
Rev.
George Freeman, Senior Minister
George is from
Alexandria, Virginia. He received an A.S. in Music
from Ferrum College, his B.A. in Religion and
Philosophy from Greensboro College and his Master of
Divinity from Duke Divinity School. George was
ordained a Deacon in the United Methodist Church,
Western North Carolina Annual Conference in 1976 and
was ordained an Elder in 1980. He completed his
Internship in C.P.E. as a hospital Chaplain at North
Carolina Baptist Hospital, 1981-1982. Then from
1983-1984 George completed his first year Residency
in C.P.E. at North Carolina Memorial Hospital in
Chapel Hill as the chaplain to Pediatrics,
Neurosurgery, and Oncology. His second year
Residency (1984-1985) was at Duke Medical Center,
Durham, NC as the chaplain to the Duke Heart Team
and to the Marriage and Family Counseling and
Consultation Center, Durham, as a Resident Pastoral
Counselor . George has served local parishes at
Level-Cross UMC, Randleman; Mt. Tabor UMC in
Salisbury; South Point UMC in Belmont; Providence
UMC in Charlotte; Cullowhee UMC at Western Carolina
University; Biltmore UMC in Asheville; Brevard First
UMC; Oak Ridge UMC, Greensboro; and First UMC
Hickory.
George has served on the Board of Directors at
Givens Estates Retirement Community, Asheville;
Board of Trustees at Brevard College; Board of
Visitors at the United Methodist Children's Home,
Winston-Salem; Board of Directors of Wesley
Foundation at Western Carolina University; and the
Board of Directors of the American Cancer Society at
the Charlotte Chapter.
The hobbies that spark George's interest and occupy
his time, include; golfing, woodworking, ocean
kayaking and hiking.
George has been married to Donna Pierce for 31 years
and they have three children: Mark, a graduate of
Duke University; Beth a graduate of Emory
University; and Megan, a rising eighth grader.
Dr. James Westmoreland, Minister of Education and Programs
Jim was born in
Charlotte, N.C. He attended Charlotte schools and
Dilworth Untied Methodist Church was his home
church. He graduated from the University of North
Carolina-Charlotte in 1968 with a B. S. degree in
Political Science. He received his Master of
Divinity degree from Candler School of Theology,
Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia in 1971. During
seminary he served a student appointment of 8
churches on the Murphy Circuit in Cherokee County,
N.C. Following graduation he entered the Western
North Carolina Conference and was ordained an
Elder in full connection in June, 1971. He was
appointed and served as Minister of Youth and
Education at Memorial United Church in
Thomasville, N.C. for 16 years.
In 1981
Jim completed three years of study and received his
Doctor of Ministry degree from Drew University,
Madison, New Jersey. In August
of 1987 he was appointed to First United Methodist
Church, Gastonia as Minister of Education and
continues in that position now as Minister of
Programs.
In
Gastonia he has served on the Aids Council as chair
of the task force on Family and Community and
President. He served on the House of Mercy Board for
Holy Angels. Jim is a member of the Gastonia
Rotary Club and is a Paul Harris Fellow.
He is a certified
Counselor with the Association of Pastoral
Counseling and presently serves as Chair of the
Board of Directors of the Methodist Counseling
Center. He has
expertise in small group facilitation, as well as
pastoral counseling. He enjoys clown ministry and
working with children, youth and adults.
Jim is
married to Barbara and they have 2 sons: Chris, who
serves as Minister at Assurance United Methodist
Church in Huntersville, and Andy who is a
Commercial Sales agent for Watson Insurance in
Gastonia. They have four grandchildren.
Rev. Angela
D. Burris, Minister of Membership and Evangelism
Angela is a graduate of Catawba
College and Duke Divinity School and brings a
broad range of experience in the areas of Church
Growth and Congregational Development as
well as expertise in the area of Stephen
Ministries through Christ Care Group Ministries.
Angela has served at Providence United Methodist
Church as Minister of Membership Cultivation and
comes to us from Duncan Memorial United Methodist
Church where she was Senior Minister. She
has a passion for teaching, small groups, creative
worship design, medical ethics and relating to the unchurched and dechurched.
Rev.
Saxon Scarborough, Minister of Music
Rev.
Sarah Watkins Davis, Minister of Children's
Ministries
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