Meet The Staff

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Dr. Larry Steven Fewell, Lead Pastor

Dr. Steven Fewell is a second career pastor called to preach and teach the Good News of forgiveness, new beginnings, lifelong spiritual growth, and discipleship offered through faith in Jesus Christ.  Dr. Fewell comes to Centerville and the Greater Dayton Community from Columbus where he has served four local congregations: North Broadway, McKendree, Washington Avenue and Bexley United Methodist Churches.  Dr. Fewell is an Ohio State alumnus having received his Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration.  He graduated from the Methodist Theological School of Ohio with his Master of Divinity degree in 1995 as an ordained elder in the West Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church.  Steven is a teacher by training and calling having served as an elementary teacher and college professor in West Virginia and Ohio before going into ordained ministry.  His church ministry has been characterized by his teaching sermons and Biblical storytelling and by his commitment to facilitate Bible study for all ages.  Steven is known for his enthusiastic worship, community involvement and zealous participation in community social justice initiatives.  Worship at Centerville involves praise and thanksgiving but also frequent healing, forgiveness, recovery, commissioning and spiritual anointing services.  Steven has an extensive background in prison ministry and continues to work to oppose the expansion of the state lottery and other forms of legalized gambling, the death penalty and the exclusion of faith-based learning activities in the public schools.  Having been raised in the poverty of rural West Virginia, Steven champions programs that assist and empower the poor and that sustain a safety net of food, housing, employment, healthcare and educational opportunities and resources for the most vulnerable of our community.  Steven and his wife, Jilaine, have five adult children and five grandchildren.  Dr. Jilaine Fewell is an adult educator who has extensive research background and experience in the field of Transformative Learning, also a Ph.D. alumnus of Ohio State.  Both are delighted to be serving God here in Centerville and plan to get involved in Greater Dayton Community Building programs.

Roger Wright, Director of Adult Ministries

Roger Wright is the Director of Adult Ministries at Centerville United Methodist Church. This is a second career after spending 36 years working for General Motors Corporation.  He graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology with a degree in Engineering.  After graduation he spent two years in the U.S. Army.  At General Motors he worked as an engineer in the Forward Planning area until several crises caused him to change his life work.  At that time he felt the call to a lay ministry that would focus on helping people and families develop a lifestyle that would bring them an inner peace through having a relationship with God and an active involvement with the Holy Spirit.  He has been working on the church staff since the fall of 1992.

 Roger and his wife Rhoda have four children, four grandchildren and now great grandchildren.  He was born and grew up in the Finger Lakes region of New York State and came to Dayton, Ohio in 1970.

 The Adult Ministry under Roger’s leadership will include the Serenity Ministries spiritual growth classes, support groups and service team, the expansion of the church Prayer Ministry and growth of the Covenant Small Group Ministry.  He will also be supporting adult education and other ministries with all members of the pastoral team.

Jeanne Schierloh, Music Coordinator/Organist  

Jeanne Schierloh joined the staff of Centerville United Methodist Church in June 2005 as the music coordinator and organist/pianist.  She plays for both the traditional and contemporary services and enjoys both kinds of music.  Her husband, Dave, is the director of the church bell choir, The Overtones, and also plays in the Praise Band.  They joined the congregation in 1983 and have been in various groups and committees over the years.  Jeanne is especially active in United Methodist Women.