Rev. Holly McKissick, Senior Pastorholly@sacchome.org
Rev. Holly McKissick has been pastor of Saint Andrew Christian Church since its beginning in 1990. A Texan by birth, she completed her undergraduate work at Texas A&M and Texas Christian University—graduating with honors with a degree in business management. She received the Master of Divinity degree in 1987 from Brite Divinity School.
Rev. McKissick is a contributing religion writer for the Kansas City Star and a dynamic featured speaker. She currently serves on the Boards of the Division of Overseas Ministry and the Disciples Divinity House at the University of Chicago. Holly's commitment to the Christian Church and the larger community is evident in her work with organizations such as the Council on Christian Unity, the Disciples Peace Fellowship, and the Disciples Caucus for Clergywomen. She is also on the Board of Directors of Midwest Innocence Project. Holly has chaired the Kansas City region's Ecumenical Relations Committee, served on the Religious Affairs Committee of Planned Parenthood and the Kansas City Interfaith Peace Alliance.
As an avid long-distance runner, Holly has run marathons and raised substantial funds for Saint Andrew and new Disciple of Christ congregations, as well as local and global mission projects. She and her husband, the Rev. Tom Hawley, are the parents of grade schoolers Eden and Ben.
People say Holly is: passionate, inspiring, relatable, provoking, committed, open, receptive, visionary, a great storyteller, authentic, justice-oriented, not afraid to speak honestly about issues, high-energy, truly moving, tireless, a mover and a shaker; one of us, down-to-earth.
Beyond her amazing ability to tell a powerful story, Holly is deeply insightful — adept at understanding and communicating the context of a situation. She is a truly gifted speaker who is able to condense complex theological ideas into clear language that the listener can take away and apply to everyday life.
Perhaps the greatest gift of Holly’s ministry is that each week her words stick with you...connect with you, heart and soul...and move you to action. She is an authentic Christian visionary, passing on a glimpse of the world she envisions: a world where peace and justice reign; and she is able to encourage others to recognize their gifts and their role in bringing that vision into focus.
Rev. Brandon Gilvin, Associate Pastorbrandon@sacchome.org
Saint Andrew is pleased to welcome our new associate pastor, Rev. Brandon Gilvin. A life long member of the Disciples' Church, Brandon's rich background in ministry and social justice work is a perfect compliment to the congregation at Saint Andrew. Raised in Kentucky, Brandon has a BA in religious studies and creative writing from Hiram College and a Master of Divinity Degree from Vanderbilt University. His father was a farmer and his mother a teacher. Together, they raised him with a passion for exploring the outside world, and taught him that all of God's people deserve to be treated justly.
As in the tale of the man wrestling with Jacob (Genesis 32), Brandon has realized that tenacity gains a blessing. This knowledge has encouraged Brandon to seek justice throughout the world, and has helped him inspire everyone he meets. He is known for diligent work and a compassionate heart.
Brandon has served as the North American Regional Secretary of the World Student Foundation in Toronto, Ontario where he worked with students interested in faith-based social activism. He previously served the All Africa Conference of Churches in Nairobi, Kenya, as the Programme Executive for Communication, leading communication efforts for the network of more than 190 churches, denominations and ecumenical councils. Prior to his 18 months in Africa, Brandon served as Minister in Residence at Central Christian Church in Lexington, Kentucky. While there, he was deeply involved in the life of the church-teaching, leading worship, providing pastoral care and pursuing interfaith work.
While attending seminary, he interned for the Quaker Peace Centre in Cape Town, South Africa planning and conducted workshops on non- violence and conflict resolution with middle and high school students. He also has written two books, Wisdom and the Five People You Meet in Heaven, and Solving the Da Vinci Code Mystery.
When he has free time, Brandon enjoys flexing his creative writing muscles. He also enjoys spending time at the gym--an activity he is looking forward to once he gets settled here at Saint Andrew.
Rev. Allison Lanza, Associate Pastor/Pastoral Residentallison@sacchome.org
Allison grew up in Fort Worth TX in a Disciples of Christ congregation that her grandparent’s helped to found. From this congregation, and from her family, she learned early the power of a loving community which is dedicated to seeking God and loving others.
She received a BA in Religion and Sociology from Trinity University in San Antonio TX. At Trinity she primarily studied social inequality and in particular what that looks like in the urban areas of the US. At the same time she volunteered regularly, teaching classes for children and families at San Antonio Metropolitan Ministries homeless shelter for families. Additionally she directed the volunteer organization at Trinity. It was at this time that Allison realized her passion for helping others to discover their gifts and to discern how they can use their gifts to impact change and bring hope to the world around them.
Allison received her Masters of Divinity at Vanderbilt Divinity School in Nashville TN in May of 2008. While at Vanderbilt she worked in youth and children’s ministries at Vine Street and Woodmont Christian Church. In addition she volunteered regularly with Safe Haven Family Shelters and served as a chaplain at the Arlington Life Shelter. She was ordained at Ridglea Christian Church in Fort Worth in June of 2008. She is very excited to be beginning her ministry at St. Andrew Christian Church.
Rev. Tom Minges, Associate Pastortomminges@sacchome.org Tom’s ministry at Saint Andrew has evolved since he began attending the church several years ago. Ordained in 1967 as a Catholic priest in the Kansas City, Missouri diocese, he served for 20 years as pastor of a variety of parishes, suburban, inner-city and urban. He earned M.A. degrees in Theology and in Counseling, and is a Licensed Professional Counselor ( Missouri).
In 1986, he resigned from the priesthood and married Rebecca Mathews. He remained active in the Catholic church, working in a number of parishes as business manager and planner, and in 2001 became Director of Stewardship and Development for the Kansas City-St. Joseph diocese. Sometime later, Tom began searching for a new church home, and like many others, found Saint Andrew. Its combination of beautiful liturgies, commitment to social justice and its community of thoughtful Christians was very attractive. Shortly afterwards, senior pastor Holly McKissick asked Tom to consider assisting at the Sunday services; and since the church’s associate pastor had moved to another congregation, Tom gradually became more involved in pastoral care, worship, stewardship and a number of other ministries.
As Holly describes, “When Tom stood up at Saint Andrew to lead worship for the first time, I was overwhelmed with the feeling that this is what he was created for.” Tom’s presence at Saint Andrew has been an indescribably gracious gift for our staff and members. Young and old adore him and treasure his welcoming, calming, unconditionally loving presence.
Tom and Rebecca live in south Kansas City. Rebecca, formerly an artistic manager at Hallmark, changed careers about 10 years ago and now works as a Licensed Counselor, with offices in several locations including the Plaza.
Rev. Tom Hawley, Minister of Pastoral Caretomh@sacchome.org
Rev. Tom Hawley, who serves part-time as Minister of Pastoral Care, has extensive training in pastoral care/counseling including a bachelor's degree in social work and a Master of Divinity degree with a concentration in pastoral care (both from Texas Christian University), and a Master of Social Work with a concentration in clinical counseling from the University of Kansas. For the past 17 years, Tom has worked with children, youth and families in a variety of settings including Saint Luke's Hospital, Marillac Center for Children, The Children's Place, Intensive Family Counseling, and, since 1996, the Crittenton Behavioral Center where he serves as chaplain. At Saint Andrew, Tom leads the weekly Emotion Support Group (Sunday mornings at 9:30 am), serves as a mentor for our pastoral care team, and offers pastoral care and counseling to members and friends of the congregation. A founding member of Saint Andrew, Tom serves as the "ad hoc" leader of SAGE (Saint Andrew Group for Ecology.)
Tom is married to our Sr. Pastor, the Rev. Holly McKissick. They have two school-age children, Eden and Ben. Tom's passions include stewardship of the earth, running, reading, and coaching Ben's soccer team.
Rev. Gary Duncan, Minister of Worship and Artsgary@sacchome.org
Gary has a BSBA from Missouri Western State College and a Master of Divinity from Saint Paul School of Theology in Kansas City. He has served as Minister of Youth at Smithville Christian Church and Minister of Education at Ridgeview Christian Church before coming to Saint Andrew. He designed the worship space for the past three General Assemblies of the Disciples Church. He also works as an ad designer at the Kansas City Star. Gary's interests and hobbies include old architecture, antiques and landscaping. He and his partner Randy live in a 107-year-old house in Kansas City with their dogs Max, Margaret and Webster, and their cats Lucy and Ethel.
Debbi Adams, Church Administratordebbi@sacchome.org
Debbi has been a full time member of the Saint Andrew staff since late 2002; however, she began working for the church on a part-time basis in 1993. Debbi's long-time service to the church and her depth of understanding of church administration are invaluable to her as Church Administrator. She is responsible for the day-to-day operation of Saint Andrew, including building usage and financial matters. Before beginning her career in church administration, Debbi's business experience included an administrative position with the Jewish Community Relations Bureau. In 2000, Debbi reached her goal of becoming a registered nurse, graduating from Johnson County Community College. Debbi grew up in the Kansas City area, and she and her husband of more than 20 years, Mike, have three children, Brandon, Kyle, and Kelsey.
Denise Dugan, Director of Children's Ministriesdenise@sacchome.org
Denise Dugan joined the Saint Andrew staff with the expansion of the Center for the Arts and Spirituality. In her role as Director of Children's Ministries, she helps to further the mission of our young congregation and realize the vision for the Center, using the arts - drama, music, visual arts, dance, etc. -- to help us experience God in meaningful ways. Denise is a founding member of Saint Andrew, and one of the many preacher's kids in our church family. Hers is a close-knit family who are all deeply committed and active members of Saint Andrew.
Along with serving as our first Christian Education chair, over the years Denise has directed VBS, taught Sunday School and Children's Church, and coordinated advent workshops. Her impressive record of service to Saint Andrew also includes positions as Moderator, Worship Chair, Pastoral Partner, youth sponsor and loyal choir member.
Denise is a graduate of UMKC with a bachelor's degree in business administration. She brings to her work at Saint Andrew her years of valuable experience as a "real world" business woman, as well as an energy and a passion for making our children's programming exciting, fresh, and meaningful. She is currently enrolled at St. Paul School of Theology. Denise is married to Steve Siebers. She invites input from others who wish to contribute to the faith formation of Saint Andrew kids.
Eli Chamberlain, Volunteer Coordinator eli@sacchome.org Eli joined the staff in the fall of 2003. While she is relatively new to the staff, Eli is a founding member of Saint Andrew. She is also fluent in Spanish, and has twice traveled to El Salvador with delegations to our sister community of El Higueral.
In a sense, Eli considers the Saint Andrew congregation as an extension of her family, since she has felt the support and care of the church as her own family has grown. Eli and her husband Justin have two young children, Julia and Christian. She has known a lot of the kids in the youth group from the time they were tiny tots, and Eli's involvement in her own church youth group as a teenager is what fuels her enthusiasm for S.A.Y. (Saint Andrew Youth). She hopes our young people will have the rich experiences and deep connections she felt growing up in church.
A native of Kansas City, Eli is a graduate of William Jewell College where she studied music and English. She has worked in both for-profit and non-profit organizations. Eli’s background in the training industry, and as a writer and speaker are valuable assets in her many roles at Saint Andrew. She believes there is no more important job than to teach and encourage our young people so they feel confident and connected even when they move on to the next phase of their lives.
Cynthia Egger Farris, Music Directorcindy@sacchome.org
Cindy Egger has been the guitarist/music director at Saint Andrew Christian Church since our first worship service in 1991. Born and raised in Iowa, she completed her Bachelor of Music degree at Coe College and then her Master of Music degree at the UMKC Conservatory of Music, where she was the recipient of the Outstanding Student Award at the Master's level.She currently teaches guitar at Rockhurst University and the Toon Shop. She regularly plays gigs around the metro area, with experience ranging from bar bands, weddings and private parties, to the Kansas City Symphony, the Lyric Opera, and City in Motion Dance Company. She has a solo CD entitled "Finger Pickin' Good" and was chosen to be included in a book written by Kathryn Sommer about local KC women called "A Power Of Her Own". Cindy enjoys most styles of music and her instrumental moments in the services reflect her diverse tastes. You might hear Spanish, Renaissance, Classical, new age, Celtic, or folk on any given Sunday. She has a very clear and strong singing voice which she combines with her masterful guitar playing to contribute to the unique Saint Andrew worship experience. Cindy is "mother" to Chester˜ a more handsome dog you will not find. Music consumes most of her life, but in a rare free moment she enjoys riding her Buell motorcycle and listening to live music.
Cindy is married to Dave Farris, the associate pastor and music director at Liberty Christian Church.
Joy Zimmerman, Violinist/Program Coordinatorjoy@sacchome.org Joy is our violinist extraordinaire on Sunday mornings. You may also be aware of the support groups that she facilitates for people coping with a serious illness. Recently, Joy has agreed to take on some extra programming responsibilities in the area of women’s ministries. She is already busy establishing new groups and planning our first women’s event of 2008, a soup & salad lunch on January 6. In addition to her background in music, Joy has a Master's Degree in social work from Washington University and has worked at Solace House and Turning Point: A Center for Hope and Healing. She also helped found True Blue Women, a grassroots advocacy organization. Joy, her husband, Mark Dugan, and their sons, Ryan and Connor, are long-time members of Saint Andrew.
Linda Greer, Office Manager linda@sacchome.org
Joining the staff at Saint Andrew in 2007, Linda brings with her an extensive office managerial background. For 15 years, she worked in the nutrition and weight-loss industry, helping people live healthier and richer lives. Linda is a lifelong Disciple and member of the Disciples of Christ Church in Buckner, Missouri. She loves spending time with her husband Alan, sons Richard & Joshua, daughter-in-law Kim and especially her granddaughters Kyla, 4, and Jordan, 3. Her favorite pastimes include The New York Times Crossword Puzzle, cooking, and boating. Linda and her husband are also avid motorcycle enthusiasts. Family get-togethers are a common occurrence on her acreage just east of Lone Jack, MO, with activities including fishing, hayrides, and enjoying Alan’s smoked meats!
Patty Glauser, Publicationspatty@sacchome.org
Patty joined the Saint Andrew staff in April, 2007. For the past nine years Patty worked at Hancock Fabrics as the assistant manager and previously to that she worked at a Mother’s Day Out while her children were small. She has lived in Overland Park most of her life and has been married to her husband John for almost 30 years. They have three children; Curtis lives in Paola and is a Senior Master Technician, Travis is a graduate student at KU, and their daughter Abby attends Shawnee Mission West. Raised attending the Catholic Church, Patty is currently a member of the Overland Park Presbyterian Church. She enjoys spending time with family, sewing, and going to the lake.
Maurine McLellan, Administrative Assistantmaurine@sacchome.org
Maurine joined the Saint Andrew staff in February, 2008. She comes from four years of retail following four years working at Congregation Beth Shalom as newsletter editor, cemetery administrator, and administrative assistant. Maurine and family are thirty year residents of Stilwell, KS. She and her husband, Roy, have two children, Roy IV and Emily. Roy IV and his wife, Jenny, are expecting their first child, Roy V, in April. Maurine enjoys sewing, traveling, and genealogy.
