The Reverend Angela Utter serves as lead Pastor at Crossroads United Methodist Church.

Pastor Angie enjoys enthusiastically leading a blended worship service with both traditional hymns and contemporary songs. She enjoys sharing God’s love and reinforcing the Holy Spirit’s calling for us to be the church in the world. Pastor Angie delights in leading Children’s Time and teaching children about Jesus. She hopes that the Children’s Time message will extend to all ages.

Working with the Ministry Staff (paid and volunteer), Pastor Angie works to foster a safe place for worship, learning, fellowship, and deeper spiritual connections for all that attend. She hopes that connecting people, building relationships, and sharing God’s love will ignite us in such a way that we will serve people through caring ministries and mission work, which will transform the hearts of all involved.

Pastor Angie has been serving at Crossroads since July 2023. As an appointed pastor in the Wisconsin Annual Conference, she serves at the pleasure of the Bishop, with yearly appointments beginning July 1.

Prior to her time at Crossroads, Pastor Angie served at Avoca, Blue River, Merrill: Christ, Wildwood Chapel, Darlington and Fayette United Methodist Churches.

Pastor Angie has a Bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater and a Masters of Divinity degree from the Iliff School of Theology.

Pastor Angie and her family enjoy music, playgrounds, and being outside.

My name is Tressie Gade. I have been worshiping at Crossroads since the tender age of 8. Crossroads United Methodist Church has been part of my family since we joined shortly after moving to town. I was confirmed here, both my parents have held positions in the church, and I have many “church moms” who have looked after me during the years. As the granddaughter of a United Methodist pastor, church and God have always been a big part of my life.

I graduated from Waunakee High School in 2005 and went on to pursue a job as a photographer (which I was not cut out for) quickly followed by a career in childcare.  I gradually worked my way through different age groups until I got to the infant room and found a home there for 5 years.  I earned my Infant/Toddler Credential in 2016 from NWTC online.  In 2015 I married my high school sweetheart, Brian Gade, and we settled down in Waunakee where most of our family is.  We are close to our parents, his grandparents and his sister and her husband.  This closeness to family came in very handy in April 2017 when we welcomed our daughter into the world. She continues to constantly amaze us and is a great addition to the family.

Shortly after our daughter was born, I decided that I wanted to stay home more to focus on being a mother.  The job of PMA opened up at church and I felt called to apply.  Being the church secretary runs in my blood.  My mother successfully held this position for many years, and I consider it an honor to follow in her footsteps.  It allows me to serve my church and contribute to my family as well as spend time at home raising my little girl.

When I am not at church, I am home with my family. My husband and I enjoy spending time relaxing together and watching our daughter grow up. I also enjoy seeing friends and having fun with family.

Cindy Bacon Hammer is a retired NACCC pastor and former music and theatre teacher. She holds degrees from UW Whitewater, University of Illinois and University of Dubuque Theological Seminary. As a music and theatre teacher, she taught grades K-12, as well as at three universities, and sang in many concerts, musicals, oratorios and operas. As a pastor, Cindy served churches in Elkader and Burlington, Iowa, as well as Beloit and Madison, Wisconsin. When not directing the music at Crossroads, Cindy loves to read, ride her horse Cloudy, knit, sew, garden and visit with family and friends.

Michael Wu is a first-year master’s student (M.M.) in collaborative piano at the University of Wisconsin-Madison studying with Prof. Martha Fischer. A sought-after accompanist, Michael collaborates frequently with singers, instrumentalists, and chamber ensembles in the greater Madison area. He is the current pianist of the Perlman Piano Trio, a prestigious student ensemble in the Mead Witter School of Music and has appeared as a concerto soloist with the Madison Symphony Orchestra. Outside of music, Michael enjoys long walks, traveling, reading, and pondering the meaning of life while stuck in traffic.