Our Team
Rev. Robin Sandbothe
Pastor
Rev. Robin R. Sandbothe believes God has called her to ministry in which she enables others to be spiritually formed. She is excited to see others grow spiritually and desires to come alongside them as she too is being formed by God’s spirit. She believes God has gifted her for preaching, teaching, and administration. She is passionate about missional partnerships, about fostering ecumenical and diverse relationships, and about leading believers to be integrally involved in being God’s presence in the world.
Pastor Robin began serving at Bethel in August 2021 and was installed as pastor at the end of October of that year. She has been immersed in Baptist life since she was an infant—came to faith in that expression of church, completed her master of divinity degree at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and was ordained by Englewood Baptist Church in Kansas City in 2001while serving there as pastor of christian nurture. From 1997-2021 she also served in various capacities, including director of seminary relations, with Central Baptist Theological Seminary in Shawnee, Kansas. She recently had her ordination recognized by the American Baptist Churches of the Great Rivers Region.
Before coming to Bethel Pastor Robin served as co-pastor of Englewood Baptist Church from 2014-2021 and as an associate pastor in churches in the Kansas City metro area.
Robin is an associate for Pinnacle Leadership Associates, where she serves as a leadership coach for clergy, churches, and others and as a church consultant—especially in the area of spiritual formation. She has worked with nonprofit organizations, such as Pathways to Promise as a consultant on community engagement projects.
Robin married her longtime partner Connie Edwards in April 2019, and they live in Columbia with their black kitty, Simon. She enjoys reading, gardening, photography, and painting.
To schedule an appointment with Pastor Robin, please email Cait Guinn at bethel1855@gmail.com or call 573-442-4775.
Susan Houston
Minister of Music
Susan Houston serves as our Minister of Music. A graduate of Southwest Baptist College (University), Bolivar, Missouri, and The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky, Susan came to Bethel in the fall of 2000. Besides working with choir, she has worked with the children in Kids Night Out, VBS, and a Children’s musical, and served as church moderator several times. Before coming to Bethel, Susan served two years as a Missionary Journeyman in Buenos Aires, Argentina, served churches in Camdenton, MO, as church organist, and churches in Louisville, Kansas City, and Fulton as Minister of Music. She retired from Edward Jones Investments and has lived in Columbia since 1996. Susan loves traveling, reading, and sewing.
Cait Guinn
Church Administrator
Cait Guinn has been our Church Administrator for 14 years. She has been attending Bethel since she was 10 years old and has seen Bethel grow in so many wonderful ways!
Cait has many tasks as the Church Administrator. She answers the phone, keeps the calendar, schedules the use of the building and property items, publishes our newsletter, manages the website and Facebook page, and creates the PowerPoint slides and prepares the bulletins for Sunday worship. Cait is the glue who holds us together, works closely with other staff and board members, and keeps Bethel running smoothly.
Cait has served on the church board several times leading various committees, especially the in the area of disciple development. She works closely with the children and youth associate to organize all of the children’s events at Bethel. She loves spending time being a mom to her two daughters Cianna (14) and KaiLea (12). She enjoys a wide variety of food and cultural activities. Her husband is a local chef of three restaurants in downtown Columbia. She enjoys attending and volunteering for local events, hiking outdoors with her border collie Kona, and loves art and music of any kind!
Ema Iwasaki
Pianist/Accompanist
Ema Iwasaki serves as our Church Pianist. Ema is a Senior at Rock Bridge High School. She started playing the piano at age four in Japan. In Columbia, Ema studied with Judith Shaw, and now with Ayako Tsuruta. Ema has participated in numerous music events, including Music Federation, Missouri Music Teachers Association, Missouri Teachers National Association, Odyssey Chamber Music Series, and the Blind Boone Concert Series. She has also attended the Colburn Piano Seminar and the Brevard Music Center Summer Festival. In addition to solo works, Ema enjoys accompanying choirs and other musicians, while also playing as a church pianist. Outside of piano, Ema is involved in the National Honors Society, Spanish Honors Society, and the school newspaper, where she is currently the arts and entertainment editor. In her free time, Ema loves listening to jazz music, attending dance classes with her mom, and traveling.