Rev. Denise M. Childers, Pastor
Office: 703-385-4550, Ext. 101
pastor@stgumc.vacoxmail.com
The staff of St. George's United Methodist Church welcomes you. Please let us know how we can help you as you travel your spiritual journey.
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Rev. Denise M. Childers, Pastor
Rev. Denise M. Childers, Pastor, was appointed to St. George’s on July 1, 2007. Before coming here she was a pastor in Manassas
at Grace UMC for six years and prior to that served several appointments in the South Carolina Annual Conference. She is also
credentialed as a chaplain and spent seven years in ministry with the Department of Mental Health in South Carolina.
Pastor Denise grew up in Wisconsin and earned her undergraduate degree in Music Therapy from the University of Wisconsin,
Eau Claire. She received her Master of Divinity Degree from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, NC.
Pastor Denise was ordained in 1983 at First Baptist Church, Drexel, NC, but completed her United Methodist studies at
Lutheran Theological Seminary in Columbia, SC, in 1993 and began serving under appointment in the United Methodist Church. She was
received as an elder in Full Connection in the United Methodist Church in 1998.
Rev. Childers is married to Clayton Childers, also clergy and serving at the United Methodist General Board of Church and
Society in Washington D.C. They have two daughters.
Pastor Denise makes it a practice to take Friday as a day-away, but in case of a need or an emergency, please
call the church office or the parsonage at 703-250-4613.
Anne Kramer, Administrative Assistant
Anne Kramer, administrative assistant, came to St. George’s in November of 2001. She had twelve years experience
working in a similar job. She has a BS degree in Marketing Education from Virginia Commonwealth University and a Paralegal
certification. Her regular work hours are 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. Monday through Friday during the school year, and 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Monday through Thursday in the summer.
Anne’s hometown is Enfield, N.C., a small town of 2,400 people. She and her husband, Richard, live in
Heritage Hunt Active Adult Community in Gainesville.
Anne has two sons and two lovely daughters-in-law. They all live in Fairfax County.
Karen Emmons, Director of Discipleship Ministries
Karen Emmons has been our Director of Discipleship ministries since August 1, 2006. Before coming here, she served in
western New York as a local pastor to a small rural congregation, which was a transforming, but also eye-opening, experience. She is grateful in her
position here to further her interest in education to all ages, but is also delighted to be working in a building with indoor
plumbing.
Karen grew up in San Antonio, Texas. She earned her undergraduate degree in math and psychology from the
University of Rochester in New York. After college, she worked as a worker’s compensation and entertainment
industry actuary for Fireman’s Fund for 9 years before following her growing calling for a vocation in church
ministry. She says years of Disciple Bible study and involvement in mission can indeed be truly life-changing.
Karen received her Master of Divinity Degree from the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, California in 2001.
Married to Ian Emmons, a computer scientist at BBN Technologies, they have three children.
All are active at St. George’s.
The Director of Discipleship position is a 25 hour-a-week
position overseeing the many education ministries of the church. Karen’s schedule is variable, but she is usually in
the office on Tuesdays.
Julaine Ricard, Preschool Director
Julaine Ricard was selected as director of St. George’s preschool, beginning with the fall 2009 semester.
After graduating with a bachelor of education from St. Cloud State University in Minnesota, Julaine
taught elementary school for two years in a small Eskimo village in Alaska. She also taught for six years at
Barrett Elementary School in Arlington, Va. as well as serving two years on the teaching staff of the preschool she
now heads.
Julaine is a member of St. George’s where she has served as director of the church’s vacation bible
school for three years and coordinator of the children’s Happy Club for four years as well as working with
the Girl Scout programs at the church. She and her husband, Chris Ricard, have two daughters.
Michael Lonneke, Director of Music
Michael Lonneke was employed as Director of Music in May of 2006. He directs the Chancel Choir and Jubilation Ringers.
He is especially appreciative of the volunteer directors of our four youth choirs. Within months of beginning his
service here, a scholarship program for voice students was initiated and is continuing. Both vocal and instrumental
music are encouraged at St. George’s and Sunday anthems are frequently heard with instruments accompanying the Chancel Choir.
An organist since college days, he remained active in church music while devoting more than forty
years to a highly successful career in radio and TV with CBS, NBC and Metromedia International in the US and
Europe. He and his wife, Charlene live near Middleburg, Virginia.
Mike is employed by the church for 30 hours per week.
Kristin Bruck, Choir Accompanist
Kristin Bruck, who serves as church accompanist, joined St. George’s with her family in 1999.
Playing the piano has been a source of enjoyment for her for over 30 years. After deciding to
leave the corporate world and stay at home with her children, she started out as an
occasional accompanist for the Chancel choir. In 2001, she made the move to official staff status at St. George’s.
Over the past eight years, Kristin has accompanied all of the children’s choirs (Cherubs,
Hosannas, Alleluia, and Celebration Singers), the Chancel choir as well as accompanying for special
events including Christmas and Easter programs, Celebrate Broadway, the annual Children’s musical,
and Preschool Christmas Programs.
Music has become an important part of her St. George’s ministry. And when she’s not playing
at St. George’s, you can find her at Oak View Elementary playing songs for the bi-weekly first and second grade
“Pod Sing,” playing at local elementary school choral concerts and accompanying students of all
ages at Solo & Ensemble Festivals. Kristin also is a teacher at St. George’s Preschool.
Kristin is married to Steve Bruck and they have three children.
Eleazar Castañeda, Church Custodian
Eleazar Castañeda is a native of Peru. He and his wife Jacqueline have two beautiful children.
They moved to the U.S. in 2000 and Eleazar began working for the Fairfax County Public Schools. He is the building supervisor
at Clermont Elementary School. Eleazar is employed at St. George’s United Methodist Church as custodian for 22 hours per week.
The Castañedas became U.S. citizens in 2006 and are happy to live in this beautiful country.
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Look back soon for information on our newest nursery worker, Rebecca Liggett. |
| Joleen Zhou was born in China but has lived with her family in Loudoun County for almost six years. She is a junior psychology student at George Mason University. She enjoys working with children and her future career path will be involved with children. | For the past three years, Cathy Rodriquez has taught second grade at Braddock Elementary School. She lives in Burke with her three children who range from college to fourth grade. One of her most exciting experiences, she said, was being stationed in Berlin, Germany, with her husband when the wall came down. In addition to helping children develop, she enjoys cooking and an occasional tennis game. |
St. George's United Methodist Church ~ 4910 Ox Rd., Fairfax VA 22030 ~ 703-385-4550