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Senior Pastor, Rev. Sherry L. Gale, Ph.D.

Pastor Sherry has a heart for God and for all God’s people. She is thrilled to be pastoring Grace Church whose motto is “Grace is for everyone.” Her ministry, in the church, in the city and beyond, revolves around living, messaging and teaching that God’s grace is for everyone. She leads Grace Church in worship, study, fellowship and service that faithfully witness “Grace Church is for everyone”.

Pastor Sherry has served as pastor of Grace Church since July 1, 2008. From July 2004 through June 2008, she served as pastor of Nast Trinity United Methodist Church in the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood of downtown Cincinnati. Pastor Sherry is particularly called to serving in the city where the density and diversity of people provide amazing opportunities for connecting people to God and to one another.

Pastor Sherry’s initial career was in academia. Dr. Sherry Gale began as an assistant professor of mathematics at Birmingham-Southern College in 1989. In 1992 she transferred positions to the University of North Carolina at Asheville. While at UNC-Asheville, Dr. Gale served as chair of the Department of Mathematics, as co-chair of the university-wide self-study accreditation team, on the university’s Council of Chairs and on the university-wide Tenure and Promotion Committee. During the Lenten season of the year 2000, Dr. Gale experienced a call to redirect her time, abilities, energy and passion to leading the Church in being God’s image, the image of grace and justice and peace and love, in this world.

Pastor Sherry received her Master of Divinity degree from United Theological Seminary in 2004. She was ordained as an elder in the United Methodist Church in 2007. Pastor Sherry has a B.S. in Education from Ashland College, a M.S. degree in mathematics from Miami University and a Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Pittsburgh.

Pastor Sherry is vice-chair of the Board of Trustees of the Wesley Community Center. She has served as an officer for the West Ohio Conference Urban Network. She is active in the city of Dayton through her participation in Anchored in Peace, Lift Greater Dayton, the Montgomery County Re-entry Policy Board, Salem Avenue Business Association, and the Salem Avenue Peace Corridor. Pastor Sherry is known in Dayton and Montgomery County as an advocate for justice and peace. She is called upon regularly by city and county leaders in matters related to justice and peace.

Pastor Sherry is the single mother of three teenage children: Katherine (18), Kevin (16), and Keith (13). She enjoys good music, good food, walking, and her children. She rejoices in her full, challenging, grace-filled life as mom and pastor.

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Deacon-in-Residence and Director of Children’s Ministries, Rev. Amelia Boomershine

Amelia is a clergy member of the West Ohio Annual Conference whose primary appointment is to GoTell Communications with a secondary appointment to Grace Church beginning in 2007. To her ministry of Word and Service Amelia brings gifts of biblical storytelling, teaching, and multimedia production. Her work involves helping people internalize stories of the biblical tradition to nurture their relationship with God through the way of Jesus Christ. In oral and digital storytelling she proclaims God’s radical good news of peace and justice to a broken and warring world.

Amelia has been a leader in the Network of Biblical Storytellers for fifteen years. She co-authored three sets of guidebooks accompanying The Storykeepers animated video series for children. She was a member of the worship resource design team for Lumicon Digital Productions, 2000-2004. She has participated in the design of a variety of web sites, including an early site on the book of Joshua. In all these aspects of her ministry Amelia partners with her husband, Tom Boomershine.

Amelia holds degrees from the University of Colorado (B.S. in Elementary Education, 1972), the University of Michigan (M.A. in Early Childhood Education, 1975) and United Theological Seminary (M.Div., 1991). In 2006 she earned a Certificate in Multimedia from Sinclair Community College.

Director of Music Ministries, Dr. Robert Jones

Grace’s Director of Music Ministries, Dr. Robert Jones, directs University Chorale and Choral Union at the University of Dayton. In addition to concerts on and off campus, and appearances at music conferences, Chorale has enjoyed collaborations with professional ensembles including the Dayton Philharmonic (Alexander Nevsky, Brahms’ Requiem and Britten’s War Requiem), Dayton Opera (Cavelleria Rusticana and Aida), the Sarajevo Symphony, and St. Francis Choir of Salzburg, Austria. University Chorale regularly tours abroad, having visited England, Scotland, Paris, the Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, Poland, Germany, and Italy. Dr. Jones has served as an adjudicator, guest conductor, and clinician in the East and Midwest regions. He also has appeared as a soloist with the Dayton Bach Society, the Choral Union of Ohio University, and the Miami (FL) Bach Society.

Dr. Jones also conducts MUSICA!, a professional choral ensemble known throughout the Miami Valley for its performance excellence. Its musical repertoire ranges from seasonal selections, to partsongs and sacred literature from all musical eras, to vocal jazz and spirituals. MUSICA!’s first CD, Great Day, was released in 2001. With assistance from a Montgomery County Arts and Culture District grant, the ensemble released their second CD, Reflections on Spirituals, in 2005. Musica! performed for the 2010 American Choral Directors Association Central Division Conference in Cincinnati.

Dr. Jones is a published author with articles and music reviews in School, Musician, and Director, the American Choral Directors Journal, the Catholic Music Educator, the Indiana Music Educator, the National Federation of State High School Associations Journal, the Chorus America Voice!, the Ohio Choral Directors Association’s Chorus, and TRIAD, the publication of the Ohio Music Educators Conference. He has served several terms on the Ohio Choral Directors Association Board, once as Collegiate Repertoire Chair, and is currently Assistant Editor of the OCDA Newsletter.

Dr. Jones completed his M.M. in Vocal Performance at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and his DMA in Choral Conducting at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida.

Children’s Choir Director, Carol Jones

Carol graduated from the University of North Carolina with a Bachelor’s in Music Education before Michael Jordan was there. She has taught Music in public and private schools in Virginia, North Carolina, and Florida, and currently teaches at Charity Earley Academy for Girls, a Dayton Public School. She has also served churches in North Carolina and Florida as Adult and Youth Choir director and handbell director. Carol has accompanied musicals, solo recitals and concert choirs, and played piano in restaurants for a few years when her children were small. Carol says, “It is a joy to be at Grace where I can make music before the Lord in so many ways, and can enjoy the gifts of so many talented singers and instrumentalists in worship.”

Youth and Outreach Director, Jared Roper

Jared Roper is a native of Springfield Ohio. His spiritual foundation was laid at Broaddus Chapel United Methodist Church in Springfield. It was at Broaddus Chapel where he discovered his love for music and ministry. As a child Jared could be found singing in the children’s choir and in several of the famous Broaddus chapel theatre productions. It was through his gift of music that Jared connected with both people and God. Jared received a B.A. from Denison University in 2007. Immediately following graduation, Jared took a position as the Youth Director at Northern Hills United Methodist Church in Cincinnati Ohio, while working on a Masters Degree in Higher Education. He also worked at Nast-Trinity United Methodist Church and Elberon United Methodist Church before coming to Grace.

Organist, Effie Sue Kemerley

Effie Sue Kemerley, a long-time member of Grace Church, serves as organist and participates in special music programs. She has a B.Ed. from the University of Toledo and a M.Ed. from Wright State University. Effie Sue studied organ during college, and continued studying both organ and piano after graduating. She is currently the piano adjunct at Stivers High School for the Arts, and has a private piano studio.

Effie Sue has been a member of Dayton Philharmonic Chorus for more than thirty years, and she sang in Grace Church choir for over twenty years. She has also served on the Beavercreek School Board and current community involvement includes the Dayton Opera and Philharmonic and the Green County Council on Aging. Effie Sue is an avid reader and bibliophile.

Office Manager, Lisa Pelphrey

Lisa Pelphrey is a native of Huber Heights, Ohio, attended Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration. Lisa has held several positions including Buyer, Medical Sales Representative, and Preschool Director before coming to Grace. Lisa is married and has three children. She enjoys watching her children play sports and spending time with her family. Lisa also volunteers at her children's school in her spare time.

Financial Secretary, Karen Gibson

Karen Gibson has more than twenty years of accounting and management experience in the private sector, and has completed course work at Kentucky Wesleyan College in Owensboro, Kentucky and Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. Karen joined Grace Church Staff in April of 2001, and has been serving as financial secretary since that time.

Karen has had extensive experience counseling new business owners and also persons wanting to begin new businesses. Some of her expertise includes creating projections, pro formas, budgets and cash flows. Karen is well versed in how to apply for commercial loans, Small Business Association loans, and loans and/or grants from the State of Ohio. When she’s not “crunching numbers”, Karen loves to read and crochet.