Plymouth Rocks jazz ensemble welcome new members. In his spare time, he and his husband, Will, love being granddad and grandpa to nineteen wonderful grandchildren. They also enjoy cooking for large crowds.

Contact Joe: jdowning@syr.edu

Lori Forrester

Church Administrator

Lori Forrester became a member of Plymouth Congregational Church in January 2013. Prior to becoming the church administrator, she served on Church Council, the Stewardship Committee, the Safety Committee, and with the UCCNY Oneida Council. She has volunteered at the food pantry, the Arts & Crafts Festival, and filled in when previous church administrators were away. She comes to this position with many years of secretarial, administrative, and customer service experience.

Lori spent the first ten years of her life traveling the world, including three years spent in Japan, until her father retired from the Air Force and they returned to western Pennsylvania where she was a member of Pleasant Unity United Presbyterian Church in Natrona Heights, PA. After moving to Syracuse with her husband Maurice in 1987, she became a member of Brown Memorial United Methodist Church on Syracuse’s Near West side. She was drawn to Plymouth by the church’s mission of social justice.

Lori enjoys reading, live music, and travel. She and Maurice have two sons.

Contact Lori: office@plymouthsyr.org

Emily Evans

Youth and Children’s Ministries Coordinator

You may have seen her around since she began attending Plymouth in September, and now Emily Evans will be leading the charge to provide childcare for infants and young toddlers. Emily recently graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in biblical studies and minors in youth ministry and art. She has years of experience providing childcare for children under a year old all the way through upper elementary school. Emily is excited to begin working as Plymouth’s new nursery worker, and we are beyond excited to welcome her to our team!