Leadership
Wayne and Susan Downing
Pastor Wayne Downing grew up in St. Paris, Ohio, in Champaign County. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Christian Leadership from Barclay College in 2020. While working at World Class Plastics in Russells Point, Pastor Wayne served bi-vocationally as pastor at Stony Creek Church of the Brethren in southwest Logan
County, Ohio, from 2003-2013.
He and his wife, Susan, have been married for 29 years and have four children: Evan (26), Morgan (25) (married to Austin), Davis (20), and Thia (19). In his spare time, Wayne enjoys dates with Susan, reading, running, target shooting, throwing the frisbee with the family, plus his new hobby, disc golf. Pastor Wayne was called to Goshen Friends in July of 2014.
Elders
Bob Culp
Bob Culp, Spiritual Life Elder, has lived in Logan County all his life. He enjoys spending time with family, wife Judy, three children and five grandchildren. Bob is a retired auto worker of 36 years. He loves reading his Bible each day, with his favorite people in the Bible being Jesus, Barnabas, oh, and Paul, oh and all the rest of them, too.
As an elder at Goshen Friends Church, Bob enjoys assisting the leadership team in encouraging others in their faith, in teaching, in prayer, and living each day as a disciple of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. If you are looking for a home Church Family or just a place to visit, Bob can’t wait to see you next Sunday!
Alecia Myers
Education Elder, Alecia Myers, resides in Logan County and has enjoyed teaching at Benjamin Logan for 35 years. God has blessed her by providing her with a vocation she truly loves! Alecia has 2 children and 3 grandchildren whom she spends a lot of time with. Her hobbies include reading, exercising and spending time with friends.
Randy Early
Randy Early grew up in Logan County, Ohio, and lives on a portion of the family homestead where his father and grandfather grew up. He has 3 daughters: Olivia (42) with a 5 yr old son, Leslie (40) with a 15 year old daughter, and Victoria (35) who is blessed with 4 girls 8, 7, 5 and 6 months.
As a child and young adult, Randy attended Stony Creek Church of the brethren. He began attending Goshen Friends Church in the early months of 2020, and while growing his relationship with God, has also grown close to the congregation.
Randy LOVES time in the Word, being with the kids and grandkids. In his “spare time” Randy enjoys camping, riding motorcycles (street and dirt bike) snowmobiles and bicycles (he says that he needs to get re-acquainted with the bicycle). Randy also enjoys wood working, target shooting and quiet time in the woods or in the kayak.
Linda Kerns
Linda (Culp) Kerns grew up in Rushsylvania, graduated from Buckeye Local HS and Bowling Green State University with a BS in education. She was happily married to Jeff Kerns for 30 years until he died in 2002 from leukemia. God blessed them with four children (Valerie, Andy, Katrina and Aricka) and 13 grandchildren. Linda taught special ed in elementary and junior high, home schooled her children through grade six, taught adult basic education a few years, and retired in 2012. She has been part of our Goshen family since 1994, and has served as Sunday school teacher, missions coordinator, piano player and now Outreach Elder. Linda enjoys supporting her children and grandchildren in their many sports and activities. She also enjoys walking, friends, music, observing all of God’s creation, reading books, especially her favorite “Gods Holy Bible”, and studying it with a small group and Wednesday night Bible Study.
Staff
Christa Epps
Christa Epps, our secretary, was born in Urbana, Ohio. The family moved to Rushsyl vania in Logan County when she was a toddler, then they moved to a farm just across the valley from the church soon after turning five, and that is where she grew up. The farm still remains in the family today. Christa and her husband Don make their home near West Liberty. Christa worked in the print shop and later in advertising at Super Foods until the department was moved to Cincinnati. At that time she started a small cleaning business (which she later gave up), and began babysitting grandchildren, all while working at Honda and eventually retiring after 16 years. The church secretary job opened up a year later and the rest is history.
Christa and her husband, Don, have been married 32 years and counting, and have three daughters, eight grandchildren and four great grandchildren altogether. Christa loves time spent with her husband Don and getting together with family and friends. She loves this church and her church family.
Kathy Dodson
Kathy Dodson is Goshen’s janitor. Goshen Friends Church has been her church family since 1993. Doug is her husband of 36 years. All three of their children, Rebekah, Jacob, and Jessie grew up as Goshen kids. They are blessed to have 8 grandchildren.