Monday through Thursday: 9 a.m.-5 p.m.Friday: 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
I am blessed to be called to serve as Senior Pastor of Grace. This is the fourth congregation I have served – all in North Carolina. What excites me about Grace is the deep passion throughout the congregation to bring the good news of Jesus Christ to life. We are passionate about Bible study and we are passionate about serving our neighbor – as Christ commands us to do. These are reflected in the congregation’s purpose statement: “Transforming Lives Through Christ.”My passions in ministry match well with those of Grace. I enjoy the spiritual growth I experience in preparing to lead Bible study classes and to preach. I bring experience and a love of serving those in need in the community. I volunteer regularly with the local Habitat for Humanity chapter. I have a compassionate heart that equips me well for pastoral care in the trying times of people’s lives. I find no greater pleasure as a pastor than helping people – new members, children, youth, and adults – deepen their faith in Jesus Christ AND bring that faith to life through ministry.I rejoice to be part of an outstanding ministry team that serves with the family of God at Grace.My wife, Brenda, is a Music Therapist with Four Seasons Compassions for Life. She is active in the music ministry at Grace. Rachel and Elliott are our two (married) adult children.
I am thrilled to be a part of a thriving, healthy congregation that actively pursues its purpose of Transforming Lives Through Christ. People from a wide variety of backgrounds find their home with us. Grace is a church where people can be inspired in their faith and engage in meaningful ministry.I began my ministry as Pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in July of 2006. Grace is a place where I thrive in my gifts for ministry. In addition to my regular ministry of preaching, leading worship, teaching and visitation, I also enjoy working with the Congregation Care and Visitation Ministry, Stephen Ministry, Hospitality & Fellowship Ministry, Lutheran Men in Mission, Social Ministry and Prayer Ministry. I am also a chaplain with the Blue Ridge Mountains chapter of the Order of St. Luke the Physician.I’m from Wisconsin and graduated from Carthage College, Kenosha, WI, and the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago. Since my ordination in 1992, I have served congregations in North Carolina.My wife Catherine and I are beginning the “empty nest” phase of our lives as our twin children, Nadine and Evan, began college in August 2016.
Born in Torreon, Mexico, Pastor Oviedo had a sense of calling to Christian Pastoral Ministry at age 15. He was a student at Seminario Teologico Bautista Mexicano after high school graduation in Mexico City in 1980. He came to the US in 1989 to pursue graduate theological studies and was ordained to Pastoral Ministry in Dilley, TX, in 1989. Pastor Oviedo graduated Valedictorian from Hispanic Baptist Theological Seminary in San Antonio with a Diploma in Theology in 1992. He also graduated from Wayland Baptist University (Plainview TX) – BSOE – Christian Studies in 1993; Gardner-Webb University School of Divinity with a Master of Divinity in 1999; and University of North Carolina-Asheville with a Master of Liberal Arts in 2001. After completing studies at Southern Seminary, he was ordained in the ELCA in 2014.
Burton earned a Bachelor of Music degree from Greensboro College and a Master of Sacred Music degree from Southern Methodist University. He began piano lessons in elementary school and began playing hymns for the Men’s Bible class at his church when he was in middle school. Some lessons from the church organist convinced him during high school that he wanted to study music in college. In 1995 he received a fellowship award to study with composer Alice Parker in New York City. He has written and arranged music for organ and for chorus published by Hinshaw, Warner Brothers and G.I.A. He began writing plays in 1994 and to date more that 65 of his scripts have been published. Many of his scripts are particularly appropriate for middle and high school students. Burton is honored and blessed to be a part of staff of Grace Church.
Serving in congregational youth ministry since 2002, Anne joined our Grace Lutheran staff in November 2010. She is a native North Carolinian and has strong roots in the Lutheran church receiving her Bachelors degree from Lenoir-Rhyne University, Masters Degree in Children, Youth and Family Ministry from Luther Seminary, St. Paul, MN, in 2009, and has also worked on staff as a camp counselor at Lutheridge.Anne’s passion for ministry with youth and their families focuses on celebrating our God given connections by weaving vibrant faith keys together: caring conversations, devotion to God, service to others and rituals/traditions. Youth are the church NOW, not the just the future, and they become adults of faith by seeing adults of faith in action. This is why it is so pivotal to have our youth in the center of the life of the congregation. We must assist parents in fulfilling the promises made at their child’s baptism. Our programs for youth do not make their group a separate organization from the church family, but they help our youth serve their congregation and community. Anne is thankful for her team ministry role at Grace, serving and caring alongside parents and other adult members as advocates with and for the youth of Grace.
Jill, a lifelong Lutheran and member of Grace, brings a solid faith foundation combined with parenting skills honed by her four children, excellent organizational experience from the business world, and a deep passion to support parents in nurturing faith within their families.Jill earned a B.S. in Business Administration and Marketing from American University in Washington DC. She spent 13 years in business before having her family and becoming a stay-at-home mother and was active as a volunteer in her children’s schools. Jill has been a teacher for 3 and 4-year olds, a substitute preschool teacher at Grace and has spearheaded the theme development and execution of numerous successful fundraisers at Atkinson Elementary School in Hendersonville.As Director of Children and Family Ministry at Grace, Jill leads and directs programs for children from birth through elementary school (5th grade) including their families. She provides programs or develops new ones as necessary to meet the spiritual needs of children and their families.
I am passionate about creating a foundation for life-long learning for Preschool children, educating parents to help them develop strong families, and facilitating opportunities for community connectedness and involvement in children’s educational experiences. When families are influenced by a loving preschool and church family, their chances of developing parenting skills that facilitate a happy and secure family environment increase. It energizes me when I am a participant in this creative process!I love my job as a Preschool Director! I have been working with children and families for 29 years, starting out by helping and supporting moms who breastfeed, then a Preschool teacher and Aftercare care provider, director of my own children’s home care, and then 20 years as a Preschool Director at Grace Lutheran Preschool. I feel my job as a director of a preschool is a culmination of all my life experiences; human resource manager, trainer, counsellor, facilitator, project manager, mission director, and public relations. I am one of those people who want to make a difference in our society by helping make the world a better place to live in now and in the future. On a personal note, I am proud to say that I have been married to my best friend, Brian, for 32 years and have three amazing children! Brian and I love to spend time with family, and also travel, backpack, camp, hike, and run. In my down time, I also enjoy reading, knitting, and watching theater, music, and movies. I am grateful to Grace Lutheran Church for this marvelous opportunity to contribute to our community and children’s lives!
Greg brings more than 36 years of nonprofit management experience with the YMCA and the Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches, the last 26 years in the camping field. He has a BA from Wilmington College in Business Administration and Youth Agency Administration with a minor in Accounting.Greg is in charge of operations, including building use and maintenance, membership data, support staff and finance. Greg and his wife Nancy live in Brevard with their three children, Breana, Ashley and Jonathan.
Jolie prepares bulletins, newsletters, attends to church member and visitor needs and assists with church administration.She earned a degree in Psychology from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She is also certified in paralegal studies. Prior to her working with Grace Lutheran, Jolie worked in a variety of non-profit organizations.Jolie is a recent transplant from Oregon with her husband and rescue dogs. She spends her time exploring western North Carolina and volunteering with the Carolina Basset Hound Rescue.
Ruthie is the liaison between church members, staff and the treasurer. She assists with finance accounts payable and check posting.
Chuck Clay brings 42 years of environmental services experience to Grace. While a student at Wittenberg University, Chuck worked in the housekeeping department. After graduation with a BA in Business Administration and Economics, he and his growing family started his new career in Philadelphia. Chuck was a supervisor or general manager for many cleaning service companies that serviced educational facilities, hospitals, commercial buildings and sports arenas.Having the opportunity to serve people from many walks of life is the accomplishment that Chuck is the most proud of.
I was born in Swansea South Wales and went to Culinary College in Neath. I was traveling around the US when I ended up in Cocoa Beach, FL. I lived there for many years and had my son and daughter. We moved to Hendersonville and have loved the area. I have worked in some department in the food industry my whole life. I love to cook and feed people. My family and I love exploring the area and hiking the wonderful trails. I have been working with Grace since 2019, preparing and serving at the Oasis congregate dinners, and cooking a monthly meal for Boys and Girls Club from the Grace kitchen. My time at Grace has been wonderful for me and I look forward to the time I can cook for the loving congregation again.
Dave and his wife, Beth, have been active members of Grace for a number of years. Dave has long shared his expertise and experience in video as a volunteer by providing CDs of worship for homebound members, recording and uploading sermons to YouTube, and producing videos for preschool and other ministry events. Since the arrival of CoVid19 and the necessity of “stay safe, stay home,” Dave has been instrumental in getting our Sunday worship online and, especially, for the quality visuals. His responsibilities include scheduling & producing videos to support the ministry of Grace, directing the live streaming worship services, and training others to serve in the various support roles essential for this ministry to flourish and continue.
