Our Church Staff

Over 34 years of pastoral ministry, I have given much time and energy to helping people build a daily life-transforming, life-giving, and personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ.   A covenant with God through my baptism shapes and informs what I think, say and do each day.  The Holy Spirit and abundant grace enable me to live purposely, generously and compassionately.  While I do not claim perfection (a work in progress!), I do seek God’s will as revealed in Jesus’ life, ministry, death, resurrection, ascension and calling . . . and I humbly strive to live into God’s will to the best of my understanding.

I believe in the Wesleyan conviction of social holiness.  For me, this means that our calling as the Church is fulfilled, in large part, by seeing and responding to the needs in our community and world with the bold, healing love of Jesus Christ.  Justice, equality, sharing opportunities and resources and building healthy community are all vital actions for the church – as are worship and training people to be disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ.

My wife, Roberta, and I are products of the breath-takingly beautiful Shenandoah Valley and we received our formal education there.  I completed my undergraduate and graduate degrees at Eastern Mennonite University and Seminary.  Roberta completed her undergraduate work at James Madison University.  We have three adult children and one grandchild (and hoping for more!).

Jennifer joined the staff at Skipwith UMC in 1995. Before that, she stayed at home to raise her family. Her job has changed a lot over the past 25 years. But no matter what changes take place, Skipwith has continued to be a place of strong faith and loving Christians.