Meet Our Team

Our Pastors

 

Emily Cash

Family: I am wife to Josh and mom to Phoenix (13) and Jericho (11)

Job: Pastor (and Seminary student)

Favorite thing to do in Warsaw: Enjoy good coffee at Light Rail or Three Crowns with a friend (or a book!)

What I love about VSF: The people! I keep pinching myself that I get to know and walk alongside this amazing group of interesting, honest, open and fun people!

A favorite book, movie or album: How to choose just one? Orthodoxy (Chesterton), The Book of Longings (Sue Monk Kidd) and Anatomy of the Soul (Curt Thompson) are a few favorites. And I will always say yes to watching Hot Rod. 

 

Josh Cash

Family: I am the husband to Emily and dad to Phoenix and Jericho.

Job: Pastor

Favorite thing to do in Warsaw: Bump into friends out and about in the community.

What I love about VSF: The people. We have such a loving, authentic group that aren’t afraid of the hard things in life.

A favorite book, movie, or album: I love music and movies too much to be able to pick a favorite. The movie Warrior is a favorite movie. I know this is kind of cheating, but one of my favorite albums is Pink Floyd’s Pulse Tour Live.

Our Elders

The elder board, including the pastors, partner together to discern and set the vision and direction of the church. The pastors have a unique role in shepherding congregational care, study, reflection and teaching, as well as carrying day to day organization and detail. Some men and women respond to a call to enter into eldership to share in the labors of leadership for a two-year term. The existing board recommends candidates, and the membership of the church communally affirms elders. As a priesthood of believers, Valley Springs Fellowship invites all who attend to engage in the ministries and services of the church body.

  • Cliff Staton

    Family: Married to Veisa, 2 adult married children, 4 grandchildren

    Job: Retired 

    Favorite thing to do in Warsaw: I love the seasonal change. Fall is my favorite. 

    What I love about VSF: We are a diverse community who work at practicing how to love each other well.

    A favorite book, movie, or album: Chariots of Fire

  • Gregg Straits

    Family:  Wife: Sandra Straits, Son: Stephen and Joy Straits, Son Alexander .  Daughter:  James and Danielle Soderstrom, Daughter Evie,  Daughter:  Jennifer Straits

    Job: Mathematics teacher at Warsaw High School

    Favorite thing to do in Warsaw: Work in the yard

    What I love about VSF: They are family

    A favorite book, movie, or album: Lord of the Rings, the Marvel Series

  • Kimberly Morgan

    Family: I am wife to Tom and mom to Brenna (25), Winter (23), and Maddy (21)

    Job: Packager at Zimmer Biomet

    Favorite thing to do in Warsaw: Take walks with my family in Winona Lake and look for fish and turtles from the canal bridges.

    What I love about VSF: VSF has been my church home for 30 years.  I love the people and their desire to know God together, even when life is hard and messy.

    A favorite book, movie, or album: Favorite books are A. W. Tozer’s The Pursuit of God and the Little House on the Prairie series.

  • Beth Warner

    Family: I live with my husband, Matt, and our three kids; Mitch, Eleanor, and Helen.

    Job: After working in not-for-profit international development for 17 years, I'm enjoying a new season of learning and engaging spiritual formation practices and spending time connecting with our community and my neighbors.

    Favorite thing to do in Warsaw: Walk and talk with friends on the trails and in the parks around town.

    What I love about VSF: After a lifetime in churches I find ours a breath of fresh air! I'm thankful that our community isn't dependent on a solitary leader, or singular vision. We share our vision, service, leadership, and governance with de-centered authority and broad humility.

    A favorite book, movie, or album: My favorite Disney classic has always been Mulan. When I was younger I spent two years in China, and love how that film expresses so much about contemporary Chinese culture. The story-line is also a good one!

  • Denise Terry

    Family: Married to Dave for 35 years, and mom to Daniel (24) who lives in Florida.

    Job: I have the privilege of serving as the Director of the Center for Career Connections at my alma mater, Grace College, for the past 12 years.

    Favorite thing to do in Warsaw: Having a meal in any of our local restaurants with dear friends. I love good food and good conversation!

    What I love about VSF: I love how we lean into authenticity- trusting that God chooses to use all aspects of our lives, including the messiness, as soil in which to grow deeper roots of faith and acceptance of grace.

    A favorite book, movie, or album: A favorite author: Andrew DeCort- a passionate ethicist and founder of the Institute for Faith and Flourishing and the Neighbor-Love Movement. His blogs and writings have opened my heart and mind to see "loving our neighbor" as central to this journey of faith.

Staff & Coordinators

 

Amy Clay

Ministry Assistant

 

Ministry Coordinators

Brenna Sell, Veisa Staton, Bess Farrell, Nancy Rooker, Florell Hand, Brenda Welling, Dick Rooker, Jessica Durando, Frank Benyousky, (Craig Smallegan)