CLT Slate 2024-25

It is my privilege to announce the 2024-25 slate for our Core Leadership Team (CLT). After careful consideration and prayerful discernment, we have selected a group of dedicated individuals from the nominations who we believe will lead our church with godly discernment, wisdom, and vision.

At the Church Conference on May 19 at 5:00 p.m., we will introduce and vote into place the following individuals, both current and new. You can follow this link to see pictures of the current members. *Those listed in bold are new members of the CLT.

Lay Members
Scott Chenoweth (Chair)
Dick Francis (At-Large — Long Range Planning)
John Tyler (Finance)
Josh Fuchs (At Large — Spiritual Lay Ministry)
Barb Dyar (At Large — Spiritual Lay Ministry)
Debbie Godbold (At-Large – Generosity)
Bill Grayson (Property Trustees)
Ashley Weaver (At-Large — NextGen)
Bob Schindler (Pastor-Parish Team)
Carolyn Milby (At-Large — Groups)
Jami Echols (At-Large — JW Christian School)

Staff Members
Rev. Marty Dunbar (Sr. Pastor)
Rev. Trish Woodruff (Reach Pastor)
Kim Hall (Director of JWC School)
Priscilla Novak (Chief of Staff)

There are significant leaders who are rolling off the CLT this year.  All of these members have represented you and helped navigate our church through some of the hardest challenges over the past four years.  If you see any of the following, please thank them for their service.  Those rolling off this year are Don Pine, Alex Miller, Pam Burk, Stephanie Bruce, and Andy Fisk.

Share a brief bio and your active participation at JWMC: I have been a wife and a mother, a vice president and senior credit officer at a bank-owned factoring company (currently), a discussion leader for BSF, a trained spiritual director and life coach, a faculty member and presenter and author, and a Sunday school class member, but mostly I am a worshiper, a Bible study-er, and a person who loves to be in a discussion about God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.

Please express why you believe you are worthy of this nomination: I believe my training as a listener, question-asker, and encourager will fit the Core Leadership Team.  The lifestyle of a spiritual director, and my God-given gift for putting words together would be valuable at this time.

The Core Leadership Team members are appointed to be discerners and shepherds for JWMC. How would you fulfill the roles of being a discerner and a shepherd? I listen (prayerfully - vertically and horizontally), I love, I care, I am aligned with the purpose and mission of the church. If God can use me in this role, I want to engage with discipline and passion.

Note: Barb has been an active member of JWMC since 2003.

Share a brief bio and your active participation at JWMC: In my mid 20’s I heard a sermon in which the Pastor asked if our faith was like an old iron bed, strong on either end but sagging in the middle. I thought he was speaking directly to me. Having become a believer in middle school my newborn faith was well nurtured through high school. In college and my young adult years, I would have to say my faith sagged due mostly to neglect. When Tom and I had children, we made a commitment to raise our family in church. We joined John Wesley in 1993. I like to say that we have done life there. John Wesley and its members have been there in the joys and celebrations, the trials of life, the illnesses, and deaths of family members. I taught Children and Youth Sunday School for more years than I can remember. I’ve served on numerous committees and as Lay Leader twice. John Wesley is my church home, and I would be honored to serve and help create that “home” for others.

Please express why you believe you are worthy of this nomination: I was blessed to serve as the Development Director for the WorkFaith Connection (Christ-centered nonprofit) from 2014 – 2019. I believe that my experience there would benefit John Wesley. As the Development Director, our goal was to raise faithful stewards for the Kingdom. Knowing the difference between raising funds and raising faithful stewards allowed us to meet our revenue needs in a way that honored God and allowed the donor to joyfully participate in what God was doing in and through our organization. Also, God gave me a front row seat to watch Him dramatically transform the lives of, not only those we serve, but those who invested in WorkFaith as volunteers, donors and employees. I know He did a work in my own heart removing any dark corners of judgment that still resided there.

The Core Leadership Team members are appointed to be discerners and shepherds for JWMC. How would you fulfill the roles of being a discerner and a shepherd? As I understand the gift of discernment, I would not say that discernment is one of my natural spiritual gifts. I do know that it is spirit given and that in my life, the Holy Spirit has been ever so faithful to convict me of wrong thinking and eager to show me what is good and true. I believe that in situations where discernment is particularly needed, it must be prayed for with a pure heart and willingly received. Shepherding comes more naturally for me. I tend to take people under my wing. I understand the responsibility to protect and guide not only the Church itself, but every person that God has entrusted to John Wesley Church.

Note: Debbie has been an active member of JWMC with her husband Tom since 1993.

Share a brief bio and your active participation at JWMC: After 32 years I retired as a senior manager at Halliburton. Manages $100MM budget, familiar with bidding process for external contracts and services. Managed electrical, mechanical and software engineers. Worked in the R&D section developing new drilling equipment and application.

I currently act as a "utility player" by volunteering wherever needed. I have taught Wednesday night class, filled in as an usher, support the cooking and serving at Wednesday night dinners. I am a regular attendee of Men’s Dawn Patrol and other events at JWMC.

Please express why you believe you are worthy of this nomination: I am being slated to become the Chair of the Property Trustee. With my budgeting history I feel I can help our church improve the ROl for contracts and services. From my R&D experience, I love to seek ways to change, I feel stagnation is a slow death. As technology and social events change, we should strive for continuous improvements.

The Core Leadership Team members are appointed to be discerners and shepherds for JWMC. How would you fulfill the roles of being a discerner and a shepherd? I believe I am in tune with what God is doing and wants to do at John Wesley.  I live my life connected to this place.  Also, I will continue prayerfully consider all difficult decisions as they arise for church activities and requests. I will continue to support this church with my generosity, spiritual gifting and service.

Note: Bill has been an active member of JWMC since 2013.

Share a brief bio of yourself and your active participation at JWMC: I joined John Wesley with my husband, Gerald, in 2018 after searching for a church home that would fulfill both our spiritual and emotional needs for our future. Later that year we welcomed our first daughter, Rooney and welcomed our second daughter, Nellie in 2019. Our entire family has really planted here between MOPS, Small group, youth choir, or even just the back right pew at every 9 am service. We have been able to cultivate strong relationship with wonderful people that are both in our same steps of life but also those that we see as mentors.

Please express why you believe you are worthy of this nomination: I feel a unique contribution I can make to the church is in my ability and my life to be relatable for families looking to join the church and those wanting to get more involved and maybe not knowing how to navigate. Gerald and I were raised in different denominations of Christianity and found peace in the teachings and approach of John Wesley and have found that many also had that same path. My children are sometimes noisy during service, put stickers on the pews (that we remove), and are representative of a typically family wanting to connect with Jesus. You can also find me in a sweatshirt and running shorts at MOPS!

The Core Leadership Team members are appointed to be discerners and shepherds for JWMC. How would you fulfill the roles of being a discerner and a shepherd? For me, discernment requires consistency and being a shepherd requires humility. As stated before, I feel I am relatable to others especially in the most humble times of life- when your kids are screaming, you aren't feeling your best, etc. But also, the ability to provide consistency throughout the process. I will very much look forward to working with a team that that can provide context to decisions to be made, provide my opinion, and base those decisions on a greater good.

Note: Ashley and her family live in the Champions neighborhood and have been a key part of our resurgent young family ministry.