Pastor John hails from a suburban Pittsburgh community in southwestern Pennsylvania where he was raised in the Presbyterian Church and educated until late high school in public schools. After a transfer, he spent his last two years at a private, Catholic school from which he graduated.

He earned a bachelor degree in Developmental Psychology from West Virginia University, a Master of Divinity Degree - with a Minor in Pastoral Counseling - from Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma and a Doctor of Ministry degree from United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. After his Master's degree, he attended Duquesne University's Institute of Formative Spirituality for post graduate work. Following his doctorate, he completed a dozen courses in Advanced Pastoral Psychotherapy at Pittsburgh Pastoral Institute.

Pastor John brings a passion for discerning church vision and development of church leaders, as well as engaging persons in discovery of their gifts for ministry. His heart’s desire is to lead persons in a life-changing experience with Jesus Christ that results in spiritual growth and personal transformation.

Beyond the local church, he has served on District Committees on Ministry in both the Eastern and Western Pennsylvania Conferences and has served on several Conference teams and committees – including the Conference Board of Ordained Ministry. He has also been involved with Habitat for Humanity, local ministeriums where he has been influential in initiating local ordinance changes, and a local school board strategic planning and vision committee.

Additionally, he is a member of the Chadds Ford-Concordville Rotary Club – having been a long time Rotary International member and therefore a member of several local Rotary Clubs. In his spare time, he enjoys running, karate, skiing, photography and music. He is married to Betsy and they are the parents of two adult children – Steven and Rachel. Their home is also graced by an English Cocker Spaniel named Jazz and a Puggle named Brody. Oh… and he’s a Steelers and Penguins fan too!

John Pritchard grew up in a family active in a United Methodist church in northeast Philadelphia that shaped him in the experience of God's unconditional love. He attended Temple University and Princeton Theological Seminary, and did further graduate work at Temple in the field of religion and society. His passions in ministry have always been three-fold-- to make worship lively and meaningful, to welcome those who feel (or indeed, have been) left out, and to explore God's call to a life deeper, fuller, and richer than the default option given by a consumerist world, a world plagued by violence, injustice, and emptiness. John leads our Saturday evening worship services and serves as a consultant for our Adult Education Ministry. He and his wife live in Media, where they raised two sons, both now in college. He loves to write and read and enjoys a wide range of music.

Mary arrived in Philadelphia from Glasgow, Scotland in 1970. Before coming to Elam she worked as a legal secretary both in Scotland and in Philadelphia.

Throughout the years Mary has adapted and grown with the various changes that have taken place at Elam- including its growth from a small country church, working hand-in-hand with five pastors, and coordinating the administrative aspects of two major construction projects.

Over the years, she’s been indispensably connected with the ongoing development of the church office to assist and support the ministries of Elam. She especially enjoys working with committee chairpersons and reaching out to meet the needs of the congregation. Mary’s organizational abilities and compassionate nature make her the ideal office administrator.

Mary enjoys dancing as well as reading in her spare time. Beyond work, Mary can be found spending time with her beloved sons, David and Peter.

Janet was a member of the first Graduating Class of Garnet Valley. Upon graduating from high school Janet worked at two different companies as a bookkeeper. While being a stay at home mother, she also helped her husband with bookwork as a way of assisting him with his business. Janet has been a faithful member of Elam UMC for 48 years and a member of the Jubilate Choir for 47 years. She has taught Sunday school and acted as coordinator of Elam’s Vacation Bible School for 19 years. When Elam began the search for an Assistant Secretary, Janet felt that she might bring her office skills to the church where she grew up. Janet also brings her office skills to Christ United Methodist Church in Brookhaven. Janet has served on many different committees at Elam over the years. She is currently acting as Co-treasurer and is a member of our Finance Committee and Leadership Council. Janet has used her love of music in the past to assist her husband Steve with Elam’s Kid’s in Christ Choral group. Steve and Janet have 2 adult sons, Kevin and Neil as well as 2 beloved family dogs, Jasmine and Lola. Janet enjoys computer games, checking out friends via Facebook and can be considered a true sports enthusiast.

Randy serves on Elam’s staff as Coordinator of Spiritual Enrichment. Her position on our staff has evolved over 12 years to include offering Spiritual Guidance to individual and groups, providing Pastoral support, coordinating hospital and homebound visitations, acting as staff support for our Caring Team, building and sustaining Elam’s Adult Small Groups Ministry, planning and facilitating renewal retreats and study groups for Elam as well as other local churches.

In the past, Randy’s creativity and education led her to express herself through an array of genre including story illustration and product development in the fashion industry requiring her to travel daily into New Jersey and Manhattan while working for National Department store chains, as well as occasional trips to the Orient for over 10 years. In 2000 Randy once again felt called to revisit the possibility of entering into some form of ministry. This had been a lifelong dream and desire which began to take shape as she explored Spiritual Guidance through the programs offered with Oasis Ministries for Spiritual Development and thus a new phase in her life began. Upon the completion of the two year programs she was appointed Elam’s Coordinator of Spiritual Enrichment.

Randy and her husband Wayne reside in Glen Mills with their beloved pets ... Coco a Cocker Spaniel and Camille the family cat. She has two adult daughters; Beth who lives in Stamford Connecticut and Lisa in Rising Sun, Maryland.

Randy serves as a member of the Advisory Board of the Franciscan Spiritual Center located within Our Lady of Angels Convent in Aston. She enjoys reading the classics and popular novels as well as theological and spiritual books. Randy finds painting and writing both poetry and inspirational pieces ways of connecting with the beauty and majesty of creation.

Kelly Forwood, as Director of Early Childhood Education, oversees Elam’s Hearts & Hands Christian Preschool and Children’s Day Out programs. As well as acting as Director, Kelly teaches on Hearts & Hands staff and coordinates Elam’s summer Kids Camp Program. Kelly’s passion for working with young children and her desire to focus on the uniqueness of each child as they grow daily in God’s grace, creates a nurturing and loving atmosphere within each of our Early Childhood programs. Kelly graduated in 1992 with a B.S. in Elementary/Early Childhood Education from Millersville University. Upon graduating she taught for three years in a preschool program at a day care center. She taught seven years in the Children’s Day Out program before becoming the director of Elam’s newly created Hearts and Hands Preschool and teacher of the four and five year olds in 2005. She considers it a privilege to care for and teach the children in these programs. Kelly’s family relocated to this area when her father was appointed as Elam’s Pastor. Pastor Ron Peirce and his wife Joanne moved their family into the parsonage on Smithbridge Road where they became an active part of the community. When Kelly’s dad passed away, Elam dedicated the Peirce Family Life Center to his memory. Kelly is married to Rick Forwood and they have two children, Cassie and Steven. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends, reading, and watching her children play sports.

Joey was born and raised in the Chadds Ford area and has attended Elam his entire life. He graduated from Garnet Valley in 1979 where he played baseball and played the drums in the band. Joey attended Geneva College with a major in Broadcasting and was the music director at WGEV which was the college radio station. He has been employed at Glen Mills Schools since 1983 and is currently working in the Alternative Education program there. Joey and Lisa have been married since 1985 and have three children, Lindsey, Lacey and Luke and a grandson, Travis. In his spare time he enjoys local sports teams, reading, music and collecting baseball memorabilia.

Joey has been on Elam's staff since 1998 and assumed the position of Coordinator of Youth Ministry in 2001. He is currently going through the process of becoming a local pastor in the United Methodist Church. Joey has a great passion for working with the students from our community and trying to help them to come into a loving relationship with Jesus Christ. He believes that he has been called to help our youth to examine their faith and try to figure out what they believe and why they believe it. Joey also feels a call to mission work within the community as well as worldwide. He serves as staff support to Elam’s Serving Team and has led Elam’s youth to sponsor several annual mission projects. Joey truly feels that Jesus has called each of us to be His hands and feet in the world and that we should go out into our communities to share His love with others ... through His love and guidance we at Elam can accomplish this call.

Angela serves on Elam’s staff as Director of Music & Arts. She directs the Jubilate Choir, coordinates music and arts groups and special services, and serves as a pianist for worship services. She has been a member of Elam since 1993, transferring membership from her home town church, Saxton United Methodist Church, Saxton, PA. For Angela, music has always been a passionate way to worship God, whether in individual performance, rehearsing others, or directing the choir. Angela creates meaningful moments within the worship experience at Elam as she prayerfully conducts the choir, plays the piano or organ as well as offering solos.

Angela is a graduate of West Chester University (B.S. Music Ed 1992; M.M. Music Ed 2002), and is currently working on a Master’s degree in education from Gratz College. She teaches music classes and offers instrumental lessons at Garnet Valley Elementary School, Glen Mills, PA. In addition to her classroom duties, Angela accompanies the Bethel Springs Elementary, Garnet Valley Elementary, and Garnet Valley High School choruses in concerts and public appearances. She also plays piano for Garnet Valley and Chichester High Schools' spring musicals. Angela is a co-organizer of "Voices of Hope," a community chorus which raises funds and awareness for Ovarian Cancer, sponsored by Elam every spring.

Angela lives in Chadds Ford, PA, with her husband and daughters. She enjoys walking, spending time with her family and friends, crafts and reading.

Pat was born and raised in Augusta, Maine where she received an excellent education, both scholastically and musically. Her mother lovingly exposed her to music with piano lessons at age 7. Several instruments and years later at age 15 she was encouraged to begin organ lessons.

Pat attended Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ. While there, she took in all the beautiful music and techniques emanating from other extremely talented students and professional music teachers of voice and organ. The well-known touring Westminster Choir left Pat with such a feeling of awe and appreciation and the desire to be able to recreate with feeling the music that others had so thoughtfully created in their lifetime. Pat feels that she has benefitted from watching and listening to other organists and this has enabled her to create some of her own pieces.

Pat has served as organist at Elam for 10 years and is an integral part of the Elam’s music ministry. For the last 6 years she has directed our men's quartet - 4 HIS GLORY. Directing and accompanying the quartet has been a source of great joy for Pat.

Pat’s husband, Don, is retired from duPont Company and spends a great deal of time woodworking. He loves music and is Pat’s best critic and supporter. Their daughter, Cheryl, lives in Dawsonville, GA and is a licensed clinical social worker. Their son, Stephen, and his 3 children, Tyler, Melanie and baby Holly live close by in Hockessin DE.

The family has skied over the years - in the Poconos, New England and out West as well as Zermat, Switzerland ... thus Pat’s love for snowy, cold winter days.

Pat is thankful for the precious gift of God's Son and for the opportunity to let her fingers and her heart show her love for the beautiful gift of His music.

Steven received a Bachelor of Music in Music Performance at Moravian College, with a concentration in saxophone. While at Moravian, Steven performed in the Marching Band, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Combo II, Jazz Fusion, Big Band, and Choir. Privately, Steven was under the tutelage of Grammy Award winning musician Dr. Neil Wetzel (Saxophone), Dr. Deborah Andrus (Clarinet), and Mrs. Robin Kani (Flute). Currently, Steven serves as the Director of Children’s Music at Elam and also gives weekly vocal and piano lessons. He is currently pursuing a Post-Baccalaureate Teaching Certification Program in Music Education at West Chester University.