Our Ministers

Our Senior Minister
Our Senior Minister, the Rev. Dr. Arlene K. Nehring, is a passionate witness to God’s radical hospitality and hope. She expresses these passions through worship leadership, the embrace of persons from a wide array of life and faith experiences, and her guidance of Eden’s ministries and mission.

Ordained by the Central Association of the Iowa Conference in 1988, Arlene served in three clergy roles prior to accepting a call to serve at Eden Church in November 2002. She was Associate Minister at The Old South Church in Boston, 1988-1992; Senior Minister at The Park Church in Elmira, New York, 1992-1996, and Associate Director for the Council for Health and Human Service Ministries in Cleveland, Ohio, 1996-2002.

The major influences on Arlene’s faith have been her grandparents’ example, the classical education she has received from UCC-related academic institutions, and the “reality check” she has been offered through two decades of ordained ministry. 

Arlene was awarded the B.A., magna cum laude, from Lakeland College, Sheboygan, Wisconsin in 1985; the M.Div. from Andover Newton Theological School, Newton Centre, Massachusetts in 1988; and the D.Min. in Preaching from Chicago Theological Seminary in1995. She holds professional certifications in organizational design and has completed graduate course work in nonprofit management.

She and her partner, Stephanie Spencer, live in Castro Valley with their furry, four-footed children, Tim and Chelsea. Stephanie is a cultural anthropologist and public health worker, and gladly participates in the ministry of Eden Church. When not on campus, the two can be found at local coffee shops, reading mystery novels, cooking dinner for friends, traveling to far-off places, and attending a wide array of cultural events.

Our Minister of Music and Outreach
Mark Unbehagen, Eden’s Minister of Music and Outreach, was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, and raised in the heart of jambalaya, jazz, and grits. These early cultural influences greatly shaped his faith and musical and professional interests.

Mark’s studies progressed from Northeast Louisiana University (Monroe) for a BME in Music Education, to Southern Mississippi (Hattiesburg) for a MME, to Southern Methodist University (Dallas) for a MSM (Sacred Music) and most recently to the Graduate Theological Union (Berkeley) for an MA in Christian Spirituality.

Before his arrival at Eden Church in April 2006, Mark served as Music Director at First Methodist (Euless, TX), Director of Music and Liturgy at the Newman Center (Fresno, CA), Director of Music and Worship at Resurrection Metropolitan Community Church (Houston, TX), pianist/cantor at Ebenezer Lutheran (San Francisco, CA), and Music Minister at Peace Lutheran (Danville, CA).

As an educator, Mark has enjoyed working with students from kindergarten through high school, as music teacher as well as band and choir director. While in the Dallas area, he studied the Orff Method at North Texas State. Musical theatre has also been a significant part of Mark’s life. He has directed many productions including: Evita, West Side Story, Pirates of Penzance and Godspell. Mark also thoroughly enjoys composing, writing poetry, script-writing, and designing visual art for worship.

At Eden Church, Mark directs our music programs, supervises the music staff, and provides ministerial guidance for the Board of Community Ministries and the Community Music Team.

Mark Unbehagen,
Minister of Music and Outreach