Welcome New Clergy!

The Northern Virginia District had more than 30 pastoral transitions this July.

We welcome those moving from outside our district as well as those moving within.

Here are just a few of the new NoVa District Clergy! We are excited to continue to introduce our new clergy to you here over the next few months.

Gina Anderson-Cloud

Floris UMC


Church/Setting from which you came:
Fredericksburg UMC

Family: 3 YA children – Trae, Danielle & Kayana Cloud, Mother – Jan Anderson lives with us and cats Obi and Annie

What are you most excited about for the coming year at your new church?: The hopefulness that the people of God have here for transforming the world.

What are you most passionate about in ministry?: Connecting people to a vital relationship with Jesus.

What was your very first job?: Wendys cashier

Fun fact about you: I have a passion for our National Parks and would like to visit as many as I can!

rev gina anderson-cloud  woman standing in front of a tree<br />

Kwame Owusu Ansah

Bruen Chapel UMC


Church/Setting from which you came:
New Life International

Family: Two kids in Ghana (Girls 8&6)

What are you most excited about for the coming year at your new church?: Potential for growth

What are you most passionate about in ministry?: Relationship and Love your neighbor

What was your very first job?: Marketing Manager

Fun fact about you: Went to Shanadoah, cooking, gymnastics

Tim Blake

Sudley UMC


Church/Setting from which you came:
Silverbrook

Family: Devon (my wife), kids: Grayson (21), Gabe (20), Abi (18), Malcolm (16), wife’s mom Carol (78), a cat named Rory.

What are you most excited about for the coming year at your new church?: Being full-time, embracing challenges.

What are you most passionate about in ministry?: Being a pastor. It’s why I’m the happiest pastor in the district!

What was your very first job?: I flipped hamburgers at Hardee’s.

Fun fact about you: I was a stay-at-home dad for 16 years while my wife was in the Army.

Carl Chapman

Warrenton UMC


Church/Setting from which you came:
Warrenton UMC

Family: Wife (Katie), Kids (Wesley, Xandra, Teddy), Dog (Mason)

What are you most excited about for the coming year at your new church?: New beginnings

What are you most passionate about in ministry?: Housing Project we’ve been working on

What was your very first job?: Greek Restaurant Bus, Dishes, Prep

Fun fact about you: I’m a living organ donor

Bert Cloud

Sterling UMC


Church/Setting from which you came:
St. Matthias UMC

Family: I’m married to Rev. Gina Anderson-Cloud, appointed as the new Lead Pastor of Floris United Methodist Church. We have three adult children: Kayana (entering the University of Mt. Olive with a basketball scholarship), Danielle (a nursing student at UVA), and Trae (rising NCO in the US Army). Gina’s mother lives with us along with two cats.

What are you most excited about for the coming year at your new church?: Being part of hope and healing in our community.

What are you most passionate about in ministry?: Soul care has been a huge part of my work, first as a psychologist and now as a pastor.

What was your very first job?: DJ at my hometown radio station, WLSD (I’m not making that up!)

Fun fact about you: Scariest Adventure: On a small boat in a flooded amazonian forest with Parana below, plate-size tarantula in the trees, and a jaguar overhead

rev bert cloud- a man in a be kind shirt

Jay Cottman

Warrenton UMC


Church/Setting from which you came:
Saint John’s, New Mission COASTAL VA

Family: Solooooooooo

What are you most excited about for the coming year at your new church?: New experiences, opportunities and challenges 

What are you most passionate about in ministry?: Youth, young adults, worship

What was your very first job?: Hardee’s

Fun fact about you: I began ministry at 21 years old.

Tianna Durbin

Arcola UMC


Church/Setting from which you came:
Arcola UMC

Family: Husband, Chris Durbin; 2 College kids, Kayla and Jake and 2 dogs, Dusty and Zeke!

What are you most excited about for the coming year at your new church?: Two things: fist, I am most excited about welcoming our new neighbors moving in to homes near the church. And second, I am excited to live into my associate pastor role and working for the church as clergy.

What are you most passionate about in ministry?: Worship is my passion. It’s what I engage in all week long just about every day of the week! I love to plan it, lead it, care for it, and to witness the work of the Holy Spirit. I am passionate about keeping worship vital and vibrant always with a prayer to God to guide it along through the work of many people serving alongside me.

What was your very first job?: While living at home and being in high school I worked at McDonalds.

Fun fact about you: As a teacher in loudoun county, I took a local high school marching band to march in the London New Years Day Parade.

woman in front of trees  rev tianna durbin

Abi Foerster

Community of Faith UMC


Church/Setting from which you came:
St. Thomas UMC

Family: Married to Lacy Lusk and we are the proud parents of Levi. We also share our home with Bailey Buttons, a 9-year-old cockapoo, and are about to add to our brood with a 4-month-old cockapoo named Killa Kev who will join us over the weekend of August 4 – 7.

What are you most excited about for the coming year at your new church?: Preaching, teaching and living out a truly biblical “gospitality” (gospel hospitality) with all God’s children in Chantilly and beyond.

What are you most passionate about in ministry?: Sharing Christ with the next generation and weaving the arts into ministry.

What was your very first job?: candy striper and baby-sitter (same summer began doing both)

Fun fact about you: I’ve been skydiving, I’ve been to all 50 states, I’ve visited the Holy Land once. And, I’ve had the privilege of waiting on Woody Harrelson, Bob Wier, Peter Paul & Mary, Sam Shepherd, Sissy Spacek, and the original cast of A Few Good Men.

Lauren Geraghty

Springfield UMC


Church/Setting from which you came:
Springfield UMC (associate)

Family: Spouse – John. Kids – Jack (13), Elin (11), Rory (7). Three birds, two dogs!

What are you most excited about for the coming year at your new church?: Excited to get organized !!! Excited to learn more about the people, getting to know them better, growing together, and discerning how to bless our community.

What are you most passionate about in ministry?: I’m passionate about serving the underserved, creating spaces where people can be curious, ask questions, and feel welcomed. I also love teaching new ways to understand and engage with Scripture, and introducing new perspectives when I preach.

What was your very first job?: Very first job – babysitter!

Fun fact about you: Two weeks after being appointed at this church, I left the country for a month to take Spanish language classes in Bolivia. I am very passionate about improving my Spanish language skills! Thankful for a gracious church!

Keon ‘Guhn’ Huh

KUMC of Koinonia


Church/Setting from which you came:
Woodstock UMC

Family: Michelle (Wife), Chloe (10), Jayden (6), Clayden (22 months)

What are you most excited about for the coming year at your new church?: Working with Young Families, youth and children

What are you most passionate about in ministry?: Intergenerational Worship

What was your very first job?: Quality Check Technician

Fun fact about you: I lived in three different countries and three different states.

Teer Hardy

Walker Chapel UMC


Church/Setting from which you came:
Mount Olivet

Family: Allison, Camden, Nora, and Rosie (dog)

What are you most excited about for the coming year at your new church?: New possibilities and connections

What are you most passionate about in ministry?: Sharing Gods grace with those who have been pushed out of the church.

What was your very first job?: Lifeguard

Fun fact about you: My favorite season is baseball.

Tim Hazlett

Andrew Chapel UMC


Church/Setting from which you came:
Oaklette

Family: Riker is our dog’s name. Lori is my wife. We have two grown sons: Alex and Andrew.

What are you most excited about for the coming year at your new church?: Working with an Associate Pastor of Digital Ministires who resides in Thailand.

What are you most passionate about in ministry?: Preaching.

What was your very first job?: Delivering newspapers for the Lockport Union Sun & Journal.

Fun fact about you: I am a die-hard trekkie!

Marcela Jarman

Crossroads UMC


Church/Setting from which you came:
Sterling UMC

Family: Todd (husband), Thomas (son), Lauren (daughter), Mia (my beautiful dog)

What are you most excited about for the coming year at your new church?: To create so many new connections and see where God leads us.

What are you most passionate about in ministry?: I am passionate about transformation and peoples journeys

What was your very first job?: sales associate

Fun fact about you:I studied all my life in one school from Kindergarden to 11th grade! I love it.

SeongJae Jo

Herndon UMC


Church/Setting from which you came:
Thrasher Memorial UMC

Family: Ella (fiancé but will be my wife in October)

What are you most excited about for the coming year at your new church?: Excited how God would work through me and the church toward the community as we proclaim the name of Jesus and share God’s love with her ur neighbors

What are you most passionate about in ministry?: Participating in God’s ministry and mission together with Herndon UMC

Fun fact about you: I lived in Kenya African savanna without any civilization for a year. My hobbies there were having a race with giraffes and catching tons of scorpions with chopsticks.

Bruce Johnson

Pender UMC


Church/Setting from which you came:
Urbanna UMC

Family: My wife Nancy has been the pastor of Emmanuel UMC in Amherst VA for ten years. Lydia, our eldest daughter is a video journalist at channel 3 in Norfolk. Anna is a figure skating performer and coach, and recently graduated with a Master’s degree in applied clinical nutrition.

What are you most excited about for the coming year at your new church?: Seeing the Holy Spirit’s new and renewing work unfold at Pender.

What are you most passionate about in ministry?: Helping people to meet Christ and helping those who know him to grow in faith and faithfulness.

What was your first job? Beginning at age 10, I delivered newspapers on my bicycle before sunrise in Kirkland WA. At the end each day, it, I got to be the first one to read the baseball box scores from the night before. It was my bonus.

Fun fact about you: From age 17, I worked for 8 summers in the oilfields of Prudhoe Bay AK, 12 hrs a day, 7 days a week. It was physically hard work and not especially fun, but it paid my way through college and seminary and gave me enough left over to buy my first car with cash. That put a smile on my face.

a man in a tie<br />
rev bruce johnson<br />

Hodae Kim

Korean United Methodist Church of Greater Washington


Church/Setting from which you came:
Coastal Charge (Assawoman, Atlantic, and Downings UMC)

Family: Veronica (wife), Ellie (daughter, 4yrs), and Henry (son, 3yrs)

What are you most excited about for the coming year at your new church?: Coming back to serve the church that supported me through licensing school.

What are you most passionate about in ministry?: Multicultural & Bilingual ministry / Going back to the basics – Loving God & your neighbor

What was your very first job?: English Tutor

Fun fact about you: I’m a pastor’s kid, a pastor’s grandkid, and a pastor’s great grandkid… (rather fun, I’d say it’s quite devastat… I mean, a blessing…!! :-))

Eric Kleppinger

Silverbrook UMC


Church/Setting from which you came:
Sydenstricker (Associate, Hooes Road Campus)

Family: By the numbers: Husband of one (Mary), father of two (David and Sarah), three if you count Fergie, our dog… four homes Mary and I have lived in…I’ve got five siblings and step-siblings, six if you add my sister-in-law…

What are you most excited about for the coming year at your new church?: Meeting the wonderful people of Silverbrook and seeing where the Holy Spirit is leading us!

What are you most passionate about in ministry?: Making disciples of Jesus Christ: seeing people deepen their connection with God over time.

What was your very first job?: Delivering the town newspaper once a month (which tells you I am old, and come from a small town!)

Fun fact about you: Mary and I are from Vermont originally, and can still connect you with some absolutely top-notch small maple syrup producers!

man in sanctuary  rev eric kleppinger

Margaret Kutz

Calvary UMC (Interim)


Church/Setting from which you came:
Retirement

Family: Husband 2 kids 4 grands

What are you most excited about for the coming year at your new church?: Transition of staff

What are you most passionate about in ministry?: Growth in faith

What was your very first job?: Worked for my dad in builders supply

Fun fact about you: I paint

Jake McGlothin

Gainesville UMC


Church/Setting from which you came:
Floris/Restoration

Family: Robin (wife), Mack (son), Stella (daughter), soon to have a puppy named Rusty

What are you most excited about for the coming year at your new church?: Getting to know the people and start house churches

What are you most passionate about in ministry?: Building Christ centered community

What was your very first job?: Porter at mechanic shop

Fun fact about you: I have a black belt in Brazilian jiu jitsu

Taehwan Roh

Trinity UMC in McLean


Church/Setting from which you came:
Student at Wesley Theological Seminary

Family: I live with my wife Sumi Park, 2-year-old son Ian Roh, and 4-month-old daughter Ina Roh.

What are you most excited about for the coming year at your new church?: I am interested in everything because this is the first appointment I receive after graduating from seminary. In particular, as a Korean, I have to do CRCC ministry for American church congregations, and this is also very interesting to me.

What are you most passionate about in ministry?: As an assistant pastor, I have the greatest expectation of gaining opportunities for growth by learning and understanding UMC more from the senior pastor and through the worship of American churches.

What was your very first job?: As soon as I graduated from high school, I entered the composition department of a music college in Korea, and private piano lessons were the first work in my life.

Fun fact about you: I am currently a pastor, but I was the chief conductor of an orchestra in London and a personal trainer at a gym in Korea and a bodybuilder at the same time. I also have experience in various fields, having worked as a sous chef at a cafe and as a moving center worker.

Barbara Schweitzer

St. Matthew’s UMC


Church/Setting from which you came:
Goodwin Living Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) Hospice Chaplain Resident

Family: I’ve been married for 34 years in September to Glenn Schweitzer and have two adult children, Chris and Evan. We love dogs and have 2 (Max and Duchess). We also have a guinea pig (Electra). We are former military and love to travel.

What are you most excited about for the coming year at your new church?: Being a pastor of visitation and welcoming. I’m thrilled to have the privilege of providing pastoral care to people and working as a part of St. Matthew’s UMC Team.

What are you most passionate about in ministry?: Helping people grow in their relationship with God.

What was your very first job?: I was a Paper Girl for the Akron Beacon Journal in 8th grade, in Wadsworth Ohio.

Fun fact about you: I’ve served in mission in 7 different countries including the U.S., Have been to all 50 states, and swam next to an ancient sea turtle in Hawaii once with my family.

Matthew Sergent

St. Thomas UMC


Church/Setting from which you came:
Andrew Chapel UMC

Family: 2 daughters Erica and Emily. Wife Barbara just celebrated our 34th Wedding Anniversary. Small dog named Pixie.

What are you most excited about for the coming year at your new church?: Building new relationships! 

What are you most passionate about in ministry?: Sharing the good news of Jesus with others.

What was your very first job?: Hot Shoppes Cafeteria

Fun fact about you: Played the drums in a bag pipe band.

Matthew Smith

Centreville UMC


Church/Setting from which you came:
Calvary

Family: Married with two kids (hs senior and middle schooler). Currently one pet dog, Dakota. Love outdoor sports, history, travel, etc.

What are you most excited about for the coming year at your new church?: Gaining credibility and making administrative changes to steer the ship towards financial health and worship growth.

What are you most passionate about in ministry?: Reaching people for Christ.

What was your very first job?: Selling newspapers on the streets of Lexington VA.

Fun fact about you: I was one of 7 Matthew smith’s at my dentist office.

Jeremy Steele

Chesterbrook UMC


Church/Setting from which you came:
USA Wesley Foundation

Family: I have four kids, a wonderful wife, a loving goldendoodle and a black cat.

What are you most excited about for the coming year at your new church?: Gaining credibility and making administrative changes to steer the ship towards financial health and worship growth.

What are you most passionate about in ministry?: The people who aren’t in church. I think the church has done an excellent job of making itself irrelevant to the lives of most people (especially young adults) and I am passionate about finding ways to connect with them and connect them with God.

What was your very first job?: Games at an Amusement Park.

Fun fact about you: I drove my 1989 Buick regal THROUGH the wall of my youth building when I was 16.

Seung Hae (Sophia) Yoo

Pleasant Valley UMC


Church/Setting from which you came:
Lead pastor on another district

Family: My family memebrs have been scattered. My parents, my brother and his family live in Korea. My sister and her family live in MN. I live by self but have many children– my church congregation members.

What are you most excited about for the coming year at your new church?: The Pandemic hit my new church. I am thrilled to see how God helps our church to grow spiritually.
I am excited about amazing music during the service and kids.

What are you most passionate about in ministry?: Pastoral care for the community and outreaching ministry through emotional and mental supports for people in the community, young- adult ministry.

Fun fact about you: My nicknames are Tough Cookie and Bumble bees. If you want to hear why I got these names you can contact me. ^^

This is just a portion of our new NoVa District Clergy!

Check back in a few weeks as we introduce the next batch of awesome new NoVa District pastors!