The new pastor of the First Baptist Church of Bangor is a former banker who might soon be seen rollerblading to the Center Street church.

The Rev. Stephanie Ann Salinas graduated in May from New Brunswick (N.J.) Theological Seminary, where she was named the Hageman Scholar.

She graduated from Susquehanna University in central Pennsylvania in 1984 and worked in bank management until 1999, when she moved to professional ministry.

Salinas served at Emmanuel Baptist Church in Ridgewood, N.J., and worked in hospital chaplaincy while pursuing her master of divinity degree. She succeeds the Rev. Frank E. Girdwood, who retired two years ago.

Her husband, Ned, and their two sons will join her as she begins her ministry at the Bangor church Aug. 1.

She is now officially “the Rev. Dr. Vicki Lovely Smith.”

The rector of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Columbus, Ohio, Smith is the daughter of Thurber and Carla Lovely of Lincoln.

Last month, Smith received the doctor of ministry degree from McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago.

The master of divinity degree has become the standard graduate degree for many Protestant churches. The doctor of ministry degree is the next step.

“We’re very proud of our ‘Rev. Dr. Vicki Smith,'” said her sister Lisa Chambers of Brewer.

Members of the First Congregational Church in Bingham will celebrate Sunday the confirmation and reception into membership of two teen-agers active in the church since childhood.

Larry Greene and Corey Jacques, both of Bingham, will be confirmed at the

9:30 a.m. worship service July 14.

Greene, 18, is the son of Dennis and Mary Ann Greene. A recent Valley High School graduate, he will enter the Air Force later this month. Jacques, 17, is the son of Jesse Jacques and Kelly Jacques. Also a Valley High graduate, he will attend the New England School of Communications at Husson College in Bangor this fall.