Staff Biographies


	Staff Biographies
	REV. JOHN ZEHRING SENIOR PASTOR John Zehring, the 17^th Senior Pastor of South Church in Andover, has served as Senior Pastor of churches in Rhode Island (Kingston) and in Maine (Augusta). John loves “tending the flock” at South Church and is passionate about preaching, teaching, visiting, being among the people and encouraging our people to grow in their spiritual faith. Faith, family and friends are his passions, along with the sea, a cottage in Maine, kayaking, skiing, snowshoeing, home remodeling, travel, reading by the fireplace and writing. A jazz and swing drummer, he plays with the Jazz Disciples. Favorite justice issues include world hunger, domestic abuse, non-violent resolution of conflict, environmental stewardship, and care for the ones Jesus called “the least of these.” Married forty-one years, Donna and John grew up in Springfield, Pennsylvania where they attended junior and senior high school together. They have two adult children and four grandchildren. Before entering parish ministry, John served more than twenty years in the senior administration of colleges and a seminary and has taught Church Administration, Psychology, Creative Writing, and Communications. For the past few years he served on the Adjunct Faculty at Bryant University where he taught Public Speaking. He holds graduate degrees from two seminaries (Princeton Theological Seminary and the Earlham School of Religion) and a third graduate degree in counseling from Rider University. In the Rhode Island Conference, John chaired the Church and Ministry Committee and was Preacher at the Annual Meeting of the Conference. He served on the search committees for the Rhode Island Conference Minister and for the Executive Minister of the RI State Council of Churches. He is author of articles in magazines and journals, and nine books, including You Can Run a Capital Campaign (Abingdon Press) and WORKING SMART: the Handbook for New Managers (Garrett Park Press). While working in theological education, he was a consultant to Lilly Endowment and served as Founding Editor of Seminary Development News, a publication for presidents, vice presidents, and trustees in theological education, published by the Association of Theological Schools. Favorite food: Chinese, dark chocolate Favorite music: Radios are always playing Classical Favorite chapter of the bible: Psalm 23 Favorite philosopher: D. Elton Trueblood (my mentor) Favorite bible scholars: Bruce Metzger (Princeton), William Barclay (Glasgow) Favorite hymns: Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee. Great Is Thy Faithfulness. You Have Come Down To The Lakeshore. This Is My Father’s World. When Peace Like A River. This Is My Song. Go Now in Peace. Most of the rest. Favorite magazines: Coastal Living. This Old House. Christian Century. Favorite colors: blue, maroon Favorite stores: Home Depot and Lowes, especially the tools section. Favorite mode of travel: cruising. Favorite kind of relaxing: a) anything with the grandchildren. b) sitting for hours in the cushioned Adirondack chairs by the bay with friends, watching the tide come in and go out, and looking forward to Donna making homemade pizza on the BBQ grill. Favorite part of the ministry: being there when needed most, representing the presence of God.
	REV. JONATHAN DRURY Associate Pastor for Youth and Church Life Jonathan Drury has been serving as South Church’s full time Youth Ministry Director since August of 2002. Jonathan finished his course work for a Master of Divinity degree at Andover Newton Theological School in the spring of 2004 and will be eligible for a call into full ministry after receiving his ordination in early 2005. He has a real passion for working with youth, and brings the right mix of personality and charisma to connect and communicate with people of all ages. Jonathan graduated from Bates College in 1996 with a Comparative Religion major. He has served as a Student Minister at West Gloucester Trinitarian Church, UCC, and has worked as a hospital chaplain at both Westborough State Mental Hospital, and South Shore Hospital in South Weymouth, MA. Jonathan says that he has a deep love for acting, having participated since his teens in school and community theater, productions at Bates and at the Actor’s Studio in Boston. In addition to his stage acting, Jonathan has sung in various choirs since childhood. He began his ministry at South Church in August of 2002, and in the last two years he and his wife, Jolie Thomas Drury, have become parents to a beautiful boy named Nathaniel, bought a small house ten minutes away from the church, and are well on their way to building a life around our community. Jonathan says that his time at South Church in Andover has been instrumental to his pastoral development. Along with refining his practical skills for ministry, like leading worship, preaching, pastoral care, and the administrative ability needed to lead a flourishing youth program, Jonathan believes that his time at South Church has helped him to more fully understand God’s call in his life. At some point during his first few months in Andover, Jonathan realized that the only reason that he had ever pursued his current vocation was that he had had the good fortune to learn from people who shared a different perspective than that of the status quo. People who, like Jesus, were able to look beyond the superficial trappings of our world, and seeing the Truth that exists at the center of creation, loved Jonathan enough to share with him what they had discovered. “If these people had not nurtured me”, says Jonathan, “I might have lost my sense of wonder long ago. The gift that they gave me was truly awesome, and I realize how lucky I am to be able to pass this gift on to others.” In closing, Jonathan says, “I consider myself blessed to have been welcomed into a community of faithful people who are doing their best to live their lives guided by the example of Jesus’ love for the world. I believe that I have a real opportunity to do good work at South Church in Andover, and I am honored that God had called me to serve this community.”
	Charles Leinbach - Director of Youth Choirs Charles Leinbach is the Director of Youth Choirs at South Church—the Treble Choir, grades 3-8, and the Carol Choir, grades K-2. Charles is a graduate of Bates College, where he studied organ with Marion Anderson and composition with Bill Matthews and received a Bachelors of Science in music and physics. Charles earned a Masters of Arts in music composition from the Brooklyn College Conservatory at the City University of New York where he studied with Charles Dodge and Noah Creshevsky. Charles is an active composer and church musician, having served as composer, organist and choir director in the Episcopal and UCC churches. Charles is the current Executive Director of the Andover Community Music School where is manages the school’s activities and teaches privately. He also currently serves on the board of Classical Voice of New England (http://www.cvneweng.org) and serves as the Vice President of the Service Club of Andover (http://www.serviceclubofandover.org).