Mt. Bethel engages all members in the task of caring for one another. We organize congregational care in this way:

Prayer requests may be sent to the church office via phone message or email office@mtbethelchurch.org. Please indicate whether the request should be shared only with the pastor or whether it can be shared with the Board of Deacons and congregation.

The Board of Deacons is a group of ordained, caring individuals who each have a “flock list” of church friends and members. Members are encouraged to contact their deacons with prayer requests, meal train requests, and any celebrations we can share together. Each regular worshipper at Mt. Bethel should have an assigned Deacon and know who their deacon is, so they can contact them when needed.

Each month, a deacon serves as Deacon On Call. So does an Elder. These folks are elected to their ordained positions by the congregation and are your representatives and resources. If you have any questions about the church they will be happy to answer them or direct you to where the answers are.

 

Geoff Bowman    

I was born and raised in Pennsylvania and then headed to college at Virginia Tech where I met my wife, Amber. After living for several years in both Columbia, MD and Durham, NC, we have settled in the wonderful town of Hillsborough. In 2018 we joined Mt. Bethel and have enjoyed the warm, kind, and willingness to serve atmosphere the congregation exudes. We love everyone at the church and are excited to have such a wonderful ‘extended family’ to help raise and guide our three boys (Lucas, Kyle, and Mason) in Christ’s journey. In addition to teaching science at Orange High School, I enjoy playing and coaching a variety of sports. This is my third year serving as a deacon and I am also a member of the finance committee.

Vicki Chappell 

I have lived in Durham for 35 years and began attending Mt. Bethel in 1994. My sons, Blaine and Cape, grew up in the church and were very active as youth. I am a registered dietitian and Food Service Director at Murdoch Developmental Center. My family and I have enjoyed attending Mt. Bethel, and over the years my favorite activities have been working with the Mt. Bethel children, coordinating Jr. Church, fellowship activities, attending Sunday school, and helping with the annual St. Nick Breakfast. As a deacon I am humbled to offer Christ’s encouragement, companionship, care and prayer.

Josette Collen

I was born in France to Italian parents who then moved to Toronto, Canada, when I was 8 years old. I am married to Gordon, and our son Matthew and his wife Christina live in Louisville, Kentucky. We have lived in Durham since 1997, and we have been members of Mount Bethel since February 2009. I am a registered nurse and currently work in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Duke. I also serve as Mt. Bethel’s parish nurse and as a member of the Reopening Task Force. I enjoy reading, hiking, cooking, visiting the beach and the mountains. I love our congregation and find people to be truly caring, loving and genuine. Mount Bethel has allowed me to continually grow in my faith. I believe God has called me to help others, and I strive to do that at work, with my church family, and in my life.

Liz Clifford 

I have been a deacon since the mid 1970’s. Deacons were ordained, according to the Scriptures, to serve and care for others, and I have enjoyed this calling. My husband Courtenay and I retired in 2018 and moved to Hillsborough to be closer to our daughter Karen Wurzinger, her husband, and our three granddaughters. Our son Will lives with us, and our son Steven lives in Texas with his wife and our grandson. We attended Mt. Bethel whenever we came to visit our daughter and found everyone to be friendly and welcoming. Courtenay and I decided we had found our new church home. I enjoy singing in the choir and ringing in the handbell choir. My hobbies include gardening, sewing, and playing pickleball. 

Helena Coman

Originally from Rockwell, NC, I graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill and then taught school at Carrington Junior High and at Duke Memorial Weekday School. I am married to Stuart Coman, a sports publisher, and we have two adult sons, Jay and Jack. We have been members of Mt. Bethel since 2009 when we transferred our membership from Pilgrim UCC. I was ordained and began serving a term as a deacon at Mt. Bethel in 2010. I have also enjoyed singing in Mt. Bethel’s choir, teaching Sunday School and serving on various church committees.

Rosita Garrett

Although I grew up on a dairy farm in western Piedmont NC, after graduating from Appalachian State, I moved to Durham to begin my teaching career.  Getting married and having 2 children, Jordan and Valerie, followed.  It was 1992 when we first came to Mt. Bethel. I immediately felt the welcoming atmosphere. In 1994, we had our third child,Lane and the Mt.Bethel families showered us with love and meals! I got involved with the nursery, teaching a 3-4 year old Sunday School class,and enjoyed helping with Vacation Bible School. 

I teach 5th grade Math at Easley Elementary where I get to enjoy the community feel of Mt. Bethel since my school,church and home are all in close proximity.In my free time, I love the Durham area and  enjoy the ease of going west to see my hometown folks, or east to see my daughter or the beach. I enjoy visiting with friends and spending time with my children and my two grandchildren, Nicholas and Haven. I love the opportunity of being a deacon and having the chance to be of service to anyone in need, which I also enjoy  on the Outreach Committee.

Leah Hughes

I was born and raised as a Methodist in Elizabeth, a small town south of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I attended the University of Pittsburgh and moved to Durham after graduation. Shortly after moving to Durham, I met Brian. Brian and I joined Mt. Bethel and were married here in 2004. Our daughter, Maddy, was born in 2014 and baptized at Mt. Bethel. I have been a member of the handbell choir since joining Mt. Bethel. I have worked in the real estate field for over 20 years, first as a paralegal and currently as vice president for Investors Title Exchange Corporation. In my free time I enjoy traveling, especially to the beach and mountains, taking walks, listening to audio books, cooking and baking. 

John Kadwell

I was born in Michigan and while I love snow, I don’t love the cold weather. After high school I joined the U.S. Navy and spent four years as an electrician on a diesel submarine. When my service ended, I obtained a chemical engineering degree and later earned a physics degree at UNC-Chapel Hill. After 35 years of employment, in 2019 I retired from Troxler Electronics Labs where I was employed as a customer service manager and as a product manager. I have three children. Sam is married to Dana, and they have two children. Daniel is married to Kristin, and they have one son, and my daughter Merrilee lives in Michigan. My wife Sue and I are longtime Presbyterians and after our move to Durham we joined Mt. Bethel in 2009. I enjoy playing the guitar, hiking, camping, gardening, going to the gym, and spending time with our grandchildren. I love the friendliness of the congregation and the choir, where I sing with the tenors. I now serve as a deacon and have served on the Outreach Committee.

Anne Medenblik 

Born and raised in Montana, I now live near Hillsborough with my husband, Ted. In 2000 we started attending Mt. Bethel, a church we found to be family friendly and welcoming. At that time our children were in elementary school. Now our son Jonathan and his wife Andrea live in Durham, and our daughter Alyssa is a graduate student at the University of Tennessee. As an educator with Orange County Schools, I work with underachieving students to prepare them for college eligibility and success. At church I have served as a children’s Sunday School teacher and presenter of children’s sermons. My family participated in our church’s excellent music programs over the years; I currently sing alto in the choir. I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve Christ and to serve as a deacon.

 

Other Forms of Care

The pastor also welcomes invitations to home visits or outdoor visits with those who are more comfortable, given COVID concerns. Call the church office if you would like to schedule a home visit with the pastor. Once hospital visits are allowed again, the pastor will be making visits to area hospitals.

In the meantime, if you have a family member or friend staying at one of the regional hospitals, you can have a card with a personalized message delivered at no charge.