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Welcome our Regional Ministers!
At our Fall Gathering, we commissioned our Regional Ministers!
During December they will meet with the Association Minister and get set to start the new year with renewed commitment to collaborative ministry!
Please keep everyone involved in your prayers and feel free to send a message of greeting to your Regional Minister! Contact links provided below.
| | LEFT TO RIGHT: Mark Anthony, Rachel Wirrig, Michelle Wilkey, Teri Lynn Stackhouse, Steve Schnabl, Ruth Hopkins | | Regional Minister Commissioning led by Lauren Allen | | |
REGION 1: Rev. Rachel Wirrig rachelswirrig@gmail.com
Rachel has been a member of the UCC since 2019, when she began serving as the settled pastor at St. Mark in Latonia, Kentucky. She is looking forward to serving the Northern Kentucky region as its Regional Minister. She previously spent several years serving in the United Methodist Church in various leadership roles. Rachel graduated from United Theological Seminary in 2009 with a Master of Divinity (M.Div.). In her spare time, Rachel enjoys playing all kinds of games with her husband Jared and son Henry, and spoiling her 3 dogs.
| REGION 2 – WAITING ON PERSON TO BE IDENTIFIED | | |
REGION 513: Rev. Teri Lynn Stackhouse tstackhouse01@gmail.com
Teri Lynn started an interim ministry on March 3, 2024 and concluded it on June 22, 2025. She was raised in California and came to Ohio for seminary studies in 1995 at Trinity Lutheran Seminary. She currently is finishing a Doctoral program focused in Pastoral Care at United Lutheran Seminary, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
Pastor Teri Lynn was ordained in December 1999 and has served churches in Wisconsin, Washington state, California, Ohio, and in Rising Sun, Indiana at a small 150 year old country church. She ‘retired’ March 1, 2020 to take care of her husband who was ill. (Will was also a pastor for 37 years!) She has raised three children to adulthood who are at this date 25, 26, and 27 1/2 years old.
Teri Lynn served in the conference working to start the Mental Health and Accessibility network, and now retired ‘again,’ is leading the SONKA Ministry in Discernment team, and is a member at First UCC where she is part of the health ministries team, is participating in sung choir and Bell Choir, and as an occasional liturgist, having returned following the 16 month interim at St Peter and St Paul UCC.
She enjoys cooking good meals, speaks intermediate level Spanish, enjoys various arts in her environment including sketching and adult coloring, and loves music.
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REGION 5: Rev. Ruth Hopkins ruhop@me.com
Ruth grew up in Fairborn, Ohio and was raised in the United Church of Christ. After college, she married Bob Hopkins, and moved to Springboro, where they currently live with their collie, Sarah. She has worked in church settings as a choir director and administrator for over 15 years. She was ordained and called to Cross Creek as Pastor in August 2011. Ruth trained to be an intentional interim in Cleveland in 2018.
She pastored at Cross Creek during the merger with Oak Creek UCC, forming Harmony Creek Church, and was Designated Interim Pastor at Harmony Creek in 2020 until April of 2022. Since then she has been a supply pastor and works on several SONKA ministry teams, including Lay School, Faith Formation (Chair) and the Post Ordination Team. She also serves on the Heartland Faith Formation leadership team. Currently she is serving Lakeview UCC as their interim. She enjoys music, film, dogs, and books.
(Ruth has substituted a picture of her dog for herself as a cyber-security precaution!)
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REGION 6: Rev. Mark Anthony manthony59@gmail.com
Mark was ordained a minister in the United Church of Christ in April 2023 and began his pastorate at St. John’s that same month. Mark grew up in the Dayton area, having lived in Huber Heights, Kettering, and presently in Bellbrook. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy from the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio, and a Master’s Degree in Theological Studies and a Juris Doctorate, both from the University of Dayton.
Mark was raised in the Roman Catholic tradition and has belonged to a Unitarian Universalist community. He embraced the United Church of Christ because it expressed progressive theology that celebrates diversity, inclusivity, and a strong dedication to the Gospel’s call for social justice and cultural transformation. Mark seeks to proclaim that love for God must be expressed in our care for others, to offer hope and a spiritual home to the least, the last, and the lost, to encourage mercy and compassion, and to make the joy of Christ’s Resurrection a living reality in our church and world.
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REGION 8: Rev. Michelle Wilkey pastormichelle@harmony-creek.org
Reverend Pastor Michelle Wilkey has been an ordained minister with the United Church of Christ (UCC) since July of 2014. Her first call was at David's United Church of Christ in Kettering, OH, where she served for over eight years as the Associate Pastor.
In 2016, Pastor Michelle was accepted into the program Next Generation Leadership Initiative (NGLI), which is a leadership program offered by the UCC Pension Board. She considers herself a lifelong learner, and this leadership program is a wonderful way for her to continue to grow in her leadership skills. She is also very grateful for all the things she learned during her time at David's, and she feels honored to have been able to serve the church alongside Rev. Dr. Brian Q. Newcomb.
Pastor Michelle was excited to accept the call to become Harmony Creek Church's next Lead Pastor. She began her time at this wonderful church in January of 2023.
When she isn’t busy pastoring, she enjoys spending time with her amazing friends. Pastor Michelle also loves all things Superman.
Pastor Michelle prides herself on not being your typical pastor. Once you get to know her, you will soon discover that is the truth.
| | * REGION 7 is our grouping of churches with uncertain ties to SONKA and new Moderator, Steve Schnabl will serve as their Regional Minister, on a volunteer basis (link to email fsschnabl@gmail.com) | |
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