Reverend Dr. David M. Neff
Pastor
David Neff served as our interim pastor since 2011 until becoming installed as our pastor in 2014. He grew up in western Oklahoma and graduated with honors from the University of Oklahoma in philosophy. He received his Master of Divinity degree from Yale Divinity School in 1985. Since then, he has served interim pastorates in Malta, Argyle, Downers Grove and Burbank; and called positions at Clarendon Hills, North Riverside and Morgan Park. He received his Doctor of Ministry degree from Chicago Theological Seminary in 1998. His passions include spirituality, creativity, mysticism, comparative world religions and travel, as well as art, theater and music. He is a popular lecturer, serving as an adjunct professor of religious studies at St. Xavier University.
James Acquaah
Pastor
Pastor James Acquaah is originally from Ghana. He has lived in Chicago since 1989, obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Chicago State University, then receiving his Master of Business Administration (MBA) and his Master of Management (MM) degrees. He has also received certificates in Human Resource Management, International Business, and Marketing of Services from North Park University in Chicago.
He began his ministry after graduating from the Lay Pastoral Institute program by the Presbytery of Wabash Valley. He then studied at McCormick Theological Seminary. He has been pastor of the Ghanaian Presbyterian Fellowship since 2009 and was ordained and commissioned by the Presbytery of Chicago in 2012.
Michael Shawgo
Organist
Michael Shawgo is our organist and directs the Second Presbyterian Quartet Choir. Originally from central Illinois, he received his Bachelor of Music degree in organ performance from Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington. Additional organ study was with J. Marcus Ritchie at the Cathedral of St. Philip in Atlanta, and with Dexter Bailey in Chicago. He is a member of the American Guild of Organists, the Organ Historical Society, the American Theatre Organ Society, and Phi Mu Alpha fraternity.
Marco Alberto
Sexton
Marco is much in demand as the sexton, where, legend has it, he can fix or repair anything! The father of five children, Marco is an avid soccer fan as well as an accomplished soccer player. He has served since 2011 as sexton of Second Presbyterian Church.
