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Elon Community Church Staff Pictures and Biographies
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Denise C. Long, Interim Minister
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Rev. Denise C. Long, Interim Minister, is an ordained UCC minister and has served in a variety of capacities in local churches and in the Southern Conference. Most recently she completed a two year interim ministry at Binkley Memorial Baptist Church in Chapel Hill. Denise is the wife of Doug Long, and together they helped begin the Umstead Park UCC in Raleigh. She is a graduate of Wake Forest University, Southeastern Seminary in Wake Forest, and the University of North Carolina School of Law. She and Doug, along with their two children, also worked for a year in Mexico with Habitat for Humanity. Denise can be reached by e-mail at denise_ecc@bellsouth.net. |
Sharon Hammill,
Minister of Spiritual Growth and Christian Education
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Rev. Sharon Hammill, Minister of Spiritual Growth and Christian Education, grew up in Burlington, North Carolina and graduated from Williams High School in 1974. She attended Appalachian State University for two and a half years and completed her B.A. degree in Elementary Education at Elon College in 1978. Sharon taught in the Pitt County school system during 1979-1980. Upon her return to Burlington in 1980, she was employed by Biomedical Reference Laboratories, now known as Laboratory Corporation of America where she has served in various positions the last for 27 years. She is presently an account specialist in the HLA Customer Service Department. In 2004, she became part of the first class of The Pastoral Leadership Development Program of the Southern Conference of the United Church of Christ, where she completed her studies and graduated in June, 2007. She is a life long member of First Christian United Church of Christ where she has served as Chair of the Board of Christian Education, Youth Ministries Coordinator, and Intern Pastor for Christian Education. Sharon was ordained on April 13, 2008 at Elon Community Church. She has three grown sons, Ron, Scott, and Keith Ingalls, who is married to Laura, and one granddaughter. Sharon can be reached at hammill.sharon@gmail.com. |
Bob Knowles,
Director of Pastoral Visitation
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Rev. Robert A. Knowles, Director of Pastoral Visitation, is a retired ordained minister, coming to Elon most recently from Danville, Virginia. Bob was born in 1925 in New York City. He was married to the late Helen Cobbs in 1948. In 1949 he graduated from Springfield University with a BS in Group Work. Following college he attended the Pacific School of Religion Seminary and graduated in 1952. He was ordained on June 13, 1952. Bob has also completed continuing education courses in Camp Leadership Training and Clinical Pastoral Education. Throughout his time, Bob has served as an associate minister, pastor, resident director, and minister of Christian Education at various Churches and Institutions throughout the country, including California, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Bob retired from active ministry on November 30, 1987. Bob is the father of four children: Deborah, David, Mary Anne, and Rebecca. All of his children are now grown and Bob is the grandfather of ten grandchildren: seven boys and three girls. |
Monica F. Nicholson, Administrative
Assistant
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Mrs. Monica F. Nicholson, Administrative Assistant, is a native of Long Island, New York. She is a graduate of Eastport High School where she served as the president of the Student Council and SADD, along with being the captain of the volleyball team. Monica came to North Carolina in 2003 to attend Elon University. She periodically wrote for the Pendulum and the Rock Creek Record, along with serving as a member of Alpha Chi Omega Fraternity. She was a presenter at the 2006 Student Undergraduate Research Forum and won first place in the Broadcast Education Associations National Undergraduate Research Competition in Spring of 2006. She graduated in May of 2007 with a Bachelor of Arts degree for both Broadcast and Journalism. Monica permanantly moved to Elon in 2006 after getting engaged. She was married in May of 2007 to Joshua Nicholson, graduate of Graham High School. Monica and Josh live with their children Gavin and Sheala, their three dogs Roxie, Ace and Mya, and their cat Gwen. You can contact Monica at the church at eccucc@bellsouth.net. |
Lori Watson,
Finance Director
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Mrs. Lori Watson, Finance Director, grew up in North Carolina and graduated from Western High School. She attended Guilford Technical Community College and runs her own real estate group, Star Real Estate Company. Lori is married to Ricky Watson and they currently live in Gibsonville with their three daughters, Whitley, Erika, and Katy. |
| Mark Rumley,
Organist
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Mr. Mark Rumley, Organist,has been serving as ECC's organist since January 1999. Mark plays the two-manual Casavant organ (Opus 3467-1980). He is also an assistant superintendent for Yadkin County Schools. Mark has performed in a variety of venues, both as a recitalist and an accompanist, including two performances in the White House (1985, 2001) and in cathedrals and churches in the U.S. and Europe. He studied piano privately before beginning his organ studies at Elon College while he was in high school. He competed in many piano festivals and earned superior ratings, which propelled him into regional and state competitions where he won state competitions several times. Through a juried process, Mark has been invited to play on the Sunday afternoon recital series at Washington National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. during the 2012 season. Mark holds two bachelor's degrees (English and Organ Performance) from Elon College, where he studied with Professors Richard Apperson and Robert Burns King. He also holds a master's degree in school administration and the Specialist in Education (Ed. S.) degree. Mark will be awarded a Ph.D. from UNC-Greensboro in October 2010. As a young English teacher, Mark received Southern Alamance High School’s Teacher of the Year Award (1987) and was selected as Alamance County's Wachovia Principal of the Year (1996). Mark has three grown children, and his family maintains active membership in First Presbyterian Church of Burlington.
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Darla Bray,
Choral Director
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Ms. Darla Bray, Choral Director, is a 1981 graduate of Western High School, and a 1985 graduate of Elon University, where she majored in music education and vocal performance. She studied voice with the late professor Terrell Cofield. Darla is employed as a teacher in the Orange County School Systems.While Darla was at Western Alamance High School,she was chosen as the 2001 Western High School Teacher of the Year, and was named a semi-finalist for the 2001 Alamance-Burlington Schools teacher of the Year Award. |
Betty Dillashaw,
Bell Choir Director
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Mrs. Betty Dillashaw, Bell Choir Director, directs the Children's Chime Choir, Children's Beginning Bells, the ECC Young Ringers and Chancel Ringers. She also assists with direction of the ECC Children's Choir. Betty has assisted with music in various ways at ECC since 1994, and still enjoys her many opportunities to make use of her music interests and skills learned during her undergraduate years at Furman University. Betty's "day job" includes work with teacher and curriculum support in the high schools of the Alamance-Burlington School System. Her official title is Lead Teacher for High Schools. Betty has also served as an adjunct faculty member at Elon University, where she teaches courses related to literacy/reading for pre-service teachers. She is married to Dr. Gerald Dillashaw, Professor of Education at Elon University. Betty and Jerry have two daughters and one granddaughter, all living in Asheville, North Carolina. |
Ken Sheldon,
Media Coordinator
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Elizabeth Lewis,
Nursery Care Director
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