Mt. Hebron UMC
Thursday, February 23, 2012

Pastors and Staff

Our Pastors
Rev. Larry Hays
Larry was appointed to Mt Hebron UMC at SC Annual Conference of 2008.  His  favorite parts of ministry are preaching, teaching, and the  wonderful relationships  formed when Christian sisters and brothers work together for a common goal.  His  particular area of interest is Spiritual  Formation, especially in the area of prayer. He  was the representative of the SC Conference at the 2005 Spiritual Leaders’  Conference in Nashville.  Larry serves the Annual  Conference on the Board of Ordained Ministry, and as a Trustee of Spartanburg Methodist College. He was recently elected  by his peers as the chair of the Order of Elders.
 
 He has served as the Associate Minister of St. Andrew’s UMC, Orangeburg, at Boone Hill UMC, Summerville, at Antioch UMC in Rock Hill, at Lake City UMC in Lake City, at St. Luke UMC in Hartsville, at Bethel UMC in Spartanburg, and St. John’s UMC in Rock Hill, before coming to Mt Hebron.  Larry was born in Ozark, AL, and educated in the public schools of that city. He attended Huntingdon College in Montgomery, AL, where he received the B. A.degree, and the Divinity School of Duke University, where he received the M. Div. degree.
 
He is married to the former Sally Currence of York, SC, and they have two daughters: Sarah Plunkett, who is married to Matt, and lives in Abilene, TX, and Lauren Haigler, who is married to Nick, and lives in Irmo. Sarah is a speech pathologist, and Lauren is a special education teacher. He also has two grandchildren.  Larry enjoys all sports, but particularly golf. He was the captain of the Huntingdon College golf team during college. He also enjoys fishing and playing the guitar.
 
Rev. Mandy Taylor Young
Mandy was appointed to Mt Hebron UMC at the 2008 South Carolina Annual  Conference.  She feels very blessed to be serving God as the Associate Pastor at  Mt. Hebron. 
 
An East Tennessee native, Mandy moved to Greenville, SC, with her husband, Kyle,  in 2003. They never dreamed during that summer, as they made the transition to  Greenville for new job opportunities, that just two years later their lives would change again and Mandy would begin seminary at Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta, GA. It was during a mission trip in Willow, Alaska, that Mandy realized God’s calling in her life and she began the discernment and ordination process in the South Carolina Conference. While a student at Candler, Mandy served as the Director of Youth Ministries at Zoar UMC in Snellville, GA.
 
In addition to serving Mt. Hebron, Mandy is also active in various conference-wide youth ministries.  She is one of the founders and designers of Revolution, a Christian weekend event for youth in South Carolina.  She has also served for several years as the spiritual director of the Lexington Salkehatchie Camp.  
 
Mandy lives in Lexington, SC with her husband, Kyle, and daughter, Daisy. She enjoys reading, hiking, and spending time with family and friends.
 
Rev. Dave DeDonato - Pastor of Visitation
 
Rev. Ken Barwick - Director of Mt. Hebron Counseling Service
Ken has been the Director of the Mt Hebron Counseling Service at Mt Hebron United Methodist Church since its establishment in 1986. He is an ordained elder in the South Carolina Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church.
 
Ken graduated from the University of South Carolina (B. A. 1974) and Asbury Theological Seminary (M. Div. 1980) and the University of Kentucky with a Master in Social Work also in 1980. 
 
After graduate school, Ken received the necessary training and supervision for clinical membership with the American Association for Marriage and Family therapist and was licensed as a Marital and Family Therapist by the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation Board of Examiners for Counselors, Therapist, and Psycho-Edu Specialists in 1985. 
 
Ken and his wife Betty Lee are both from Sumter, SC. They have three children, Shannon, Kendall and Keith. For recreation, Ken enjoys playing guitar and fishing.
 
Our Ministry Staff
Leigh Curry - Director of Program Ministries   
Leigh became the Director of Program Ministries at Mt. Hebron in January, 2010.  She comes to  Columbia from High Point, NC, where she served ten years on the staff at Wesley Memorial United  Methodist Church.  Her ministry among us includes work with new members, small groups,  Wednesday Night Unplugged, leadership development and adult ministry in general.
 
Growing up in Clearwater, Florida, Leigh  attended public schools in Pinellas County and then  attended Florida State University for undergraduate and graduate degrees in English and Communication.   She also has a M.Ed. in Counseling from UNC Charlotte.  Leigh loves spending time with family. Her son, Cameron Curry, his wife, Margie, granddaughter, Vivi, and grandson, Graham, live in Dunwoody, Georgia.  Her daughter, Allison, and her husband, Joel Hughes, live in Columbia.  For leisure, she loves reading, drama, music, guitar, singing, art, calligraphy, needlework, history, travel and genealogy.
 
Eric Hendrickson - Director of Student Ministries 
Eric became the Director of Student Ministries at Mt Hebron in December, 2010.  Eric has served in youth ministry since 1997 beginning in part-time youth  ministry and has been serving in full-time youth ministry since 2002 in  churches  in the North Georgia, Western North Carolina, and South Carolina  United  Methodist Conferences.  
 
 Eric grew up in Augusta, GA and attended the University of South Carolina for an undergraduate degree in Political Science and graduate degree from Pfeiffer University and Wesley Seminary in Christian Education with an emphasis in youth ministry.  Eric is certified in Christian Education and Youth Ministry through the United Methodist Church.  he is also a certified candidate to become a Deacon in the United Methodist Church.  Eric is an adjunct professor at Columbia College where he teaches for eChristian Ed in Youth Ministry.  Eric is also a certified presenter for Youth Specialties "Real World Parents".  Eric is married to Jessica and has a daughter Mallory.
 
Gena Turner - Director of Children's Ministries
Born in West Columbia, Gena Fallaw Turner is a graduate of Brookland-Cayce High School, the  University of South Carolina where she received a Bachelors of Music Education and from  Columbia College where she received her Masters in Education.  She was the Choral Director for  Northside Middle School in Lexington District 2 for 15 years and went on to be the Vice President  of the Center for Life Enrichment for Agape Senior, where she currently serves.  Since 1993, Gena  has served as the Director of Music and Education for Brookland United Methodist Church, Music Coordinator for Trinity United Methodist Church and is currently the Director of Children’s Ministries at Mt. Hebron United Methodist Church.  Gena and her husband, Tim, live in Lexington.  They are blessed to have 2 children, Jacob (13) and Elizabeth (10). 
 
Gena feels strongly that she has been called to empower children and adults alike to further the Kingdom’s growth by extending the love of God in order to help others have a personal, growing and life changing relationship with Jesus Christ.
 
Tom Brunson - Director of Music Ministries
Tom has served as Director of Music at Mt. Hebron since 1984. He treasures the close personal  relationships which have developed over these years and has particularly enjoyed watching the  children who began in Preschool Choir grow into fine young adults. Helping people of all ages to  develop their voices in praise of God is a favorite part of his ministry.
 
A native of Fairfax, SC, Tom has a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance from Converse  College in Spartanburg and a Masters degree in Vocal Performance from USC. He has also been an adjunct professor of Voice at Columbia College since 2007. He and his wife Mary live in Lexington and are proud parents of son, Tripp, and his wife, Jamie, and daughter, Becca, and her husband, Andrew White.
 
 Iris Jo Harley - Organist
 
Our Support Staff
Cal Atwood - Financial Administrator 
Cal was born in Chester, SC and moved to West Columbia at the age of five.  He reluctantly  brought his parents with him.  He was educated at Brookland Cayce High School and the University of South Carolina, where he majored in pretty much everything, finally settling on  accounting.  Somewhere in there he served in the Army and married the most beautiful coquette  USC has ever produced, the former Lora Herlong.  
 
Cal worked in accounting until 1990, when he opened a small janitorial service and supplies  company.  Some years later, as Cal began to phase out of that field, he became a small business consultant in Columbia.  Cal now considers himself the luckiest man on earth.  He works with Mt Hebron UMC and is still married to Lora.  
 
 Bennie Daughtry - Office Administrator  
Bennie, a Columbia native, attended the Shandon area schools and graduated from  Dreher High School. She attended St. Andrews Presbyterian College in Laurinburg, NC,  taught piano to school-age children, and served as organist of First Baptist Church,  Cheraw, SC, for 13 years. Before joining the staff of Mt. Hebron UMC in July 2006, she  worked in an Episcopal church in the northeast area of Columbia and also for DHEC. She  also serves as church organist of First Baptist Church, Batesburg, SC.
 
Bennie has two grown daughters, Julia Easterling Schrecker of Mt. Pleasant, SC, and Nena Easterling Mashaw of Baltimore, MD, and five grandchildren. Bennie and her husband, Rick Daughtry, were married in 2000 and reside in the Harbison area. Rick’s grown children, Trey Daughtry and Emily Daughtry Gallimore, reside in Texas and Virginia, respectively. For pleasure and relaxation, she enjoys her grandchildren’s visits and yard work. 
 
Elinor Stevens - Membership Administrator  
Elinor joined theMt. Hebron staff in 2008 after enjoying 5 years of retirement from  State Government.  Formerly employed by the South Carolina Department of Commerce for 20 years, she advanced through the ranks finally becomingthe executive assistant to the Chief of  Staff. Educated in Columbia, Elinor graduated from St. Peter’s Catholic High School and attended  the University of South Carolina for one year.
 
She is the mother of three children:  Donna Marie, Tiffany, and Peter, all of whom graduated from
USC making her a proud Gamecock parent and loyal supporter of The University!  In addition to being a mom, Elinor is also a devoted grandmother and great-grandmother. 
 
Michael Matthews - Custodian
Michael has been on staff at Mt. Hebron for more than 18 years.  He views his maintenance  and  custodial duties as his ministry to the church and community.  Michael grew up in  Laurens, SC -  and moved to Columbia as a child.  He has been married to Melinda for 30 years,  and they have  one son, Takota.  They make their home in Edmond, SC.  Michael is a member of  the Lower  Eastern Cherokee Nation.  He has served as Peace War Chief, a member of the Tribal  Council,  and a leader with children and youth.  Michael's Native American name is "Iron Horse"  and  Melinda's Native American name is "Morning Sun".  Michael enjoys teaching Mt. Hebron's  Day  School students, Boy Scouts, and God Squad youth about Native American history and  nature.   In his spare time, Michael likes to collect ancient artifacts and visit historical sites in  the area.