Our Team

1. What brings you to 'the Church' and Old Bridge UMC in particular?

Basically my grandmother made me a Methodist. To Old Bridge, I would say... bishop and the cabinet did. :)

2. What is your role at Old Bridge?

Pastor, Worship leader, Communicator, Connector

3. Why is it important to you?

I love God and love people. This work lets me do what I love.

4. What are your favorite parts? 

Meeting people, hearing their stories, being creative, and worshiping with beautiful people.

5. Personal Interests: Where are you originally from? What's your hobby? What's your favorite food? What's your favorite sports team? What was your first job?

Came from Seoul, Korea / I love to read things on the internet / I eat everything edible while Korean-style fried chicken is all time soul food / Has been a fan of Arsenal (English football team) for 25+ years / My first job was at a underground subway construction site

Aaron Evans is a Pianist, Music Director, Teacher and Composer with a degree in Piano Performance from the University of North Carolina at Asheville.  

He has been a musician for many different churches but having grown up in the Methodist church, is really excited to be joining the OBUMC worship team playing the piano.  

It feels like “home".  He has also worked as a primary accompanist for Carolina Voices in Charlotte, NC including the famous "Singing Christmas Tree."  Aaron has played for singers, instrumentalists and musical theater projects all over the world.  Having a passion for travel as well as music, Aaron performed and witnessed music around the world with the Holland America Cruise Line.  For their world cruises, Aaron played keyboards in the show band, and solo piano events, including the prestigious Captain's parties.

As a composer, Aaron has focused mostly on new age piano music and is a successful piano teacher to many young musicians.  At the core of his musical self, Aaron would like to take people on a musical journey through his playing then bring them home again.   

1. What brings you to 'the Church' and Old Bridge UMC in particular? I grew up in the church in several different denominations as my father was a musician. When I married my husband I became a United Methodist and have been one for 40 years. Old Bridge church became my workplace because family told me of the job opening,  friends encouraged me to apply and God called me to work in the church.  

1. What is your role at Old Bridge? Office Administrator

2. Why is it important to you? I enjoy helping people and being part of a team that helps to make the ministries of the church function well.

3. What are your favorite parts? Making people smile!

4. Personal Interests: Where are you originally from? What's your hobby? What's your favorite food? What's your favorite sports team? What was your first job? Britsol, TN was where I was born but I claim the state of Virginia to be my home because of the many moves with my parents and my husband. I enjoy spending time with my grandchildren, gardening, sewing and playing the piano. Grilled chicken and fresh summer vegetables and fruits are some of my favorite foods. VT Football and VCU Basketball are my favorite teams. My first job at age 16 was as a page in a public library system.

I came to Old Bridge United Methodist Church in 2014 after searching for a church for over a year, this church finally felt like home.  The congregation and the pastor were very welcoming and warm.  My husband and I knew from the first visit that this was a great match for us.  

I grew up in Luray VA and  went to Virginia Tech for Psychology and Human Development.  I received my Master's in counseling from the University of Memphis and for several years worked for a company called Youth Villages as a children's counselor and a program manager.  

As my husband and I began our own family, I decided to switch to a more family focused career in 2013, pet care.  I own and operate a dog boarding and pet care business called Cada & Company. 

I love being a big kid and having a good time.  You can often find me playing outside with my boys, running, playing games, and hosting family and friends.  I love music and get a lot of spiritual fulfillment through listening to it. I also love cheering on the Virginia Tech Hokies all year long, especially during football season!

Being a wife and mother of 3 boys, my passion is to ensure families are feeling welcomed and being spiritually fed.  As the Family Ministries Leader here at OBUMC I get to live out that calling.  I love meeting new families and helping them to connect and build relationships within the church.  You can usually find me working in our children's ministries often as I also love to working with children.

I am a Northern Virginia girl born and raised. I grew up in a Southern Baptist church out of Annandale, VA but have since jumped around to different denominations as a worship leader. 

As a teacher for the last 12 years, I have had the opportunity to work with hundreds of students from pre-k to college from every walk of life. My background in education landed at OBUMC through the preschool, where I was the director during the 2019-2020 school year. I liked OBUMC so much that I came back to step into the role of Children’s Minister Leader in August 2021.

As the Children’s Ministry Leader at OBUMC, I get to work with the youth and family ministries to create a Christian education structure that students can grow in from birth all the way through adulthood. Working with the Children’s Ministry is important to me because children are one of our most precious investments in the church and the world. Creating a safe, loving environment for children to come worship, learn, and be loved just as God made them is paramount. And I love getting to know the kids! They are all beautifully unique and have so much creativity, energy, and love to give to those around them. Having the privilege to be a leader in their growth and love for God is something I hold near and dear to my heart.  

When I’m not at church I can often be found at rehearsal. I have been a theatre artist since I was 5, starting out in church plays, and have carried it with me into my professional adult life where I now run a non-profit theatre company with my business partner, Jonathan Faircloth. The arts all around are a passion of mine, be it painting, drawing, singing, dancing, you name it! And I can whip up a pretty mean macaron, or so I’ve been told.

Ron and his wife Judy are from Kentucky, They went to the same high school. After graduating from the Air Force Academy in 1959 he was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant and went to pilot training. Over the next thirty years they were assigned all over the United States: New York to California, Texas to North Dakota; ocean to ocean, border to border. Ron flew big airplanes: the KC-97 and KC-135 then briefly the B-52. In Viet Nam he flew with the Vietnamese Air Force out of Saigon. He has a Master’s Degree in Astronautical Engineering and is a graduate of the National War College. Ron spent two four-year tours at the Pentagon.

After the Air Force he taught math at Gar-Field High School in Woodbridge for eight years In 2000 Ron was called to the ministry and served on the Eastern Shore near Chincoteague Island for five years. He retired again, for one year, then was appointed to a small church near Nokesville, Virginia. Since 2009 he has been at Old Bridge UMC as "part-time" associate pastor.

Ron and Judy have three grown, graduated, married and gone from home children. They have ten grown grandchildren and six great-grandchildren, three boys and three girls.

1. Why Old Bridge? First I am a life-long Methodist and in our church shopping in the we discovered a newly started UMC near our home at the Lake Ridge Middle School. We were very welcomed into the church because everyone was new and everyone was needed.

2. Role at OBUM?  I guess I am the designated OG and serve as grand-father-in -chief.

3. Important to me because? It is a role I have been preparing for for over 80 years.

4. Favorite parts?  Small groups, especially teaching Bible study weekly and preaching occasionally.

5. Interests? Born in KY hobby is reading; favorite food is anything but beets; favorite sports teams are Air Force Academy in college football, Kentucky Wildcats in college basketball; St Louis Cardinals in baseball.

As an enlisted member of the Navy for a decade, I had the incredible opportunity to learn, train, and explore — serving the citizens of this country and caring for people around the world through mostly humanitarian efforts. When I got out of the Navy in 2009, and began the next season of my life—I found myself searching for answers in unexpected ways. In the midst of some difficult seasons in life, I learned what it means to feel the tangible presence of Jesus Christ. While I wasn’t really raised in the church, I regularly felt God leading me toward the next faithful steps that grew me as a disciple.

After the military I completed an undergraduate degree in Psychology, and ultimately pursued theological studies at Wesley Seminary where I received a Masters of Divinity degree in 2018.

I am excited to be a part of the team at Old Bridge and use my gifts in service to God and this community that has been called to do ministry in the world.  I also grew up in the Lakeridge Virginia area and graduated from Woodbridge Senior High School, so it is good to be back in the neighborhood.

While at OBUMC I have pursued a calling toward ordained ministry as a Deacon in the church with the focus of connecting the church to the world and the world to the church.  It is my belief that the church, the community of disciples of Christ, is a unique beacon of hope in the world.  

My passions in ministry include mental health awareness and advocacy, empowering support, care, and recovery communities, and connecting the gifts of people with the needs of the greater community...for the transformation of the world.

I also enjoy tinkering with whatever vehicle is in my driveway, woodworking, geeking out with computers, general problems solving, and checking things off my home honey-do list.

My name is Erin Prendergast. I was born in Okinowa but grew up in Germany and all over the states. You can say I was an Army Brat. 

My hobbies include sports of all kinds and crafting. My favorite sports teams are the Capitals and the Redskins. My favorite food is chocolate of any kind. My first job was working at Burger King. 

I came to Old Bridge Church about 15 years ago. My mom had invited me to come to church with her. I said sure why not. I fell in love with the Pastor and the people at there. They made me feel at home. I become a member shortly thereafter.

I volunteered to help with the children since I had three of my own. I had become good friends with the Children’s Director, and she asked me one day if I wouldn’t mind leading children’s worship. I told her that I would love to, but I really don’t know the bible as well as one should.

I love a good challenge, plus I get to learn the bible a little bit better. I am now the Youth Leader at Old Bridge. I believe it’s important to keep our children engaged in the teachings of the Word. They are the next generation of disciples. I love being the hands and feet of Christ.

I get to teach the youth, as well as learn from them. My favorite part of being the Youth Leader, besides having so much fun with all the activities we do and feeling my age (thanks kids), is watching them grow in their faith.

It's good to be home!

Ahead of the home where I grew up in Bayside, Queens (yes, I’m a NYC pizza snob), Lake Ridge is now my longest residence (25 years & counting).  Following my first 13 years of military assignments, the Air Force sent Carol, Harrison, Maxwell & I to Northern Virginia.  We initially came to Old Bridge Church because it was the closest UMC to our new home (1.5 miles), but stayed because of the vibrant faith community we found here.  I continued to serve another 10 years before retiring, and then answered a call to ministry, completing seminary & pastoring a few small churches in rural Fauquier & Prince William Counties.  After a 10 year absence, I am blessed to be appointed here at Old Bridge Church as associate pastor...it's good to be home.  Like the apostle Paul, my ministry is bi-vocational, in that I have a "regular" job that pays the bills.  Back in 1980, my first job was night-watchman at Flushing Airport, where I was given an opportunity to keep secure the place where I learned to fly.  Now, as a night-shift security supervisor at Fairfax Hospital, I face new opportunities to secure one of our nation's premier level-1 trauma centers.  And with those opportunities come more ways to share the good news of Christ Jesus to patients, visitors & staff, along with you, the people of Old Bridge.  This includes my nights off (Wed & Sun), which (when I’m not reading, or watching Law & Order episodes) allow me to offer ministry in preaching, sacraments, youth ministry, visitation, administration & wherever else I can be of service to God’s Kingdom.

“I wait for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning...”  Psalm 130:6 (NIV)

Grace & Peace To You!