Meet Our Lay Speakers

Please contact district director Tom Santa (tsanta5721@hotmail.com) if you would like to request a Beacon district certified lay speaker for your church.

Stephanie Beasley is a certified lay speaker from Colington UMC. She loves studying and sharing God’s Word. She is married to Terry and they have one son. She is a retired Dare County school nurse.

Jo Drago is a certified lay minister and lay speaker from Moyock UMC. She is passionate about becoming a light for Christ and helping others grow in relationship with God and fellowship with one another. Professionally, she is retired from the City of Norfolk as an information technology supervisor. She led a choir at Moyock UMC for 3.5 years. She leads two Bible studies. Jo now serves Moyock UMC as a Shepherd Coordinator to her pastor for doing hospital visits and keeping track of the congregation.

Louanne Ewald, a former teacher, enjoys the challenge of studying and interpreting scripture to strengthen our understanding of how God has acted in the world and what it means to be a 21st century Christian. She passionately believes that the Good News is for everyone, no exceptions. Louanne is a member of Colington UMC in Kill Devil Hills, sings in the choir, and is an active member of the United Women in Faith. She received her lay speaker certification in 2024.

Jeanne Murray is a certified lay speaker and certified lay minister. Jeanne serves at Sharon UMC in Poplar Branch in a number of capacities, including lay leader, small group leader, and UWF President. In addition, she serves as the Beacon district UWF secretary and UWF conference book club facilitator. Jeanne’s passion for supplying the needs of those around her spurs her desire to be a lifelong learner and a spiritual seeker. 

Marjorie Rayburn is a life-long Methodist who enjoys teaching Bible studies and organizing a summer campground service. She enjoys preaching and sharing God’s word with others and is committed to share her faith through word and action. She is retired from the NC Cooperative Extension Service as an agricultural agent, working with farmers. She is married, has 4 children, 7 grandchildren, and 2 dogs.

Tom Santa is a certified lay minister and lay speaker from Moyock UMC.  He is passionate about becoming a better disciple and helping others to grow in relationship with God and with one another.  He is the husband of Michelle, who introduced him to the Methodist church, and father of Mary Elysse and Lauren. Tom retired from the Navy after 22 years as an active-duty Nurse Corps officer and now serves as a full-time family and acute care nurse practitioner.

Please contact district directors Janet Groberski (jgroberski@nccumc.org) or James Bernstein (jbernstein@nccumc.org) if you would like to request a Capital district certified lay speaker for your church.

James Bernstein is a member of Soapstone UMC in Raleigh and previously served a UMC in many roles including mission team leader, youth Sunday school teacher, kitchen volunteer, and liturgist. James became a certified lay speaker in 2017 and has spoken at a number of churches in the district, and regularly preaches at a retirement community (3rd and 5th Sundays). His messages typically speak to the practical Christian life or use the lectionary. He has taught the LSM Basic Course/UM101 a number of times. He works in the pharmaceutical industry and enjoys the outdoors.

Janet Groberski, a certified lay minister and a certified lay speaker, has been a lay leader and lay servant at Westwood UMC in Goldsboro since 2014. She taught an adult Sunday school class for 10 years and is a member of the choir. Her sermons are based on the lectionary or specific scriptural topics. Before moving to Goldsboro, she served in the Air Force for 30 years, traveling to many assignments. Most people who know her knows that she is a lover of cats, with 7 furry friends at home as well as caring for a feral colony.

Latercha McKnight became a certified lay speaker in 2018. She is a mother, a widow, and a pharmaceutical consultant. As she transition from married to widowed, she felt that God was calling her to do more. Her pastor introduced her lay servant classes, and it progressed into being a certified lay speaker. Latercha has a passion to share God with others and to tell about the things that God has done in her life.

Please contact district directors Allen Burden (ga57burden@gmail.com) or Vicki Ambrose (vambrose@nccumc.org) if you would like to request a Corridor district certified lay speaker for your church.

Vicki Ambrose is a certified lay speaker who has had the honor of filling that role since May 2021. She is led to share her personal experience best exemplified in Psalm 46:10, “Be still and know that I AM God.” This is through both personal testimony and the use of scriptures, children’s stories, and devotional sources to illustrate God’s presence in our lives. Vicki currently attends Davis Street UMC in Burlington, NC, where she leads the worship planning team and provides music support.

Allen Burden is a certified lay speaker and certified lay minister whose home church is New Bethel UMC in Rougemont. Allen is retired from the General Electric Company where he specialized in servicing and installing Radiology Imaging Systems. Allen was called to spread the word of the Lord and enjoys serving rural churches. Allen is married to his wife Donna and has two children and one grandchild.

Wayne Dewberry is a certified lay speaker and certified lay minister. He is currently the Lay Leader at Haw River UMC and he is a member of all the committees at HRUMC, including the trustees. He is a past district director of Lay Servant Ministries for the Corridor district. He is happy to answer emergency calls for a speaker when he is not already engaged.

Elma Doermann received her certification in 2024. She works in many positions within the church and is always ready to commune with all who wish to learn more about Jesus. Elma attend Lebanon UMC in Mebane, NC, where she also works as the administrative assistant to the pastor.

Sandy Quinn is a certified lay speaker who loves to share messages about God’s love to others. She uses scripture when preparing a message, relating God’s word to people in today’s world. Sandy is a long-time member of Pleasant Green UMC in Orange County, where she serves as Lay Leader and Lay Delegate to Annual Conference.

Dustin Satterfield is a certified lay speaker, having received his certification in 2022. Dustin really enjoys studying the Bible, discussing with others, and speaking about how God and the scriptures have and are working in his life. Dustin is a member of Mt. Tirzah UMC where he currently serves as the Lay Leader and participates in other various committees and ministries. Dustin enjoys singing, playing guitar and banjo, and spending time with his wife and three children.

Anggie Thompson is a certified lay minister (CLM) and member of Lebanon UMC in the Corridor District in the North Carolina Conference. She serves as an advisor of the Certified Lay Minister Candidate Training Program and is a member of the CLM Steering Committee. Anggie enjoys developing and teaching lay servant classes. She served as a lay minister to two small churches for seven years, but now enjoys filling in as pulpit supply for pastors who need coverage. She doesn’t like to be bored so she keeps busy serving her community and beyond as a volunteer for New Rattitude Rat Terrier Rescue and a member of the Board of Directors of her local fire department. Anggie does all this (and more!) in addition to working a full-time job. In her spare time, Anggie likes to make homemade soap. She delights in spending time with her husband and three rescued rat terriers, two sons and their families, which include four of the most beautiful and enjoyable granddaughters and two handsome and fun grandsons.

Page Wingfield received her lay speaker certification in October of 2017. When asked to fill in during a pastor’s absence, she takes very seriously the responsibility of bringing a thoughtfully prepared message as well as leading the worship service to the best of her ability. Page attends Massey’s Chapel UMC in Durham where she is lay leader and a lay delegate to annual conference.

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Please contact district director Pam Strug (pstrug@nccumc.org) if you would like to request a Fairway district certified lay speaker for your church.

Claire Cox-Woodlief has served for many years at St. Francis UMC in a variety of ways, currently as Chair of SPRC. She serves as Chair of the NCCUMC Board of Church & Society, the Fairway District Anti-Racism Team, and as an SEJ Delegate (and alternate for General Conference). She is Board Chair of the NC Institute for Spiritual Direction and Formation. She enjoys serving as the Retreat Leader of the NC Academy for Spiritual Formation. She serves as a certified facilitator of Sacred Conversations to End Racism and is a Consecration Sunday Leader.

James Gaster is a native of North Carolina whose passion is sharing the Good News in and out of the pulpit, bringing people closer to Christ. James attends Center UMC in Sanford, NC, where he is the Administrative Board Chairman and Lay Leader, and he received his certification as a lay speaker in 2024.

Ronnie Jones has been a certified lay speaker since September 23, 2017 and has filled pulpits in the Fairway district since 2011. He is a member of St. Luke UMC in Sanford where he has served on numerous committees, taught Sunday School, and facilitated Bible studies. He is a member of Heart of Carolina Emmaus Community and served as Lay Director in 2017.

Debora R. Murphy is an “intentional” Methodist who became a certified lay speaker in 2024. As a lay speaker, Debora connects her passion for reading and studying to teaching and learning from others from the pulpit. Debora is a member of Fuquay Varina UMC, where she plays keys with the praise team, leads worship in The Venue (the online-only offering for Sunday worship), serves communion, and greets and welcomes on Sunday mornings. She also leads and plans worship for the NC Five Day Academy for Spiritual Formation.

Don Schwenneker received his lay speaker certification in 2024. His passion is passing along God’s message to those who need to hear it. Don currently attends Holly Springs United Methodist Church where he teaches confirmation with his wife, Kim, has taught Bible studies, and led the church’s $1.5 million building campaign.

Dominic Strug is a certified lay speaker, having received his certification in 2024. Dominic’s passion is to bring the Bible to life through stories and thought-provoking questions about life. Dominic currently attends Fuquay-Varina UMC, where he leads the Safety Ministry Team and plays the trumpet for the Instruments of Praise Team.

Pam Strug became a certified lay speaker in 2017. She loves connecting people with their gifts and passions to serve God’s kingdom. A lifelong United Methodist, she currently attends Fuquay Varina UMC in Fuquay Varina.

Please contact district director Effie McGill (effie.mcgill@gmail.com) if you would like to request a Gateway district certified lay speaker for your church.

Paul Baldwin is a certified lay minister currently in membership at Galilee UMC in Laurinburg, North Carolina. Paul’s certification began in 2019 and he has served with boundless joy and excitement as pulpit supply. He is always excited to fill in for clergy in the Gateway district when needed. Paul is married to Rachelle; together they have two sons, eight grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.

Bret Batdorff is a certified lay speaker, having received his certification in 2023. Bret is a member of Haymount UMC in Fayetteville, where he also serves on the Evangelism Committee.

Hazel Boatwright is a member of Galilee UMC in Laurinburg, NC. She became a certified lay speaker in 2023 and enjoys serving God’s people using her hands, legs, feet, and especially her heart. She uses her gifts and talents with sincere servitude.

Jerline Miller has been a certified lay speaker since 2014. She has been a public speaker since she was a little girl, winning many oratorical contests including the National Elks Oratorical Contest while in high school. She attends Harry Hosier United Methodist Church in Fayetteville, NC.

Larry Cameron  attends St. Pauls UMC in St. Pauls, NC. He has been a certified lay speaker for three years and a Sunday School for 43 years. Larry’s passion is to teach God’s word. He loves the relationship he has with the Holy Spirit while he is preparing a Sunday School lesson or Sunday worship service.

George Hendricks received his certification as a certified lay speaker in 2023. He has a passion for making God’s word relevant for our current world. He is a successful motivational speaker and adheres to the “mind, body, and spirit “ approach to a fulfilling life. His most moving faith experience occurred during his Emmaus Walk weekend, and his favorite quote is Wesley’s “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.” He and his wife, Kelly, live in North Fayetteville. They have two grown sons and a Chi-Poo named Hope . He looks forward to sharing the redeeming word of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ with your congregation!

Francilla Hill is a member of Galilee UMC in Laurinburg, NC, and attended the 2023 NC Annual Conference as Lay Leader. Her passions are showing compassion to others, witnessing the Gospel, watching God’s Word unfold, and transforming the lives of God’s people. As a choir member, she loves exalting God’s name as well as telling the Good News.

Harry Miller is passionate in making sure the world gets to hear the Word from either the minister or his fellow lay servants and lay speakers. Harry currently attends Harry Hosier United Methodist Church in Fayetteville, where he sings in the Mass Choir and is chairman of Higher Education and Technology. He has been a certified lay speaker since 2017.

Lorri Shackelford received her certification as a certified lay speaker in 2023. She has a passion for intercessory prayer, Bible study, and sharing God’s Word in the pulpit. Lorri attends St. Matthews UMC in Fayetteville where she is serves as Finance Chair and leads Sunday morning Bible study. Lorri is married to Kenny and has a daughter, son-in-law, and one grandson.

Please contact district director Sandy Core (sjcore@live.com) if you would like to request a Harbor district certified lay speaker for your church.

Walter ‘Wally’ Bengtson is a member of Grace UMC in Elizabethtown, NC. He has taught Sunday School and small group studies at Clarkton UMC since retiring in 2014. After being ask to fill in for the pastor one Sunday he found out that preaching was something he could do to serve. He enjoys digging into scripture and mapping that to John Wesley’s writings to prepare for a sermon, then letting the Holy Spirit guide him into building the sermon.

Sandy Blake, certified lay speaker, is a member of Burgaw UMC, where she serves as lay leader and a Sunday school teacher. Passionate about sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ, she is grateful for thirty-eight years of teaching experiences that help shape her ministry.

Sandy Core, through her love and dedication to the Lord, has been a part of a variety of ministries, including church pianist, choir director, home Bible study leader, Sunday school teacher, and prayer ministry coordinator. After retiring from her careers as a teacher and social worker, she now works part-time as a data manager for First Fruit Ministries, a homeless ministry in Wilmington. Sandy attends Ocean View UMC and answered the call to be a lay speaker in 2016. She also serves as the Harbor district director of Lay Servant Ministries.

Don Kluttz has been a certified lay speaker for over 10 years and has provided pulpit supply most of his adult life. He retired in 2011 as an auditor with the state of NC and moved with his wife, Wanda, to Oak Island, where they have had a home since 1999. When he is not leading worship elsewhere, he attends Ocean View UMC, where he serves as liturgist and communion assistant, among other roles on administrative committees. Don enjoys singing and is happy to offer a song as part of worship when he is filling a pulpit.

Ernest Leatherman has been lay speaking in churches since 2009 and earned his certification in 2014. He likes to draw on his extensive travels and personal experiences to highlight the love of Jesus Christ. He is a member of Ocean View UMC in Oak Island and has served in most capacities within the local church.

Mel Pitts has been a Harbor district certified lay servant since 2018. Her passion is preaching, and she believes and trusts the Holy Spirit to guide her in composing and delivering sermons. Mel is a member of Wrightsville UMC in Wrightsville Beach, where she teaches adult Sunday school and leads book studies.

Please contact district director Ken Ripley (kripley@nccumc.org) if you would like to request a Heritage district certified lay speaker for your church.

William Wortham is a member of Flat Rock UMC and became a certified lay speaker in 2024. In his words: “After years of being a Jonah, I finally stopped running from God and started saying, ‘Yes Lord what would you have me do?'” William enjoys helping with the church youth group, supporting the church audio/visual team, and coaching a softball team.

Please contact district director Elizabeth Harrison (eharrison@nccumc.org) if you would like to request a Sound district certified lay speaker for your church.

Elizabeth Harrison attends New Song UMC in James City. She became a lay speaker to learn more about the United Methodist Church and to further her learning of the Bible. She recently retired and is enjoying the additional time, while also trying not to take on too many new activities. She is leaning on God to help her say “no” when she should. She is soon to be a guardian ad litem for Craven County, which is something that has been on her heart for many years. Elizabeth loves God and lives by the quote, “Not all who wander are lost.”

Gail Bailey Lindsay became a certified lay speaker in 2009 and a certified lay minister in 2019. Her ministry grows out of her belief that the United Methodist Church is led by the Holy Spirit to “do unto the least.” Gail’s passion is witnessing that we were created to be quickened children of the Triune God, and she has proclaimed that message in more than fifty pulpits. She has preached over sixty sermons, taught Lay Servant Ministries classes, and led Zoom Bible studies.

Kim Rice Smith currently serves as the Sound District Lay Leader, and she became a certified lay speaker in 2023. Within her home church of Cherry Point UMC, she serves as president of the United Women in Faith and as the communications coordinator. For twenty years, Kim served her local Board of Education and for eight of those years, as the Sound District Congregations4Children Coordinator. Her passion is sharing her faith through writing and she is excited to grow as a lay speaker. Kim Smith Sermon. 

Michael Webb is a member of St. James UMC in Greenville, where he was baptized at 51. He became a lay speaker because he felt the need to share the good news. He is a pediatric dentist and serves as the chair of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics at ECU School of Dental Medicine. Mike plays the banjo and loves to cook.