Lay Leadership

churchcouncil@apexumc.org

Casey Purdy (Chair)
Gordon Jendresiak (Vice chair)
Todd Arant (Staff Rep)
Tanner Johnson (Staff Rep)
Larry Jordan (Lay Legacy)
Allen Hicks (Lay Leader)
Joanna Walters (Lay Youth)*
Nicole Johnson (Lay Young Adult)
John Davis (Lay Church Historian)
Laura Hicks (Secretary)
John Garrison (Treasurer)
Matt Penny (Contemporary Worship)*
Bob Lempp (Trustee Chair)
Julia Beam (SPRC Chair)*
Tara Kupselaitis (Finance)
Kathy Bryant (Traditional Worship)
Glen Ridout (Missions)*
Tom Cossa (Youth)
Chris Stewart (Children)
Melissa Bunn (Congregational Care)
Laura Katherine Stern (Senior Pastor)
Daeho Kang (Community Life Pastor)
Amanda Donaldson (Preschool Director) – Ex officio

LAY MEMBERS TO ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Laura Hicks (Secretary), Allen Hicks (Lay Leader).

*As of July 1, 2026.

trusteesteam@apexumc.org

Chair: Bob Lempp
Vice Chair: Cate Vetter*

2027
Don Hays
Shane Pegram
Jeff Portzer
Cate Vetter

2028
Michael Dare
Bob Lempp
Dan Strong
Melissa Nelson

2029
Parks Buie

*As of July 1, 2026.

financeteam@apexumc.org

Chair: Tara Kupseslaitis
Vice Chair: Gary Batchelor

2027
Gary Batchelor

2028
Chris Finch
Tara Kupseslaitis
Rich Martin
Keith O’Hare

2029
Kim Stephenson
Susan Harper
Spencer Hamrick
Melinda Shahrokhi

Church Council Chair: Casey Purdy
SPRC Chair: Julia Beam*
Trustee Chair: Bob Lempp
Financial Secretary: Mary Beth Parker (does not vote)
Treasurer: John Garrison
Lay Leader: Allen Hicks

*As of July 1, 2026.

Chair: Julia Beam*

2027
Allen Coleman
Julia Beam

2028
Cathy Kennedy
Sandy Dunbar

2028
Tammy Anderson
Grey Allen
Todd Dezwaan

Lay Leader: Allen Hicks

*As of July 1, 2026.

Laura Hicks (Secretary)
Allen Hicks

As of July 1, 2026.

nominations@apexumc.org

Chair: Pastor Laura Katherine Stern

2027
Mary Beth Buie
Lynn Poston
Jennifer Geck
Jerry Winberry*

2028
Allison Toomey
Bobby Dixon
Cathy Turner
Dave Dunbar

2029
Rita Clendaniel*

Lay Leader: Allen Hicks

*As of July 1, 2026.

endowmentteam@apexumc.org

NEW – July 1, 2026

The Endowment Committee has been established by our Council and was approved at the June 23, 2026 charge conference. The Committee’s purpose is to educate ourselves about an endowment and its possibilities for Apex UMC. The Council has previously established 3 endowments (one for Missions; one for Facilities upkeep; one for general purposes); we already have another, The Toby White Youth Scholarship which recognizes and assist graduating high school seniors who are leaders in mission and ministry. Endowments let churches do more than they can at any given moment; they are extra ways to shape and support our ministries, giving us ways to touch the future. The Committee’s job is to explain what an endowment can do, how to help us grow and preserve the monies we’ve been given, and help guide us in the right use of these gifts. The Committee membership is listed below. Please feel free to reach out to any member of the Committee if you have any questions. They look forward to hearing from you and beginning their work.

2027
Sheila Ahler 

2028
Martha Heafner
Larry Coats 

2029
Gray Southern
Bob Lempp 

Lay Leader: Allen Hicks
Finance Rep: Chris Finch

*As of July 1, 2026.

In Spring 2024, Church Council tasked a Vision Team with gathering information and making recommendations for a church vision. The Vision Team crafted a vision around our membership vows after an extensive process, including surveys, one-on-one conversations, meetings with various groups, and prayer and discernment.

The Vision Team made suggestions for ways we can live into this vision. Church leadership will be considering these suggestions and deciding which ones to turn into actionable items and when. You can view this and other details here.

Anne Harrison

Brent Sigmon

Gordon Jendrasiak

Jackson Orr

Laura Kiper

MaryBeth Buie

Shirley Spedding

Rick Kupselaities, Vision Team Lead

Julia Beam, Church Council Chair

Laura Katherine Stern, Senior Pastor