Meet the Family Ministries Team
by Jennifer Redmond, M.Ed., Communications Team
This group of leaders is responsible for managing the many awesome volunteers who interact with the children and youth of our church each and every week.
Guiding them is Pastor Brenton Lehman, whose job description, in a nutshell, is to “oversee all adult and next-generation spiritual formation.” He and his wife Aimee appreciate that GCR “has served as a rehabilitation community for our souls and love that it continues to be that kind of place for many others.”
Read on to discover more about Brenton, Brandon Cutshall, Kelcie Cornett, and Brandon Read. You’ll learn how they serve here, current prayer needs, and how we as a church can be a blessing to them in practical and encouraging ways.
Today’s blog is part of an ongoing series to encourage appreciation of our pastors and church leadership; read the first in our series, “Why Pastor & Leadership Appreciation Month Matters,” right here.
Brenton Lehman, Discipleship and Family Ministries Pastor; oversees all adult and next-generation spiritual formation
Describe your typical day:
Meetings with various kinds of people—from leaders to church members. Reading and study for the development of spiritual formation strategies for our church. Providing care and counsel to leaders. Lots of emails, too!
How long have you been here:
4 years on staff, a few years before in the early years as a volunteer.
Background in ministry:
I belonged to GCR from it’s earliest day. I joined the church family as a college student, and it was my church home for all four years. My wife, Aimee and I moved to Atlanta to help plant a new church in 2010 and served there for four years. We then moved back to Lynchburg to serve with the GCR family in November of 2014 and are so grateful to the Lord to have been here since then.
Introduce your family:
My tremendous Bride, Aimee, and our three kiddos Charlotte (6 yrs), William (4 yrs), and Theodore (1 yr).
What you appreciate about our church:
This place has been a place of healing and recovery for many. My family came back into the church limping and weary from wounds we had endured, and the culture at this church has served as a rehabilitation community for our souls. I love that it continues to be that kind of place for many others and hope that the Lord allows this to continue for decades to come.
Favorite eats in Lynchburg:
LYH has some fabulous local joints to find great, unique food: the Dahlia, Tacos Locos, and the food truck Calle Cruz Miami are some of our favorites.
What you’re reading:
Top 4 right now: The Gospel Comes With A House Key; From Every People And Nation: A Biblical Theology Of Race; The Sacred Enneagram; and Leading Healthy Multi-Ethnic Churches.
What you’re listening to:
“He Will Hold Me Fast” by Shane and Shane
“That’s What Mercy Did For Me” by People And Songs
Biggest prayer need:
Pray for a deeper life in God for our whole family as we labor to love one another, our church family, and our beautiful LYH community, for our marriage, and for the salvation and formation of our children.
Brandon Cutshall, Family Ministry Resident
This team exists to partner with parents in the discipleship process to which they have been called. We strive to be a starting point and resource for gospel conversations that happen throughout the week.
Fun fact about you:
I know American Sign Language!
Your goal as a family ministry:
Our team is responsible for teaching biblical truths in a way that is tangible to the age group. We create environments that enable the kids to learn about God in age-appropriate ways.
Share something you want the church to know about your team:
We are all pretty different on our team which makes it cool to see the unique ways God has made us being used in order to accomplish the same mission.
Biggest prayer need:
Pray that God will provide people who are willing and able to serve with the kids. Pray that God will lead us in how we can best provide resources that help parents with what they need.
Service Opportunities:
Everywhere! We have a ton of service opportunities leading small groups in every area of Family Ministry.
How our church can bless your team:
Through prayer, notes of encouragements, and coffee, of course.
Kelcie Cornett, Kid City Coordinator
This team exists to help families grow in their relationship with the Lord and to connect with others, and to be a church filled with families who love God, grow in community, and reach out with the love of Christ.
Fun fact about you:
Yo hablo español! I speak Spanish.
Your tasks as a children’s ministry:
I oversee nursery through pre-kindergarten & check-in for Kid City. That involves lesson planning, scheduling volunteers, following up with first-time families, and plugging in new volunteers. Our team as a whole is responsible for Gospel Student Ministries and Kid City.
Share something you want the church to know about your team:
Our team has the most fun!
Biggest prayer need:
They can pray for wisdom for our team. Our ministries have grown so much over the past year, and we just want to be wise about decisions moving forward and how we can best serve our church.
Service Opportunities:
We would love to have more 3 year old, pre-k, and elementary volunteers! If teaching kids is not your gifting, we could always use administrative help.
How our church can bless your team:
Serving with us and praying for us is a tremendous blessing. Caffeine wouldn’t hurt either!
Brandon Read, Student Ministries Director
This team exists to create a space/environment for families (parents and children) to grow together in Christ. We want to provide our local church families with the resources and support they need to see the transformative power of the Gospel at work in their lives.
Fun fact about you:
Throughout middle school, I played the trumpet (pretty well might I add)
Your goal as a student ministry:
Our team is responsible for organizing and structuring programs/events specifically aimed towards parents and their students. Whether that is providing lesson plans for discipling students on Sunday mornings, or creating space for families to grow together in community, serving families is our mission.
Share something you want the church to know about your team:
Our church may not realize how often we pray over our families. We are often looking for input from our families on ways that we can assist and better serve them.
Biggest prayer need:
We could use prayer for our team, especially in the area of volunteers. Finding consistent, dedicated team members has been a challenge.
Service Opportunities:
Currently, our student ministry is praying specifically for more female leaders. We have a great opportunity to serve our female students. I would love for some of the women in our congregation to get involved.
How our church can bless your team:
If our church family could continue to be in prayer for our team that would be such a blessing. Also, finding/identifying people that would make great team members (getting involved) would great to see as well. Our team loves coffee, so that would be dope too.
Today’s blog is part of an ongoing series to encourage appreciation of our pastors and church leaders; read the first in our series, “Why Pastor & Leadership Appreciation Month Matters,” right here.
Ways to Bless Those in Leadership
Throughout the following month, we encourage you to consider blessing our leadership in one or more of the following ways. We’ll also be sharing more about each pastor and leadership team to help you get to know them better!
1) Pray for them and their families
2) Send them an encouraging email or a handwritten note of gratitude
3) Ask them how you can help
4) Drop off some coffee and pastries at the church offices—or some pizzas!
5) Coordinate with your community group and do an act of service for them (make a meal, tackle a house project, babysit and send them on a date night, etc.)
6) Pick up a gift certificate to a favorite restaurant or coffee shop
This group of leaders is responsible for managing the many awesome volunteers who interact with the children and youth of our church each and every week.
Guiding them is Pastor Brenton Lehman, whose job description, in a nutshell, is to “oversee all adult and next-generation spiritual formation.” He and his wife Aimee appreciate that GCR “has served as a rehabilitation community for our souls and love that it continues to be that kind of place for many others.”
Read on to discover more about Brenton, Brandon Cutshall, Kelcie Cornett, and Brandon Read. You’ll learn how they serve here, current prayer needs, and how we as a church can be a blessing to them in practical and encouraging ways.
Today’s blog is part of an ongoing series to encourage appreciation of our pastors and church leadership; read the first in our series, “Why Pastor & Leadership Appreciation Month Matters,” right here.
Brenton Lehman, Discipleship and Family Ministries Pastor; oversees all adult and next-generation spiritual formation
Describe your typical day:
Meetings with various kinds of people—from leaders to church members. Reading and study for the development of spiritual formation strategies for our church. Providing care and counsel to leaders. Lots of emails, too!
How long have you been here:
4 years on staff, a few years before in the early years as a volunteer.
Background in ministry:
I belonged to GCR from it’s earliest day. I joined the church family as a college student, and it was my church home for all four years. My wife, Aimee and I moved to Atlanta to help plant a new church in 2010 and served there for four years. We then moved back to Lynchburg to serve with the GCR family in November of 2014 and are so grateful to the Lord to have been here since then.
Introduce your family:
My tremendous Bride, Aimee, and our three kiddos Charlotte (6 yrs), William (4 yrs), and Theodore (1 yr).
What you appreciate about our church:
This place has been a place of healing and recovery for many. My family came back into the church limping and weary from wounds we had endured, and the culture at this church has served as a rehabilitation community for our souls. I love that it continues to be that kind of place for many others and hope that the Lord allows this to continue for decades to come.
Favorite eats in Lynchburg:
LYH has some fabulous local joints to find great, unique food: the Dahlia, Tacos Locos, and the food truck Calle Cruz Miami are some of our favorites.
What you’re reading:
Top 4 right now: The Gospel Comes With A House Key; From Every People And Nation: A Biblical Theology Of Race; The Sacred Enneagram; and Leading Healthy Multi-Ethnic Churches.
What you’re listening to:
“He Will Hold Me Fast” by Shane and Shane
“That’s What Mercy Did For Me” by People And Songs
Biggest prayer need:
Pray for a deeper life in God for our whole family as we labor to love one another, our church family, and our beautiful LYH community, for our marriage, and for the salvation and formation of our children.
Brandon Cutshall, Family Ministry Resident
This team exists to partner with parents in the discipleship process to which they have been called. We strive to be a starting point and resource for gospel conversations that happen throughout the week.
Fun fact about you:
I know American Sign Language!
Your goal as a family ministry:
Our team is responsible for teaching biblical truths in a way that is tangible to the age group. We create environments that enable the kids to learn about God in age-appropriate ways.
Share something you want the church to know about your team:
We are all pretty different on our team which makes it cool to see the unique ways God has made us being used in order to accomplish the same mission.
Biggest prayer need:
Pray that God will provide people who are willing and able to serve with the kids. Pray that God will lead us in how we can best provide resources that help parents with what they need.
Service Opportunities:
Everywhere! We have a ton of service opportunities leading small groups in every area of Family Ministry.
How our church can bless your team:
Through prayer, notes of encouragements, and coffee, of course.
Kelcie Cornett, Kid City Coordinator
This team exists to help families grow in their relationship with the Lord and to connect with others, and to be a church filled with families who love God, grow in community, and reach out with the love of Christ.
Fun fact about you:
Yo hablo español! I speak Spanish.
Your tasks as a children’s ministry:
I oversee nursery through pre-kindergarten & check-in for Kid City. That involves lesson planning, scheduling volunteers, following up with first-time families, and plugging in new volunteers. Our team as a whole is responsible for Gospel Student Ministries and Kid City.
Share something you want the church to know about your team:
Our team has the most fun!
Biggest prayer need:
They can pray for wisdom for our team. Our ministries have grown so much over the past year, and we just want to be wise about decisions moving forward and how we can best serve our church.
Service Opportunities:
We would love to have more 3 year old, pre-k, and elementary volunteers! If teaching kids is not your gifting, we could always use administrative help.
How our church can bless your team:
Serving with us and praying for us is a tremendous blessing. Caffeine wouldn’t hurt either!
Brandon Read, Student Ministries Director
This team exists to create a space/environment for families (parents and children) to grow together in Christ. We want to provide our local church families with the resources and support they need to see the transformative power of the Gospel at work in their lives.
Fun fact about you:
Throughout middle school, I played the trumpet (pretty well might I add)
Your goal as a student ministry:
Our team is responsible for organizing and structuring programs/events specifically aimed towards parents and their students. Whether that is providing lesson plans for discipling students on Sunday mornings, or creating space for families to grow together in community, serving families is our mission.
Share something you want the church to know about your team:
Our church may not realize how often we pray over our families. We are often looking for input from our families on ways that we can assist and better serve them.
Biggest prayer need:
We could use prayer for our team, especially in the area of volunteers. Finding consistent, dedicated team members has been a challenge.
Service Opportunities:
Currently, our student ministry is praying specifically for more female leaders. We have a great opportunity to serve our female students. I would love for some of the women in our congregation to get involved.
How our church can bless your team:
If our church family could continue to be in prayer for our team that would be such a blessing. Also, finding/identifying people that would make great team members (getting involved) would great to see as well. Our team loves coffee, so that would be dope too.
Today’s blog is part of an ongoing series to encourage appreciation of our pastors and church leaders; read the first in our series, “Why Pastor & Leadership Appreciation Month Matters,” right here.
Ways to Bless Those in Leadership
Throughout the following month, we encourage you to consider blessing our leadership in one or more of the following ways. We’ll also be sharing more about each pastor and leadership team to help you get to know them better!
1) Pray for them and their families
2) Send them an encouraging email or a handwritten note of gratitude
3) Ask them how you can help
4) Drop off some coffee and pastries at the church offices—or some pizzas!
5) Coordinate with your community group and do an act of service for them (make a meal, tackle a house project, babysit and send them on a date night, etc.)
6) Pick up a gift certificate to a favorite restaurant or coffee shop
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