LEADERSHIP

Greg Porterfield has been a pastor and member of Wesley United Methodist Church for 18 years. Greg loves the Wesley Spirit and the congregation’s relationship with God.

One of Greg’s favorite quotes is, “Only where love and need are one is the deed ever truly done.” – Robert Frost

In his spare time, Greg enjoys spending time with dogs and horses!

Scott Harris has had the pleasure of serving Wesley United Methodist Church since March of 2019.

Scott grew up in central Florida and has a degree in political science from Florida State University. Scott specializes in all things technical and loves serving people. He is also known for his genuine messages and authentic approach towards helping others find their purpose in Christ.

Scott has a beautiful wife, Lainie, and two children, Ella and Russell. "Go Noles!"

Lindsey Solomon was appointed to serve as an associate pastor at Wesley United Methodist Church in July of 2021 after serving as Associate Minister for Children and Youth at St. John United Methodist Church. Originally from Woodstock, Georgia, Lindsey was commissioned as a Provisional Elder in the North Georgia Conference of The United Methodist Church in 2014 and was appointed to serve at Kennesaw UMC as an associate pastor. She was appointed to The United Methodist Children’s Home, now known as Wellroot, in 2016.

A 2005 graduate of LaGrange College with a BA in Religion, she spent her college summers as a counselor at Camp Glisson. After college, Lindsey became a youth minister at Sam Jones UMC and in 2009 received her Masters of Divinity from Candler School of Theology. During seminary, Lindsey served as a youth minister at Mount Pisgah UMC.

Lindsey has always had a passion for equipping the saints for the work of the Lord (Ephesians 4:12) and helping people become aware of the great need around them. She believes that the church is at its best when it goes beyond its walls to reach people in the name of Jesus.

Lindsey and her husband, Kris, have three children, Kenya, Aubrey, and Lydia.

Susan Gilbert has been the Pastor of Care at Wesley United Methodist Church since June of 2016 and has been a member since 1999.

Susan is grateful for how she grew and was nurtured into her life as a Christian at Wesley. Through her involvement in worship, small groups and missions, Susan was led to become a licensed local pastor, and Wesley was there for her every step of the way!

Susan has a yellow lab mix named Jules and a draft/quarter horse named Angel. In her spare time, you can catch Susan spending time with Angel at the ranch, watching golf or college football or going to Edisto Beach. Susan is even a docent at the Aiken Thoroughbred Horseracing Museum!

Michelle Dodson has been the Program Secretary for Wesley United Methodist Church since January of 2006 and a member of Wesley since March of 2002. Michelle loves Wesley because there’s a place for everyone, no matter if you’re a child or a senior citizen! Michelle has been married to her husband, Stan, since August of 2003, and they have two children, Caleb and Hannah, a cat named Lady, and a dog named Doug. Michelle and her family love to visit Disney World and the beach! 

Kelley Cross Sleeper has been the Missions Assistant since March of 2016 and is a charter member of Wesley Church, joining in January of 1990. She has a wonderful son, Noah, and a darling "dogter," Molly. Kelley loves the family that Wesley is and being able to have a lot of fun as they go about the Lord’s work. Kelley loves cheering for the Georgia Bulldogs, laughing, loving on dogs and seizing the day!

Helen Bissell has been the Senior Adult Outreach Director since May of 2015, and her family has been members of the Wesley family since 1996. Helen loves that Wesley is so vibrant and active and offers something for everyone. Helen especially loves the Senior Adults at Wesley since they are a loving and giving group and the church has much to gain from their involvement. 

Rebekah is a self-proclaimed "lifelong church kid" with a background in pastoral leadership, music, discipleship, student ministry, and church administration.  Along with her husband and daughter, she has been a part of modern worship at Wesley since March 2019.  She's curious, creative, quirky, and passionate about enhancing the excellence of our modern worship services. 

Amanda Ellis has been the Finance Director for Wesley United Methodist Church since April of 2010. Amanda loves that Wesley is involved in serving and taking care of the local community through various different things, such as Mechanics Ministry and Faithcare. Amanda loves her job as Finance Director and loves the Wesley Staff and coworkers even more. Amanda is married to Dennis, and they have two children.

Ellyn Gilbert has been a member of Wesley since 2008 and on staff since 2012. She loves the caring congregation and being a part of the spiritual journey of students. Ellyn and her husband Curt have three children and she loves to play tennis and read in her spare time.

Mark Haddon has been the Facilities Manager and a Contemporary Worship Leader for 20 years, and a member of Wesley United Methodist Church for 25. Mark loves Wesley and the entire church family! As Worship Leader, Mark loves to sing praises to the Lord with a room full of friends, but as the Facilities Manager, Mark gets to find out where all the leaks are when it rains! Mark considers playing guitar his joy, but also plays banjo and mandolin. In his spare time, Mark dabbles in wood-working and DIY home improvement projects. Marks favorite places are his home and the Appalachian Mountains! 

Preschool Director

Melissa Donohue has been a member of Wesley Church since 2012. The sense of community that the church creates is something that she loves. She believes being able to watch children grow in their faith is a blessing. Melissa and her husband Phillip have three children Makayla, Ian and Patrick. In her spare time, Melissa loves being creative and gardening.

Family Ministries Director

Kate Morris joined the staff of Wesley United Methodist Church in September of 2021 after spending 6 years at Acworth United Methodist Church as the Director of Children and Family Ministries. Kate has a degree in Chemistry from Texas A & M University, as well as teaching credentials. She and her husband, John, have four kids, Joshua, Magee, Nate and James. She delights in sharing experiential lessons which show God at work in our lives, and especially loves it when she can use her chemistry background to teach the word of the Lord.

Makayla Rittwage has been a member of Wesley United Methodist Church since 2012. She loves the sense of belonging that Wesley offers and the love that the church pours out to the community. Makayla is married to her husband, Tron. Together they have two cats. In her spare time, she enjoys gardening, fishing, and cooking.

Aaron Talbott joined the staff of Wesley United Methodist Church as the Director of Student Ministry and became a member of the church in October of 2017. Aaron loves that Wesley places a high premium on the next generation and does not just say that student ministry and children's ministry is important with no action. Aaron appreciates the places, resources, volunteers and energy Wesley exhibits toward making student ministry and children's ministry a high priority in the life of our church. Aaron is married to his wonderful wife, Heather. They have a daughter, Millie, and a son, Beckett. They also have a dog, Duke, who is a great looking dog, but not terribly smart. In Aaron’s spare time, he likes to golf, fish and enjoys building furniture.

Jeff Wickell has been the Director of Music Ministry and a member of Wesley United Methodist Church since July 2013. One thing Jeff loves about Wesley is all the wonderful people he’s been able to meet through his work there. Jeff is the child of a military family and spent his early years moving frequently until his parents settled in Florida in 1980. Jeff’s professional degrees include a Bachelor of Music from LSU and a Master of Music in Saxophone Performance from the University of Illinois. Jeff enjoys singing with his family and considers it his favorite musical endeavor. Jeff met his wife, Heather Peacock, in Baton Rouge during their studies and have now been married for 27 years. Together, they have spent the last 20 years in music ministry in the United Methodist Church. They have four children: Ryan, Camille, Grace, and Josh. Ryan married to Sarah who has become a great addition to their family. Jeff’s interests outside of music include woodworking, photography and spending time gardening with his wife.

Mike Grigsby has served as the Senior Technical Director for Wesley United Methodist Church since the fall of 2020. He specializes in lighting and video production, and has been instrumental in Wesley's live streaming of worship services. When he is not creating outstanding media for Wesley UMC, he enjoys helping out with the Augusta Players.

Kaitlyn officially joined the Wesley staff in Spring of 2022, but has served on the Modern Worship Tech Team since 2021. She runs the church's social media profiles (which you should follow/subscribe to) as well as works closely with Mike to bring you all the best worship experience possible. Kaitlyn and Mike share not only an office and job title, but also a home, a dog, a cat, and have been together since 2015.

Elaine Maxwell has been the Pianist and a member at Wesley United Methodist Church for 26 years. Elaine Maxwell loves sharing her talent with the church and also appreciates the small church feeling for such a large membership.