Staff
Sammy Williams
Senior Pastor
A pastor for 35 years—23 of them at Northminster—Sammy contributes the experience that comes with advancing years. He spent much of his early life in school, eventually earning a PhD in biblical studies. He enjoys teaching the Bible, casting vision for our church, and motivating staff and volunteers One of his passions is racial reconciliation. He was the first caucasian member of the Baptist Minister’s Conference of Richmond and Vicinity and has served in numerous community initiatives to bridge the gap between races. After surviving sudden cardiac arrest in 2006, he reports that heart attacks have an upside. Now when things begin to feel stressful, he studies the situation and tells himself, “Well, this is not nearly as bad as a heart attack,” and moves on. At mid-life he took up sailing, and in the spring and fall he enjoys being out on his 25 year-old O’Day in the Albemarle Sound. Sammy is the husband of one wife—Lynda, who teaches at VCU—and the father of two sons, Aaron and Free. His home is guarded by a blind dog and a severely overweight cat.
Logan Jones
Worship Arts Director
Logan Jones came to Northminster directly from a small, and totally unpretentious neighborhood coffee shop known to locals as Starbucks Coffee Co. There, among other things, he earned the right to be called a barista, or as defined by Merriam-Webster, “a person who serves in a coffee bar.” Since joining the Northminster staff, he has earned his claim as a worship-leader, or, “a person who serves in a community of Christ-followers.” Logan grew up in Salzburg, Austria and, after moving to the U.S., earned a BA in Theology with a minor in Music from Ouachita Baptist University (www.obu.edu). In addition to his countless hours spent with Northminster’s band, Logan leads, writes and travels with loganjones^music, combining his capabilities in both theological understanding and music with a deep-seated passion for God and all of God’s children. Logan is joyously married to the lovely Silke Jones. Together they enjoy travelling, spending time with family and friends, being outdoors, and watching good movies. Logan is also known to spend ample time immersed in a challenging book or in a “strong and healthy” game of cribbage.
Mary Beth El-Shafie
Operations & Communications Director
Some might say she “runs the church.” An overstatement for sure, but Mary Beth does have her hands in a lot of the goings-on at Northminster. Currently serving as the Operations and Communications Director (affectionately referred to by Sammy as the “OCD”), you’ll find her scurrying around the office, riding her scooter around our extremely large building or sending out email blasts from her Mac. She’s been a part of our congregation here since the womb (literally) and she loves being able to now dedicate her professional life to her church family. Mary Beth graduated from Virginia Tech with degrees in Interior Design and Spanish and, before coming on staff at Northminster, had transitioned into a marketing role for a local Richmond homebuilder. When she’s not at the church she enjoys spending time with her husband, Kiere, and their almost-human Weimaraner, Greta.
Jeanne Murdock
Missions Coordinator
Jeanne may have a degree in Biology, but she has dedicated the last nine years of her life to a different sort of "laboratory" we call the church. A veteran multi-tasker, she has done everything at Northminster from answering phones to running the food pantry and designing and maintaining the website. Jeanne is a mother of six plus two, so it goes without saying that she’s spent most of her life caring for others. For that reason, she’s been right at home since July of 2009 in her most exciting (and challenging) role at Northminster to date—Missions Coordinator on a local, regional, and international scale. In her free time she caters to the needs of two new kids in the house, two cats, and a stumpy-legged dog.
Abby Schreiner
Youth Coordinator
New Hampshire native, Abby, moved to Richmond in 2004. She may miss her family, but certainly doesn’t miss those blustery cold winters. Abby attended Taylor University in Indiana and received a BA in Christian Educational Ministries and Bible. Since June of 2008 she has served as the Youth Coordinator at Northminster with boundless energy. And she must have stockpiles of it! When she’s not leading our Youth, she’s the nanny for two wonderful girls and attends VCU, getting her Masters in Social Work. If there’s any time left after all of that, Abby spends it reading, hanging out with friends or enjoying a good cup of coffee (maybe that’s her secret!).
Sherida Kemp
Children's Coordinator
Known for her propensity to bust a move in public places, you just can't have a conversation with Sherida without a smile or a laugh. And it would take her fun-loving nature to keep up with Northminster’s kids as well as the four of her own! She has worked with children for 15 years and considers motherhood to be her greatest joy. Before joining the Northminster staff as Children’s Coordinator, Sherida received a certificate in Childhood Education from Virginia Union University and worked for Rainbow Station Childcare Centers. She also currently works as a patient advocate at the Virginia Cancer Institute. When she has a moment to herself, you might find her reading a good book or jamming to some 80's tunes (Journey, anyone?). Watching Saturday morning cartoons is a rule in her house, where we're sure there's never a dull moment.
Marcena Harman
Pianist (Retro Service)
Marcena loves singing and playing praises to the Lord and has done so for many years, in many diverse venues, whether on an Oklahoma Indian Reservation, for a large Baptist Convention, a mission service in Europe, or for teens or preschoolers. She offers up all of her talents joyously to the Lord, wherever He may take her. And we’re glad to have her here, sharing God’s love and helping to lead our 9:30 service in worship each week. When Marcena is not singing or tickling the ivories, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, as well as teaching, tennis, football, fishing, swimming, the Olympics, informative medical TV shows, good mysteries, handwork, crafts, flowers,writing, operas, theater, and solving puzzles of all kinds. For her, life is a smorgasbord of living and God, in all of His graciousness, has allowed her to do just that!
H. D. Harman
Music Director (Retro Service)
Been there...done that! In the twenty years that H. D. has been on staff at Northminster, that's his story. He originally came to Northminster in 1973 and stayed until 1984, then returned in 2000. In that time, H. D. has been Administrator, Minister of Education, Minister of Music, visited hospitals and nursing homes, preached, performed weddings, and officiated at funerals. Not bad for a country boy who spent his first two years of education riding a pony to a one-room country school! Between Northminster and his work at other churches, H. D. has planned and directed youth retreats, junior music camps, and directed various youth and college-aged choirs. He once took a youth choir to Ridgecrest, where they sang as part of the "Youth Emphasis" during Missions Week. All of these accomplishments aside, H. D. considers giving his heart to Jesus to be the greatest thing he’s ever done. God changed his love of fishing for fish to fishing for souls of all ages.
Paulette's Story
I am a single mom with three boys. A year ago we were living in an apartment near Northminster. I didn't feel the streets around the apartments were a safe place for my growing sons to play. They were only allowed to play on the Northminster grounds. One Wednesday evening they were playing there while dinner was going on inside. One of the men came outside and invited them in, fed them some supper, and introduced them to the other children and young people that were there. From that night until this day those boys have been a part of the Northminster family. But I didn't join my sons at church, even though they begged me to.
Then one day we were displaced from our home with nowhere to go but to a motel. The people of this church became my friends during this time and I started joining my boys at services. Now I am a regular attender, a member, and soon will be baptized. I have accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior and am very excited about the life He has planned for me and my boys.
Northminster is a warm and loving church where people welcome you with open arms. I have no blood family in Richmond, but the people at this church are my family.
Carl's Story
For the first sixty years of my life I was not a believer. I had retired from a 30 year Police career with no clear sense that any of it had meant anything. Probably because of my choice of profession I had developed a cynical attitude and a very cold viewpoint on most everything. If I had any redeeming feature during this time it was love for my family, but not so much for anyone else.
Through a strange sequence of events I ended up visiting Northminster once to keep from having an argument with my wife, who had just became part of the Church staff. Everyone I met that day was very warm and welcoming and it was a pleasant but not life changing event. She convinced me to go one more time the next Sunday, and I was listening to Sammy's message when it hit me that everything he was saying was the truth and that God really did exist and even more unbelievable, He loved me, so much that He had given His Son so that I could be forgiven.
I accepted Christ as my Savior that day, and my life took an unbelievable turn from that point on. I experienced an intense need to learn more about Jesus and the Bible and found that most of my horrible personality traits were being addressed by the Holy Spirit and the changes I had failed to achieve in my own power were easy now. I realize that there is still more work to be done, but have complete faith that God will complete the work He has started in me.
Even though it is probably secondary, a very important part of this experience has been the wonderful feeling of being accepted in the “body of Christ” and the love and support of so many wonderful people. I really began to know this a few years ago when I lost my Dad, and the point has been fully brought home to me with my current illness. The outpouring of love, support and prayers has been wonderful.
[On December 26, 2008 Carl lost his battle with cancer. He has run the good race and now rests in the presence of his Savior. His assurance that this would be the case gave him amazing strength and peace at the end of his earthly life. If his story has helped you please visit In Loving Memory of Carl Murdock, Jr. and let us know.]
