Get to Know our Volunteers & Staff
Meet Gaby
December 2023 Volunteer
Tell us a little about yourself.
I am a Clinical Mental Health Counselor specializing in trauma. I live in Hilliard with my extremely kind husband, Clay, and our extremely cute dog, Penny. I love to be outside, whether at a park with my pup or getting my hands dirty gardening. A fun fact about me is that I used to be a boxing coach as well as a competitive dancer, a fun combo!
Where do you serve?
I joined the Grandview campus as soon as it launched, and went to Westerville campus for about 6 years before that. Over my time at Vineyard I have served in Kids ministry, hospitality, and as a small group leader. Most recently, I served by organizing six weeks of "Grandview Gather," an event occurring between services to provide a space for community to grow in authentic ways. It was fun to be an event planner for a few weeks and get to be creative with ways for our church to experience new things together!
What do you love about where you serve / what you're doing?
I really enjoy serving in the background where I can prepare the table for others, then watch from the wings as God works and people come together. Serving as an organizer for Grandview Gather has helped me to feel empowered to share my ideas and really value the sacred process of cultivating hospitality for others. Hospitality is incredibly important throughout the Bible and having the opportunity to serve in this way has enabled me to work to embody hospitality in my personal life as well.
What is something you'd like for people to know about the ministry you're in?
From being a counselor, I have learned that we are much more alike than we are different. Most of us are afraid to approach a new person and strike up a conversation, compliment a stranger, or be vulnerable with others. Coming from a ministry aiming to create community, I would urge people to do it anyway. Recognize your discomfort of reaching out, follow the Spirit's promptings, and extend a hand of friendship. God moves in the places where fear clouds our ability to discern His will. Each of us has the incredible power to share encouraging words, a thoughtful prayer, or even a comforting hug. Recognize that God has given you this ability to help others feel less alone and that is truly very special.
I am a Clinical Mental Health Counselor specializing in trauma. I live in Hilliard with my extremely kind husband, Clay, and our extremely cute dog, Penny. I love to be outside, whether at a park with my pup or getting my hands dirty gardening. A fun fact about me is that I used to be a boxing coach as well as a competitive dancer, a fun combo!
Where do you serve?
I joined the Grandview campus as soon as it launched, and went to Westerville campus for about 6 years before that. Over my time at Vineyard I have served in Kids ministry, hospitality, and as a small group leader. Most recently, I served by organizing six weeks of "Grandview Gather," an event occurring between services to provide a space for community to grow in authentic ways. It was fun to be an event planner for a few weeks and get to be creative with ways for our church to experience new things together!
What do you love about where you serve / what you're doing?
I really enjoy serving in the background where I can prepare the table for others, then watch from the wings as God works and people come together. Serving as an organizer for Grandview Gather has helped me to feel empowered to share my ideas and really value the sacred process of cultivating hospitality for others. Hospitality is incredibly important throughout the Bible and having the opportunity to serve in this way has enabled me to work to embody hospitality in my personal life as well.
What is something you'd like for people to know about the ministry you're in?
From being a counselor, I have learned that we are much more alike than we are different. Most of us are afraid to approach a new person and strike up a conversation, compliment a stranger, or be vulnerable with others. Coming from a ministry aiming to create community, I would urge people to do it anyway. Recognize your discomfort of reaching out, follow the Spirit's promptings, and extend a hand of friendship. God moves in the places where fear clouds our ability to discern His will. Each of us has the incredible power to share encouraging words, a thoughtful prayer, or even a comforting hug. Recognize that God has given you this ability to help others feel less alone and that is truly very special.
Meet Connie
November 2023 Volunteer
Tell us a little about yourself.
Randy and I joined Vineyard Columbus over 30 years ago, and it's proven to be one of the best decisions we've ever made. We have been married almost 42 years, have three adult kids and four grandchildren, and we are super thankful that they all live within an hour of us.
I work for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, a national campus ministry, as a Multiethnic Resource Specialist. One of the things I love most about my job is that I get to develop and lead trainings for many of our staff across the country.
Fun fact: I am one of just a handful of people who have served on the staff of both InterVarsity and Cru (formerly known as Campus Crusade for Christ). Interestingly, another person who has done this is also a member of VC, Howard Van Cleave.
Where do you serve?
Randy and I have hosted and led small groups here at VC for decades. The group we currently host and co-lead (along with 3 others) is called Generations Kinship. The group has members from a wide variety of ethnic backgrounds and different generations from 20s to 70s.
What do you love about where you serve / what you're doing?
We love leading home groups because we see them as front-line pastoral ministry. This is where we get to know people deeply, it's where people care for one another, it's often the place where people learn to hear from the Lord and follow the Spirit's leading in their lives, it's where we study the Scripture in community, it's where cross-cultural and cross-generational relationships can be formed, and it's a place where leaders are developed. We have often had the privilege of blessing and sending out leaders from our group to other groups and ministries. And in a multigenerational group like ours, there are opportunities for older believers to walk alongside younger people, and that's life-giving for everyone.
What is something you'd like for people to know about the ministry you're in?
Leading a small group is a high calling, worthy of investing your life! And our church has amazing pastors who have expertise in a wide range of areas so that you will receive training and support and can turn to them when people have needs that are beyond what the group alone can meet. You're never out there on your own.
Randy and I joined Vineyard Columbus over 30 years ago, and it's proven to be one of the best decisions we've ever made. We have been married almost 42 years, have three adult kids and four grandchildren, and we are super thankful that they all live within an hour of us.
I work for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, a national campus ministry, as a Multiethnic Resource Specialist. One of the things I love most about my job is that I get to develop and lead trainings for many of our staff across the country.
Fun fact: I am one of just a handful of people who have served on the staff of both InterVarsity and Cru (formerly known as Campus Crusade for Christ). Interestingly, another person who has done this is also a member of VC, Howard Van Cleave.
Where do you serve?
Randy and I have hosted and led small groups here at VC for decades. The group we currently host and co-lead (along with 3 others) is called Generations Kinship. The group has members from a wide variety of ethnic backgrounds and different generations from 20s to 70s.
What do you love about where you serve / what you're doing?
We love leading home groups because we see them as front-line pastoral ministry. This is where we get to know people deeply, it's where people care for one another, it's often the place where people learn to hear from the Lord and follow the Spirit's leading in their lives, it's where we study the Scripture in community, it's where cross-cultural and cross-generational relationships can be formed, and it's a place where leaders are developed. We have often had the privilege of blessing and sending out leaders from our group to other groups and ministries. And in a multigenerational group like ours, there are opportunities for older believers to walk alongside younger people, and that's life-giving for everyone.
What is something you'd like for people to know about the ministry you're in?
Leading a small group is a high calling, worthy of investing your life! And our church has amazing pastors who have expertise in a wide range of areas so that you will receive training and support and can turn to them when people have needs that are beyond what the group alone can meet. You're never out there on your own.
