The Advisory Committee assists with the overall vision, strategic coordination and communications for the Thriving Rural Communities initiative and two other initiatives funded by The Duke Endowment: Clergy Health Initiative and Hispanic House of Studies. It is comprised of representatives from all four stakeholder institutions: the North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church, the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church, Duke Divinity School, and The Duke Endowment, as well as the program’s external evaluators.

The committee meets a minimum of three times per year and is divided into three working groups: Thriving Rural Communities (1), Hispanic House of Studies (2), and Clergy Health Initiative (3).

North Carolina Conference

• Rev. Leonard Fairley, Rockingham District Superintendent (2)
• Rev. Bill Gattis, Burlington District Superintendent (1)
• Emily Innes, Conference Lay Leader (2)
• Rev. Mattheue Locklear, Pastor, Sandy Plains UMC, Pembroke, N.C. (1)
• Rev. Rosanna Panizo-Valladares, Durham Hispanic Ministries (2)
• Rev. Ismael Ruiz-Millán, Pastor, Unidos Por Cristo UMC, Grimesland, N.C. (2)
• Rev. Gray Southern, Durham District Superintendent (3)
• Caroline Thornton, Benefits Manager (3)

Western North Carolina Conference

• Dale Bryant, Senior Benefits Administrator (3)
• Rev. Donna Cobb, Pastor, Snow Hill-Iotla UMC, Franklin, N.C. (1)
• Rev. Philip Cole, Marion District Superintendent (3)
• Rev. Amy Coles, Albemarle District Superintendent (1)
• Rev. Dr. Alan Rice, Pastor, Crossfire UMC, Yadkinville, N.C., and Executive Director of Rural Faith Development Community Development Center (1)
• Robert Upchurch, Conference Lay Leader (1)
• Rev. Al Ward, Waynesville District Superintendent (2)
• Rev. Diana Wingeier-Rayo, Associate Pastor for Latino/Hispanic Ministry, Matthews UMC, Matthews, N.C. (2)

Duke Divinity School

• Rev. Dr. Edgardo Colón-Emeric, Director, Hispanic House of Studies (2)
• John James, M.A., Research Coordinator, Clergy Health Initiative (3)
• Rev. Susan Jones, Director of the Office of Field Education (1)
• Rev. Joe Mann, Executive Director for Leadership Education at Duke Divinity (3)
• Rev. Ed Moore, Executive Director for Leadership Education at Duke Divinity (3)
• Kate Rugani, Communications Manager, Thriving Communities Initiatives (nonvoting) (3)
• McKennon Shea, Director of Admissions (nonvoting) (2)
• Robin Swift, MPH, Director of Health Programs, Clergy Health Initiative (3)
• David Toole, Ph.D., Principal Investigator and Associate Dean for Academic Administration and Strategic Initiatives (3)
• Rev. Jeremy Troxler, Director, Thriving Rural Communities (1)

The Duke Endowment

• Rev. Robb Webb, Director, Rural Church Program Area (1)
• OPEN - Program Officer, Rural Church Program Area

Evaluators

• Bill Bacon, Director of Evaluation, The Duke Endowment (3)
• Sally Leiderman, President, Center for Assessment and Policy Development (CAPD) (2)
• Nathaniel Tashima, Ph.D., or Cathleen Crain, M.A., Managing Partners, LTG Associates (3)

Cedar Grove United Methodist Church, Cedar Grove, N.C.
Rev. Karl Grant
Karl joined Cedar Grove UMC as pastor in June 2010, having served for four years at LaGrange UMC in LaGrange, N.C. For the previous four years, he served as pastor of the Granville Circuit, a two-point charge in southern Granville County. He earned his M.Div. at Duke University Divinity School in 2006. Karl and his wife, Christine, have two children, Rollie and Ryan.  

Fairview UMC, Shoals, N.C.
Rev. David Cook
Since July 2009,  David has served as the pastor of Fairview UMC in the Shoals community near Pilot Mountain, N.C., and was formerly appointed to Mitchell’s Grove UMC in Guilford County. He studied Religion and Philosophy at High Point College in High Point, N.C., and received his M.Div. at Duke Divinity School in 1996. He was ordained an Elder in 1998. At present he is pursuing a Doctor of Ministry degree from Hood Theological Seminary. He has been married to his wife Miriam since 1984, and they have two children, Matthew and Carol. Through his current appointment in a rural church, he has been enriched by the generosity and warm loving spirit afforded the Cook family by the fellowship at Fairview. It is a blessing.

First United Methodist Church, Hayesville, N.C.
Rev. Kirk Hatherly
Kirk serves in ministry with First UMC in Hayesville, N.C., and was formerly appointed to Mt. Carmel UMC in Rockingham County. He studied economics and religion at Ripon College in Ripon, Wis., and received his M.Div. at Duke Divinity School in 1995. He has been married to his wife Darleen since 1986, and they have three children, Rebekah, Seth, and Leah. Through his appointments in the rural church, he has found that he deeply appreciates the faithfulness, sense of community, and love of neighbor found there.

Friendship United Methodist Church, Newton, N.C.
Rev. Brad Thie
For the last four years, Brad has served at Friendship UMC in Catawba County. His prior appointments were at New Hope UMC near Asheboro, and Morningstar UMC, a new church in the Steele Creek area of Charlotte. He completed his M.Div. from Duke Divinity School in 1998, and previously received an M.B.A. from Jacksonville University in 1989, as well as a B.A. in Psychology from Bowling Green State University in 1982. Brad has been married for 27 years and has three children. Brad says that he grew to love the rural church while serving at New Hope UMC. He particularly enjoys the regular contact with the people of the community and the church that is unique to rural life.

Sandy Plains United Methodist Church, Pembroke, N.C.
Rev. Mattheue Locklear
In June 2005, Matt was appointed to Sandy Plains United Methodist Church in Pembroke, N.C., and he previously served at Triad Native American United Methodist Church in Greensboro as a student pastor. He received his M.Div. from Duke Divinity School in 2005 and was a 2001 graduate of the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, where he studied Religion and History. He is married to Louisa Oxendine Locklear, and he enjoys jogging, reading, and singing.

Solid Rock, United Methodist Church, Cameron, N.C.
Rev. Gil Wise
Gil serves as pastor for Solid Rock UMC in Cameron, N.C. Ordained in the North Carolina Conference as an Elder in 1997, he has also served at Fayetteville Community Church, Parkton/Buie UMC, and Zion UMC. He received his M.Div. from Duke Divinity School and his B.A. from Methodist University. Gil and his wife, Linda, have three teenage children. Having grown up in Godwin, a rural community near Dunn, he reflects that ordained ministry has allowed him to give back what he received as a youth in the rural church. Gil is leading the pastoral team at Solid Rock to grow Community United Methodist Church, a small rural church just off of Ft. Bragg on the opposite side of the base from Solid Rock.

Rev. Mike Bass
Mike has been under appointment at Solid Rock as an Associate Pastor since 2007 (he has been there since it launched as Solid Rock in 2001) and began the Pastor’s Course of Study at Duke Divinity in 2007 as well. He received his Master’s degree in Theology from North Western Theological Seminary in 2008. Mike and his wife, Joyce, have three kids and live in the woods in Moore County. They enjoy riding their motorcycles and listening to heavy-metal music.

Rev. Donna Thompson
Donna was appointed to Solid Rock UMC as an associate pastor in July 2009. She brings a passion for renewal through experiential worship in the Methodist revivalist spirit, which she believes is the lifeblood of the rural church. Prior to being appointed to Solid Rock, she served as pastor of St. Peter UMC in Hamlet, from 2004 to 2009, and the Mount Zion/Walls Chapel Charge from 2001 to 2004. Donna has a B.A. from UNC Charlotte, an M.Div. from Duke Divinity School, and a D.Min. from Wesley Theological Seminary. She and her husband Lloyd live in Spring Lake, N.C.

Tyro United Methodist Church, Lexington, N.C.
Rev. Randy Foster