Crystal attends First Wesleyan Church of Bradford, PA where she has served on the board for almost 2 decades, including the current Vice Chair and Spiritual Formation Director. She helps lead youth group, teaches children’s church, has led VBS for the past 6 years, facilitates new classes and monthly Family Nights, along with various other “odd jobs” around the church. She loves being in church and going to the beach as a close second. She reluctantly began attending with her parents at age 14 and accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior at youth camp Li-Lo-Li the summer of 1995. She and her husband, Corey will be married for 25 years this August and together they have two adult children, Keagan and Emily, and a slew of pets, including 3 grand-kitties. Crystal is a licensed insurance agent by day, but her passion is disciples who make disciples who make disciples and believes everyone needs a small group! She loves music, reading, Mexican food, warm weather, spending time with her family and Penguins hockey. (Go Pens!)

A life-long WNYer, Steve earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from SUNY Fredonia and has nearly 3 decades of service as an auditor for the NYS Department of Tax & Finance, where he is currently a Team Leader. Steve accepted Christ at an early age and first became active in his church as youth group President where he prepared small sermon programs.  However, his relationship with Christ became stagnant.  His walk with Christ truly blossomed in the early 2000s, when he began attending Christ Chapel Wesleyan in Silver Creek.  Steve is currently Christ Chapel’s Vice Chair and long-time treasurer.  He has also served as a Sunday school teacher, usher, worship leader, and food program volunteer.

Steve has been active in his community, serving in various roles in Hanover Little League and is currently finishing his term as an 11-year member of the Silver Creek Central School District Board of Education.  A passionate advocate for the education of children (especially those who are disadvantaged), Steve helped institute programs eliminating the parental burden of purchasing basic school supplies (no more back to school lists!) and a weekend food backpack program.  As School Board President, he helped lead the District’s response to the Covid pandemic and its uniquely frustrating educational challenges. Steve and his wife of 28 years, Christina, are proud parents of Hannah, Olivia, Sarah, and Thomas.  Steve thoroughly enjoys spending time with his family playing games along with rooting on his Buffalo Bills, New York Yankees, and Chelsea FC.

Tracy was born and raised in Western New York. She has been a member of Eastern Hills Wesleyan Church for several decades. Tracy retired after 36 years as a public school special educator and is currently teaching 3-year-olds every day at Eastern Hills preschool. Tracy also serves as a special needs Sunday School teacher and recently accepted a position on the church’s board. Tracy is very active in the mission field and is an ambassador for Indian Gospel League’s “Love One More” program. She loves Jesus and wishes to honor Him all the days of her life.

Paul attended Fillmore Wesleyan Church as a child and became a member in 1979. Paul and his wife Mary Jo are parents to 6 children and have been blessed with 11 grandchildren. They currently live in Houghton and are both employed by Houghton University. Paul has been the Treasurer at Fillmore Wesleyan since 2000 and also serves as an audio/video tech for the church Worship Team. He has previously served as a Lay Member on the District Board and has been the District Treasurer since 2022.

Rev. Cameron Duncan is a devoted and vibrant leader serving as the Assistant Pastor at Anchor Church, where he has passionately focused on Spiritual Formation and Racial Reconciliation ministries for the past four years. In addition to his pastoral role, Rev. Duncan provides spiritual care in a clinical context as a chaplain at Mount St. Mary’s Hospital in Lewiston, NY. He holds a BA in Religion and Philosophy from Roberts Wesleyan University and a Master of Divinity from Northeastern Seminary. Currently, he is advancing his education by pursuing a Doctor of Ministry in Leadership and Spiritual Formation at Portland Seminary.

Ordained in the Wesleyan Church on October 22, 2023, Rev. Duncan is deeply committed to fostering an authentic community that embodies the love of God and extends that love to neighbors. His ministry is characterized by a heartfelt dedication to spiritual growth and unity among diverse people groups, reflecting his belief in the transformative power of faith and reconciliation. Outside his pastoral and chaplaincy duties, Rev. Duncan cherishes spending quality time with his family, finding joy in their shared moments. He enjoys cooking and grilling, often hosting gatherings that bring his family and friends together in fellowship. Rev. Duncan’s education, ministry experience, and compassionate presence make him a trusted leader capable of making informed decisions that benefit the whole community. His commitment to building an inclusive and spiritually enriched church family, alongside his dedication to serving others, underscores his impactful and multifaceted ministry.

Rob has been a part of the Wesleyan faith community since 1995. He has served the local church in several capacities over this time period. At Big Tree Wesleyan Church, he took on the roles of youth pastor, college ministries director, and missions/outreach from 2005-2015. During those years, the Lord impressed upon him a calling to serve the church and its people as a senior pastor. This calling led him to serve in Penfield, Fillmore, and most recently the Orchard Park community, where he has been for a little under 2 years. Rob is excited about the ministry opportunities and partnerships that are present within the Orchard Park School District and the larger community. Rob is an alumnus of Houghton College and also possesses a master’s degree in Transformational Leadership from Northeastern Seminary. He is married to Amy and has six children, ranging in ages from 24-11. He enjoys being outdoors but more specifically, fishing and hunting in his spare time.

Paul Gartley is the Lead Pastor at Revive Wesleyan and has been on staff since April of 1999. During Paul’s time at Revive he has served as the High School Pastor, Pastor of Student Ministries, Outreach Pastor, and Wholeness Pastor. Each of these opportunities has helped prepare Paul for his present role. In the Fall of 2021 Revive adopted a new mission statement to Pursue the Father, Proclaim Jesus, and Participate with the Holy Spirit. Revive’s goal is two-fold. They desire to build strong believers who impact their communities. Paul understands Revive can’t be primarily a Sunday experience with a youth group. He desires for Revive to be a body of believers who go outside the walls of the church to pursue, proclaim, and participate. Why? Because Christians are called in the Great Commission to bring the Gospel to all. Christians are called to love others. Paul’s heart is to find ways to serve out in the world where people are. Paul is native to WNY and as a result has a firm grasp on WNY’s unique culture. His heart breaks for as many people as possible to discover wholeness in Jesus from our Post-Christian, Post-Modern communities. Paul was ordained in the Wesleyan Church in 2004. He is married to Holly, and they have three wonderful children.

Robin has been walking with the Lord for 56 years and has pastored for 45 of those years. He was ordained in 1979 and served full-time as Senior Pastor of Brookside Wesleyan Church in Wellsville, NY for 36 years until his retirement in 2020. Most of Robin’s ministry has been in this district except for four years as an assistant pastor in the Indiana South District. He served the Western New York District as a member and Secretary to the District Board of Administration until stepping down in 2023 after 35 consecutive years of service. For 36 years he has continued to serve as a member of the District Board of Ministerial Standing. In the past he has served as the District CYC Director and Assistant Director (11 years), led many children’s camps, taught at Houghton Family Camp, and has served several times as a General Conference Delegate. He feels privileged to have served the Lord and the church in these ways.

Rev. Kimberly Gladden is the former Director of Discipleship for the Wesleyan Church, and current pastor of ZionQuest Fellowship, a church she planted in 2004. A graduate of Colgate Rochester Divinity School, and Florida A & M University, Kim loves to see God’s people transformed through spiritual growth opportunities. She has a heart of service and leads and supports mission projects around the globe, including a 25-year partnership with churches on the island of Eleuthera. She has served as an adjunct lecturer for the University of Buffalo and Empire State College. As a lover of creative worship arts, Kim is also the founder of the VisionQuest Community Christian Orchestra and brings 30+ years of ministry experience and a passion for spiritual growth to her desire to equip the church for ministry.

Wendy Glendenning has been in the WNY District since childhood. She has been married to Todd for 35 years, and they have 4 children – a son, Levi and daughter-in-law Kortney, twins Leah and Cori and daughter, Jaimee. They also have a two granddaughters and a grandson due in August, their latest delights! Her journey to know Christ started in 1st grade summer Bible School at OPWC. She vividly remembers asking Jesus into her heart at the tender age of seven. Her spiritual formation continued, especially after her parents came to Christ and decided to attend there regularly. That decision and the subsequent relationships formed there proved to be life-changing. Wendy would describe her journey as steady (with some bumps, of course!). Opportunities to serve as a teen/young adult, serving alongside Todd in his Youth, Assistant and Lead Pastorates, as well as mothering, were instrumental, soul-searching, and growing experiences. She has both pastoral ministry and laity perspective and her influence has included Youth/Children’s Leadership Teams, Women’s Ministry Team (both local and district), pre-marriage counsel, mission trips, etc. She feels she serves best in supportive roles and her ongoing desire is to “consciously depend on God”. Wendy would welcome the opportunity to serve again on the District Board, using these experiences to provide input.

Wendy received her BS in Social Work from Roberts Wesleyan and worked for 10 years at Spectrum Human Services – ultimately as Social Club Director. She started eldercare about 13 years ago and currently is self-employed, working from Fox Run in Orchard Park. In her free time Wendy enjoys the outdoors, non-fiction books, biking, and time with friends and family. She and Todd try various projects, including meat chickens, and the latest, building out a “Campulance”. Grandchildren, however, have trumped all our various projects!

Dylan grew up in Leonia, New Jersey, a suburb of New York City, and graduated from Union College in 2011 with a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Policy. His previous career was in government, serving as Chief of Staff for the New Jersey Senate Majority Leader. During his journey to sobriety, Dylan relocated to Western New York. He found a spiritual home at Forestville Wesleyan Church, where he has served as an assistant since March 2020. Dylan is currently a ministerial student pursuing ordination.

Dylan finds fulfillment in serving his community. Each Tuesday, he helps run Neighbor to Neighbor Food Pantry and makes lunch for volunteers. Dylan is heavily involved in helping people find recovery and is also a member of the Chautauqua County Substance Abuse Response Partnership and a board member of Chautauqua County Addiction Response Ministry. Dylan also serves on the Forestville Wesleyan Missions Committee and the LBA (Ex Officio). In the fall, Dylan helps a local family run their apple orchard. He thoroughly enjoys making apple cider, engaging with customers, and wandering the orchard sampling apples. Dylan is also a member of the Forestville Agricultural Steering Committee. Dylan’s diverse experiences, from the corridors of power to personal battles, and most recently his commitment to service in God’s Kingdom make him a valuable candidate for the DBA. He brings an innovative spirit and optimism that could greatly benefit the board’s vision and approach.

In his sixth year at Revive, Jon serves as the Bayview Campus pastor and also works in the Heal department with Kristy Kauffman.Prior to joining the staff at Revive, Jon served as a Lead Pastor in the Free Methodist church for 32 years, serving churches in Western New York. At the district level he served as Secretary and Chair of the Board of Administration and served as a District Leader. He is a graduate of Houghton University and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Jon and his wife, Ellen, live in Springville with Maggie the Bassett Hound. They have four grown children who live in Indiana, Virginia, Tennessee and Rochester, NY. Jon enjoys a variety of creative arts including writing, painting and acting. He serves on the Board at the Springville Center for the Arts.

Lindsey Johnson has been an active member of the Wesleyan Church for the past twenty years. Married to Steve Johnson, the lead pastor of Anchor Church in North Buffalo, Lindsey has played a pivotal role in church planting and discipleship. As a mother of two children, ages 12 and 10, Lindsey has also been an elementary educator for fifteen years. She is passionate about building bridges with students, staff members, and families. She holds a degree in Educational Leadership, aiming to lead at both the school and district levels. Lindsey became a follower of Jesus at the age of twenty-one while attending The Wesleyan Church of Hamburg (Revive), where she served in middle school and college ministries. After marrying Steve, Lindsey attended and served at Fellowship Wesleyan and then returned to The Wesleyan Church of Hamburg (Revive). In 2015, Steve and Lindsey began meeting in their North Buffalo home with a small group that launched public worship services as Anchor Church in 2016. Throughout her time in ministry, Lindsey has been a dedicated discipler, leading small group Bible studies, and children’s and hospitality teams. She has used her gift of discernment in both ministry and leadership to help others fulfill their giftings in specific roles. Her deep connection with the culture and community around her enhances her ability to serve passionately and purposefully.

Jason Mucher is a member of Houghton Wesleyan Church in Houghton, NY. A native of Perry, NY (Wyoming County), Jason is a communications professional who has worked in athletics and higher education public relations since graduating from Taylor University in 1994. The majority of his career has been spent serving in the athletics department at Houghton University. He and his wife, Alicia, were married in 2001 and are the proud parents of Jadyn (19), Campbell (15) and Emalyn (13).  Jadyn is currently a student at Indiana Wesleyan University. The family is active in the life of the church. Alicia recently finished a term as an elder and serves on the church Stewardship Committee, while Jason is a member of the Communications Committee, has taught both youth and adult Sunday School classes, and currently volunteers with youth group. The kids are active in the church’s children and youth activities. Jason is also part of a small group of men who meet weekly to walk through life together as husbands, fathers and followers of Christ. Jason holds a bachelor’s degree in mass communication from Taylor and a Master’s in Sport Administration from Canisius College.

Wes Oden has been the Senior Pastor of Houghton Wesleyan Church in Houghton, NY since 1996. Prior to this position, Wes served for almost 11 years as the pastor of two churches—one in southwestern Wisconsin and one in northwestern Wisconsin. In 39 years of pastoral ministry, Wes has served on various district committees.

Rev. Paul D. Palmer – Pastor Paul is married to his beautiful wife Rebekah for 36years. He has two sons Jeremy and Noah and a daughter Raychael. All his children are married and has 15 grandchildren and one great grandchild. Pastor Paul as been serving The Oakland Wesleyan Church since 2001. He was the assistant pastor under Pastor Mike Poore for 2 years and became lead pastor in 2003.

Born in California and raised in Michigan, Mindy accepted Jesus as her Savior at 5 years old and was called to vocational ministry at age 16. She attended college at Kingswood University studying global ministry and music, graduating in 2015. After completing an internship with Global Partners, she moved to Western New York to be a part of Revive Wesleyans’s resident program. There she was mentored and had the opportunity to see how ministry is done around the world.  She then served with Global Partners for 2 years in Mongolia doing outreach and ESL ministry. COVID-19 brought her back to America in the spring of 2020, but God brought her back in to global ministry as a Regional Mobilizer with Global Partners in early 2022. She is responsible for connecting with and raising up the next generation of missionaries from the NorthEast region of the US. She married her husband Dave in 2021 and they welcomed their first child, Samuel in the fall of 2023. In her free time, she enjoys drinking coffee, sitting by the pool, reading a good book; preferably all at the same time.

Becky Todd serves as Pastor of Family Ministry at Hillside Wesleyan Church in Olean, NY. She has served this past year as co-director of WNY District Wesleyan Children’s Ministry. She is a graduate of Houghton University ’94 & Asbury Seminary ’02. She presently teaches toddlers at My Sunshine School, and leads a preschool music & movement class, Sing n’ Sprout. Becky has been married to Pastor Dan Todd for 21 years; together they have two teenagers, Lily & Josiah.

Mike joined the Western New York District in August of 2013, in the role of solo pastor at Angola Wesleyan Church, where he still serves today. Mike is a second career pastor who previously worked in the state of New Jersey as a licensed environmental technician. His work responsibilities consisted mostly of soil boring, well drilling and heavy equipment operations. Under the pastoral care of the late Rev. Fred Moore, Mike gave his heart to the Lord in the summer of 1997 while attending Bethany Wesleyan Church in the Penn-Jersey District (now the Northeast District) of the Wesleyan Church.

In 2007 while attending The Gospel Chapel Wesleyan Church in Northampton PA, Mike began to sense a call to ministry and after seeking counsel from his pastor and friend Rev. Ken Reigard, he began his educational journey to become an ordained minister in September 2008. Mike enrolled in the FLAME program of the Wesleyan Church, and in 2009 Mike earned his ministerial license and joined the staff at The Gospel Chapel Wesleyan Church as Pastor of Youth Ministries. While working full-time as a well driller and equipment operator, overseeing a youth ministry, and trying to maintain a healthy family life, Mike continued taking the classes required for ordination. In 2013 Mike began to sense the Lord leading him to resign from his full-time job, as well as his position as pastor of youth ministries, and pursue full-time ministry as a lead pastor. It didn’t take long for an opportunity to present itself and Mike and Marie accepted the call to pastor the Angola Wesleyan Church in Western NY.

Mike continued his education while serving as solo pastor at AWC under the supervision of district superintendent Rev. Joey Jennings. After 9 years of ministerial education, Mike was ordained on October 8, 2017.Mike and Marie were married in December of 1989 and have been blessed with two children. Brett, 33 has been employed as an automotive damage adjuster for the last 10 years. Blaire, 27, graduated from Houghton College in May of 2020 with a major in psychology, and is now employed by Spectrum Health as a Community Wellness Specialist in the Buffalo area. Mike’s hobbies and interests include hunting, fishing, gardening, reading and woodworking. Mike finds special pleasure in spending time with Marie, while walking the beach and searching for beach glass.

Rev. Jonathan Ward, “Pastor Jon”, has been pastoring for 27 years. He refers to himself as a “Farmer of Men, A Cultivator of Christians” and his focus on intentional discipleship has led to a consistently high number of salvations, baptisms, memberships, and leaders in his church. He received his BA in Christian Ministries and Biblical Literature from IWU in 1998 and his MA in Theological Studies from Asbury Seminary in 2003. He has served as a Youth Pastor, a Discipleship Pastor, a Solo Pastor, and as a Sr. Pastor. He has been the Pastor of North Park Wesleyan Church in Cuba, NY for the past 20 years. He has served the District as Men’s Ministry Director, on the District Action Committee, on the planning team for the Pastor and Spouse Retreat, and is currently serving on the District Board of Ministerial Development. He will be teaching Doctrine of Holiness this Fall and Advanced Theology in the Spring through our Ministry Training Program. He has been married to Ashley Ward for 27 years with whom he has four children (two of whom are married…and one is expecting!)

Ron Wright attends Orchard Park Wesleyan Church where he serves as a Sunday School teacher and is currently a Ministerial Student. He has been married to his wife, Debra, for 26 years, and they have four children, ages 13-22. Ron came to faith as a child while attending summer camp in his hometown of Franklinville, NY and has been serving Jesus ever since. Ron has multiple degrees including a B. S. in Ceramic Engineering from Alfred University, a J. D. from the University at Buffalo, an M. Div. from Asbury Theological Seminary and a Ph. D. in Christian Ethics from Loyola University Chicago. Ron currently works full-time in Buffalo as an attorney in the Law Office of Francis M. Letro, Esq. On a personal level, he is deeply interested in the problem of suffering as a lifelong Bills and Sabres fan.