Church Council

Meets the fourth Tuesday of every month

Church Council is primarily responsible for creating and sustaining the congregation’s plan for discipleship. The Council Chair works with the Senior Pastor and the Directors of each of our functional ministries to build, implement and supervise a shared vision and strategic plan for Mount Olivet. The Council usually meets the fourth Tuesday of each month.

Sara Scarlett McDonnell Chair, Sherri Hunter, Brian Butler, Kim Roehl, Dotty Dake, Lindsey Zuluaga, Charles Lundy, Karen Lundy, David Foster, Stacy Porro, Jaydee Hanson, Kim Mullin, Brice Smith, Jim Dake, Janet Oak, Kendra Slatt, David Traynham, Ryan Brown, Roberta Jones, McKenzie Nelson, Cindy Huber, Kenn Speicher, Rev Sara Keeling, Rev. Stephanie Bekhor, Rev. Jeff Goodman, Marilyn Traynham, Tina Marcus, Linnea Carlson, Sam Riedel, Dr. Bryan Holten, Connie Hanna, Jett McReynolds

Adult Council
David Traynham Chair, Cindy Huber, Kevin Togashi, Cynthia Nelson, Reed Howard, Rev. Sara Keeling

Children's Council
Kendra Slatt Chair, Emily Pearce, Laura Kallal, Jennifer Price, Alexis Joyce, Felipe Zuluaga, Shirley Beck, Emery Moore, Reed Howard, Alexis Joyce, Linnea Carlson

Lay Leadership

Lay Leaders are connectors, deep listeners, facilitators and liaisons between the laity, the clergy and the staff. Their job is to continually discern how God’s Spirit is moving and guiding the church, its programs and ministries; and to bring what they discover into dialogue. Each is assigned as an ex-officio member to ministry teams and committees.

Sherri Hunter, Brian Butler, Reed Howard

Staff Parish Relations Committee (SPRC)

Meets the first Monday of every month

The Staff Parish Relations Committee acts as a liaison between the Congregation and its staff and clergy so that Mount Olivet is equipped to support the accomplishment of church goals. SPRC sets employment policy, guides the work of the management team, and works to ensure that Mount Olivet is a fulfilling place to work. It provides guidance on staff priorities, job descriptions and evaluations, and compensation. Members of this committee cannot be related to a Mount Olivet staff member, and meetings are not open to non-committee members. SPRC usually meets the first Monday of the month.

Charles Lundy Chair, Rev. Stephanie Bekhor, Rev. Sara Keeling, Helen Mavroidis, Cindy Huber, Brent Baxter, Rev. Jeff Goodman, Drew Pathwick, Lee Moore, Sarah Young, Sherri Hunter

The Board of Trustees

Meets the first Monday of every month

The Board of Trustees is responsible for the supervision, oversight, and maintenance of all church-owned property, equipment and facilities so that we protect and preserve our physical property, administrative infrastructure and safety and security of the congregation and its missions. The Trustees help establish policies for the proper use of church facilities, develop disaster plans, oversee land acquisition, administer and invest all trusts of the church, and represent the church in all legal matters.

Sean Walsh Chair, Chuck Mitchell, David Foster, Mike Nelson, Laura Jensen, Kirk Robertson, Lee Ressler, Ann Speicher, Rick Ritter, Marilyn Traynham, Rev. Sara Keeling, Brian Butler

Finance Committee

Meets the third Tuesday of every month

The Finance Committee develops and administers a coordinated plan of fiscal and administrative policies and procedures for the church. It provides financial direction and communicates the church’s financial condition to the Church Council. Specifically, the Committee compiles an annual budget and oversees the receiving and expenditure of church funds, making sure that the funds are properly accounted for. It oversees the audit, stewardship and capital campaigns, and works with the Trustees and property managers to fund capital improvement projects.

Karen Lundy Chair, Marilyn Traynham, Charlie Mullin, Kevin Glandon, Jim Coates, Kelly George, Reed Howard, Charles Lundy, Rev. Sara Keeling, Roberta Jones, Sara Scarlett McDonnell

Stewardship Team

Stewardship is responsible for sustaining a culture of generosity among the Mount Olivet community. It meets on an as needed basis.

Jim Dake, Marilyn Traynham, Rev. Sara Keeling

Enduring Gifts Committee

Meets quarterly

The Enduring Gifts committee oversees and publicizes the endowment fund which is in place to sustain the current and future ministry and mission of Mount Olivet. They meet quarterly.

Ryan Brown, Chair, Jim Dake, Karen Lundy

Nominations & Lay Leadership Development (NLD)

Meets the first Tuesday of every month

The Nominations & Lay Leadership Development (NLD) Committee helps members and friends of the congregation utilize their gifts for ministry through serving the church. The Committee oversees the identification, development and care for the volunteer leaders at Mount Olivet. Key initiatives include preparing the annual nomination slate and providing oversight of volunteer service and leadership development at the church. The Committee works throughout the year to name other leaders for the ministry that fulfill the mission of the congregation.

Rev. Sara Keeling Chair, Steve Jensen, Christina Danko, McKenzie Nelson, Steve Neff, Monte Campbell, Sherri Hunter

Worship Team

The Worship Ministry team is responsible for the coordination of all aspects of the church services. This includes the implementation of worship themes and holy times of the year per the vision and direction of the Senior Pastor (e.g., Advent, Lent activities, etc.). The Team maintains coordinators for components of the service, to include ushers, acolytes, communion stewards, lay leaders, altar flowers, paraments and banners, etc. The Worship Ministry Team does not meet as a single body.

Rev. Sara Keeling, Rev. Stephanie Bekhor, Rev. Jeff Goodman, Linnea Carlson, Dr. Bryan Holten, Cindy Newcomb, Sarah Meek, Kevin Glandon, Debbie Roehl

Witness & Welcome Team

Meets the second Tuesday of every month

The Witness and Welcome Ministry Team coordinates programs that help bring in new attendees and members and help them “plug in” to any church activity or aspect of church life of interest. The Team coordinates activities that foster support and nurture of the church members and caring for their needs. This includes following up with new visitors, creating fellowship activities and groups, providing for the sponsorship of new members, organizing greeters before and after worship services, coordinating coffee in the Gathering Space, staffing the Connecting Point, etc. They also strive to channel the gifts and talents of the church membership so that both members and visitors experience the life giving power of God’s family and become active participants in our community of faith.

Scott Rosen Chair, Roy and Shirley Beck, Monte Campbell, Kelly George, Tina Marcus, Janet Oak, Debbie Roehl, Dan and Sarah Santoro

Outreach Team

Meets the second Tuesday of every month

Vision Statement: Guiding Mount Olivet’s congregation to live out Christ's love by serving those within our community and beyond, and supporting mission efforts that transform lives through faith and compassion.

Mission Statement: Mount Olivet’s Outreach mission is to provide a vital source of support and empowerment within
our community and beyond, reflecting the love and compassion of Christ through practical assistance and meaningful engagement.  The church strives to create a compassionate network that addresses immediate needs, fosters hope, and builds sustainable pathways to longer-term well-being and self-sufficiency.  Further, the church strives to deepen its own understanding and awareness of the social needs in the communities we serve – so as to foster our culture of empathy, advocacy, and transformative action and to cultivate an informed and proactive church community that actively engages in addressing social challenges.

Stacy Porro Chair, Stephanie Bekhor, Jim Coates, Jose Collazo, Nick Coughlin, Barbara Feer, Kelly George, Cindy Huber, Peter Joyce, Intan Parada, Kenn Speicher

Caretakers of God's Creation

Meets the first Thursday of every month

The Caretakers of God’s Creation Ministry team is dedicated to Mount Olivet’s environmental stewardship and expanding the important role of creation care. This Team conducts an annual survey to ensure Mount Olivet retains the Virginia Annual Conference’s Green Church status and award. The Team also provides counsel and resources to other teams and committees to enable environmentally friendly practices and help our members see the importance of Creation and Sabbath in their daily lives.

Karen and Jim McElfish, Ryan Brown, Mary Bell, Karen Lundy (finance rep), Reed Howard, Jaydee Hanson

History Team

Meets as needed

The History Ministry Team is responsible for preserving the historical record of the church and connecting our members with our church history to inform and energize the church mission. The Team manages the church’s records program so that the records of the church are appropriately created, preserved and made available for research. It also sponsors periodic programs that depict the social and spiritual contexts of our church and share compelling stories about the lives transformed by the church. The History Committee meets on an ad-hoc basis as necessary.

Monte Campbell, Gretchen Koenig, Brice Smith, Rev. Sara Keeling

Community Assistance Team

Meets as needed

The Community Assistance Ministry team oversees efforts to serve a growing population of low-income residents in the greater Arlington community. The Team coordinates a variety of initiatives to inspire guests and non-members to consider making Mount Olivet their church home. Activities include monthly Community Assistance distributions during which local residents receive a hot meal, groceries, clothing, health screenings and gift cards for food and transportation, in addition to the opportunity to experience God’s love. Community Assistance meets monthly on a prearranged date.

Kim Mullin Chair, Arbora Johnson, Tina Marcus, Marilyn Traynham, and Allison Schwartz