2018 Appointments

About Gustav C. Hautz

Gustav will be the newly appointed pastor at the Johnstown: Homestead Avenue United Methodist Church, effective October 1, 2018.  Gustav was raised in a Catholic family, the youngest of four boys born into a farming family.  In his younger years, he lived on Frankstown Road, raising small livestock, growing vegetables in his family garden, and tending to his father’s honey bee apiary.  His father attended a monastery to become a monk. Though he passed away while Gus was only 11 years old, he remembers very vividly that religion was a big part of the family’s daily lives. When he was older, Gus worked many years in roofing and construction jobs. He presently runs Hautz Construction doing a variety of different work, often as a subcontractor. With that work he has still always been drawn to the church.

Gustav is happily married to his wife Jennifer, who is very involved with outreach within the UMC, including serving on the board of United Methodist Human Services. Gus and Jennifer have five children.  They attended his home church of Garfield Street United Methodist, the church where wife Jennifer also grew up. Gustav became a lay speaker, then attended licensing school in spring 2016.  For the last two years, he has served as Associate Pastor at the Bright Hope Charge under Senior Pastor Bill Warrick.  This charge contains Nanty Glo, Belsano Red Brick, Belsano Faith, and Strongstown United Methodist churches.

Gustav is grateful for all that God has done for him in his life and is looking forward to his new journey with the people of Homestead Avenue UM Church. 
 

About Johnstown: Homestead Ave. UMC

The Homestead Avenue United Methodist Church celebrated its 125^th Anniversary in May 2017, marking the Church’s long history of sharing God’s love with the people of Johnstown.  This faithful congregation has a Ministry and Mission Team which continues to find new ways to reach out into its ever-changing community. Recently a community Block Party was held to connect with neighbors.  One of Homestead Avenue’s long-standing ministries is the Clothes Closet, a place where people can find gently used clothing for their families.  The church is proud to have an active choir which has participated in District music festivals in recent years.  Bible Study is an essential part of their ministry, including a Sunday morning adult class as well as mid-week opportunities, taught by both pastor and laity.
 

About Deborah Hassen

Deborah Hassen will serve as an Associate Pastor at the Ebensburg United Methodist Church, effective July 1, 2018.  Deb will be the primary preacher at the Patton: Trinity United Methodist Church.  Patton: Trinity UMC will be part of the Ebensburg U.M. Network, joining Saint Michael UMC, Lilly UMC, St. Francis University “Overflow” ministry, and the Doe Valley off-road ministry. Within the last year, Deb answered a call into ministry and is currently in the Candidacy process with plans to pursue the Licensed Local Pastor track.
 
Deb currently works at the Cambria County Association for the Blind and Handicapped in Johnstown.  She has been an active member of the Ebensburg U.M. church where she sings in the Praise Band, serves as the Nursery Supervisor, teaches the 1^st-3^rd Sunday School class, and participates in the annual church Mission Trip.   Deb lives in Ebensburg and has 3 grown children and 1 grandchild.
 

About Ebensburg U.M. Network - Patton: Trinity UMC

The Ebensburg U.M. Church is a growing, vital ministry that over the course of the past several years has planted and adopted several churches and/or ministries.  Currently, the Network includes the St. Francis University “Overflow” ministry with an on-campus worship service every Sunday morning; the Doe Valley off-road ministry, a unique outreach to persons outside of the local church; and two small membership churches in the area, Saint Michael UMC and Lilly UMC  The purpose of the new ministry plants and church adoptions is to infuse the DNA of vital ministry and increase the number of disciples in the name of Jesus Christ.
 
The newest partner in the network is the Patton: Trinity United Methodist Church. This church will join the Ebensburg Network effective July 1, 2018 when Deborah Hassen steps in as the primary preacher.  Located in the town of Patton, Trinity U.M. is best known for its children and youth ministry which includes a puppet ministry, Sunday School, Children’s Church, annual Vacation Bible School and a Youth Group.  Also notable are the Christmas and Easter Cantatas in which people from both the church and community participate.  The church has a strong lay leadership that is looking forward to partnering with Deb and the Ebensburg team as they strive to provide a positive Christian witness in their town and beyond.
 

About Harry "Mick" Ent

Harry “Mick” Ent has been appointed as the Senior Pastor at the Glasgow Larger Parish on the Johnstown District.  Since July 2017, Mick has been serving as the Preaching Associate at the Parish and is excited about stepping into this new role.  Mick, wife Pamela and daughter Sandy have been living at Treasure Lake in DuBois, Pa., but will move into the Parish parsonage this summer.  Both Mick and Pam were raised as Methodists – during the early years of their marriage, they attended an Independent Christian church where Mick taught Sunday School and preached at evening services and nursing homes.  In 2012, the Ents returned to the United Methodist Church and as Mick was feeling a call to preach, he began taking Lay Servant Classes.

As a member of the Hazen UMC on the Indiana District, Mick served as a Local Lay Servant with the Good Shepherd Parish, preaching every Sunday in any two of its six churches from June 2014 to July 2015.  After Mick became a Certified Lay Speaker, he served the Grampian Charge as a Supply Pastor for the next two years. Mick completed Licensing School in Spring 2017 and has been taking classes through the Course of Study. 

Mick brings a lifetime of experience including over 20 years of working in the building maintenance department of the DuBois Regional Medical Center.  Mick also served four years in the United States Air Force (1960 to 1964).
 

About Glasgow Larger Parish

The Glasgow Larger Parish (Beaver Valley, Blandburg, Fiske, Pleasant Hill and Utahville) is located in the northern tier of the Johnstown District.  These five small churches have a big heart for sharing Christ’s love with their communities. Whether it is Vacation Bible School, a Community Thanksgiving Dinner, a Women’s Day Apart or welcoming campers from nearby Prince Gallitzen State Park, the people of the Glasgow Larger Parish are committed to providing ministry in this beautiful corner of God’s world! The Parish has several Lay Servants who help to bring the word of God to the “3 Side” (Fiske, Pleasant Hill, Blandburg) and the “2 Side” (Utahville and Beaver Valley).  Although each of the five churches maintains its own church building and reaches out to its communities, the Larger Parish provides opportunities for shared ministry.

About Marjorie L. Kiefer

Rev. Marjorie L. Kiefer will serve as the appointed pastor at the Conemaugh: First United Methodist Church effective July 1, 2018.  She will also serve as a Preaching Associate with the nearby United for God Cooperative in Johnstown. 
 
Marge is a lifelong resident of the city of Johnstown. She attended the Conemaugh Valley Memorial Hospital School of Nursing and was employed by Conemaugh Hospital as a Registered Nurse for 17 years. Sensing a call to ministry she explored Parish Nursing and completed a Parish Nursing training program.  In 2000 she began serving as the Parish Nurse for the Six United for God Cooperative. In 2004 she was appointed to the Cooperative as a Licensed Local Pastor and served as an associate pastor for nine years.   
 
Marge attended the University of Pittsburgh in Johnstown and completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Related Professions in 2006.  She attended the Course of Study School of Ohio: West Virginia Extension and completed Course of Study in 2013.   One of Marge’s passions in ministry is helping others grow as disciples of Jesus Christ. She is gifted in teaching and leading small groups.   Marge is married to Frank Kiefer.  Together they have raised a family and are enjoying the blessings of grandchildren. She enjoys reading, crocheting, and riding bikes.
 

About Conemaugh First UMC

Located in Conemaugh Borough, this small membership church has a long history of service in its community.  Sunday morning includes Bible study during the Sunday School hour and a worship service that features a choir, children’s ministry, and a newly added multi-media system.  The church is very responsive to the community in which it exists, helping families in times of crisis and opening its doors for fellowship and worship events.  Recently, the church sponsored a clothing ministry and helped 75 persons receive needed clothing.  On Good Friday, the church has held a passion play, sharing the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection with members and guests. 

The church has a community prayer ministry in the community, with prayer boxes placed in several locations so people can share prayer needs. The prayer requests are brought to the worshipping community and individuals are encouraged to take home requests and pray for the people who left them.  The church continues to work for and pray for revival. 

About Wanick Fayette

Wanick was born in Haiti. His family immigrated to the United States when he was three years old and settled in Roanoke, VA.  Raised in the Catholic faith, Wanick memorized the scripture verse John 3:16 at a very young age, but didn’t fully understand its meaning until he gave his life to Jesus Christ as a young teen.

Growing up in the inner city, he understood that his best hope was to move out of the area and have a career that would make him financially stable.  His career aspiration was to attend college and become a doctor, and eventually be able to move his family out of the inner city so that never again would his mother have to cry over the bills again.
 
Wanick attended Liberty University and upon graduation married his beautiful wife Amara.  His intention was to attend medical school in the Caribbean. But God had other plans.  As Wanick was working at a summer camp, God spoke to him and called him into the ministry.  So instead of going to the Caribbean, God led him to “flood city”, Johnstown, Pa.  For the past several years, Wanick has been working at New Day, a Christian outreach and counseling ministry in Johnstown, helping with the after-school program.  Wanick has also been working as the Youth Director at the Franklin Street United Methodist Church in the heart of downtown Johnstown.  In 2017, Wanick joined the Franklin Street Church and began the process of becoming a Certified Candidate for ministry. 

Wanick considers himself an Evangelical Christian.  As his mentors in the faith spoke life into him and challenged him to grow in the faith, Wanick looks forward to doing the same for others in his ministry.  He has a passion for ministry outreach and believes that the neighborhood surrounding a church should experience the church’s presence in their lives in meaningful and impactful ways.  His goal in ministry is to preach and teach discipleship and help the church to put their faith into action in their everyday lives.  Wanick writes, “I love the Word of God too much to preach from behind the pulpit, it is too much to contain and stay in one area!”   

Wanick will be enrolled in the Course of Study as he begins his ministry at Johnstown: Beulah.  His intention is to become a Full Elder, so seminary is still a possibility somewhere along the journey.  In addition to his passion for ministry, Wanick’s interests include expressing his faith through rap, and managing the clothing line he has created.
 

About Johnstown: Beulah UMC

Johnstown: Beulah Church has provided excellent ministry in the city of Johnstown for over 125 years.  A former E.U.B. church, this congregation has been seeking to meet the spiritual and physical needs of its membership, as well as the surrounding community, throughout its history.  Its distinctive green dome can easily be spotted in the city, serving as a beacon of hope that the congregation builds its ministry upon.  In recent years, the church has deepened its passion for offering Christ to the community, as the immediate neighborhood has struggled with poverty, crime and drugs.

The church currently has two worship services on Sunday morning.  The 8:30 a.m. worship service is an informal praise service that is held in the fellowship hall.  A core of strong lay servants provide the morning message on most Sundays.  The 10:30 a.m. worship service is traditional and is held in the church sanctuary.  One of the distinctive features of the traditional service is that it is videotaped and then broadcast at 6:30 P.M. on the local cable access channel.  This TV ministry helps to magnify the impact the church has for many beyond the congregation.

The church has a heart for mission and supports many missions and ministries, locally, nationally and internationally.  As it strives to reach its neighbors for Christ, the church has sponsored block parties, day camps, Vacation Bible Schools, and other outreach events.  Several members of the congregation frequently engage in “prayer walks” in the neighborhood, talking and praying with neighbors.  Occasionally the church has held a “fishing” worship service in front of the church, positioned on a very busy street.   The church has ministry for all ages, including a youth ministry, Bible Studies, United Methodist Women, Sunday School classes, and the “Beuhlanders,” a senior ministry.
 

About Adam T. Dotts

Rev. Adam T. Dotts will be appointed to serve the Grove Avenue United Methodist Church, located in the Moxham neighborhood of Johnstown, Pa., effective July 1, 2018.   Adam graduated with a Masters of Divinity degree from United Theological Seminary in December 2017 and will be commissioned as a Provisional Elder at the 2018 session of Annual Conference.  Since 2014, he has been serving the Westover/East Ridge/LaJose Charge in the northern section of the Johnstown District.  Prior to his appointment, Adam was a very active lay leader at the Coalport: First United Methodist Church.

Before hearing a call into ordained ministry, Adam worked as a Forensic Auditor/Special Investigator for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of the Auditor General.  He is a life-long learner and has degrees in both Accounting and Criminal Justice.  Adam has used these skills in assisting several United Methodist Churches in the Johnstown District conduct audits and create financial plans, as well as to bolster the ministry and mission of the three-point rural charge he has served for the past four years.  Adam has helped the churches under his care to better define their mission and to reduce operational costs so that ministry can flourish.    

Adam has been married for 25 years to his wife Amy and has two children and a son-in-law.  His daughter Andrea is attending the University of Pittsburgh (Johnstown) for biology education; her husband, Hunter, is also attending the same University and plans to start law school in 2019. The Dotts’ 15-year-old son Adam attends the Altoona vocational school for HVAC. 

Adam currently serves on the Board of Directors for United Methodist Human Services, the mission agency of the Johnstown District.  He is passionate about seeking out his role in ministry and social justice.
 

About Grove Ave. UMC

The Grove Avenue United Methodist Church is located in the Moxham neighborhood of Johnstown, Pa.  The church has a strong history of mission and ministry to their community, and in recent years, as the neighborhood around them has changed, the church leadership has wrestled with how to better reach their neighbors in the name of Jesus Christ.  For the past decade, the church has been part of the Moxham United Methodist Cooperative, and along with these sister U.M. churches and churches of other denominations, Grove Avenue has taken strides to be involved in new outreach efforts.  For several years, the church has offered “Block Parties,” movie nights, Trunk & Treat, and other events for children and youth.  The church sponsors a weekly “Farmer’s Market” in its parking lot during the summer, offering space for local farmers and vendors to sell their goods. A new and exciting ministry is almost ready to launch: For the past 18 months, the church leadership has worked toward acquiring a Church and Community Worker through the General Board of Global Missions of the United Methodist Church.  This CCW would live in the Moxham neighborhood and  make connections from the community into the church, all for the sake of bringing new people into relationship with Jesus Christ.  The church received a significant grant from the WPA Conference Parish and Community Development team, and will partner with various non-profit service organizations and foundations in the region to provide the needed support for this CCW and the subsequent ministry that will emerge.

The church offers two worship services on Sunday morning.  The 9 a.m. service is contemporary and features a praise band and the weekly offering of the Sacrament of Holy Communion.  The 10:45 a.m. worship service is traditional. In addition to the burgeoning outreach ministries, the church offers Bible studies, Men’s and Women’s groups, fellowship activities and seasonal worship services. 
 

About Valerie Mize

The Rev. Valerie B. Mize will be appointed to serve the Roxbury St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Johnstown, effective July 1, 2018.  Valerie was commissioned as a Provisional Elder at the 2017 session of Annual Conference and is slated to graduate from United Theological Seminary in May 2018.  While attending seminary, she served Mount Tabor/Robinson: Evangelical (2015-2016) and Conemaugh: First (2016-2018).  Valerie is married to Rev. John Mize, who is a Provisional Elder serving at the Westmont United Methodist Church in Johnstown.  The couple has two daughters:  Sydney, 12, who is the 6^th grade; and Sophie, who is 11 years old and in the 5^th grade.
 
Valerie grew up in Blairsville, Pa where her family was very active in the Blairsville: First United Methodist Church.  She was active in liturgy and music from a very young age, and served as a leader in the youth group. She attended Point Park College in Pittsburgh for Musical Theatre performance, during which she spent summers as a camp counselor teaching music, drama, and the gospel.   After graduation, she went to Minnesota, where she was trained as a Youth Minister and spent 6 ½ years working in youth ministry and music/drama ministry. Valerie then moved to Virginia, where she met her husband while doing musical theater.  They eventually returned to Pennsylvania and she and John started a music and drama ministry which told the history of hymns. Through this ministry, both Valerie and John experienced a call into the ordained ministry.
 
Valerie has served as a staff member at the Music, Art, and Creative Drama camp at Wesley Woods for the past several years.  She believes that building relationships is the key to ministry and making disciples for Christ, and is convinced that a Spirit-led revival will revive the church and lead the broken world to Christ. Her goal is this:
 “I want to daily tune my heart to sings God’s grace, and help others to find their song of grace through Christ”
 

About Roxbury St. Paul's UMC

The Roxbury St. Paul’s United Methodist church is located in the Roxbury neighborhood of Johnstown, Pa.  The product of a merger of two area churches following the creation of the United Methodist Church in 1968, the church has a strong history of mission and outreach, locally and beyond.  The church holds two worship services every Sunday: The 8 a.m. service is an informal contemporary service that features singing of praise songs; the 10:30 service is more traditional and features a choir and organ music.  Strategically located beside the Roxbury Community Park, the church has been focused on outreach to people of all ages in the neighborhood. Activities have included a “Block Party,” a series of VBS days for children during the summer, and movie nights for all ages.  The church has also been very supportive of various missions, including Imagine No Malaria and other UM special missions. In addition to Sunday morning worship and outreach activities, the ministry of the church includes small group ministry, Bible studies, Sunday School, and fellowship activities.  A strong lay leadership is always ready to partner with the appointed pastor to carry out the mission of the church, to make disciples for Jesus Christ.  Several Lay Servants are ready and willing to provide pulpit coverage for the pastor and to share in the leadership of worship.  An excellent, well-maintained church facility provides space for community groups, such as the Boy Scouts, to meet.   
 

About Jean A. Smith

Rev. Jean A. Smith will be appointed to serve the Belmont United Methodist Church in Johnstown effective July 1, 2018.   Jean is a second-career pastor who has been serving in ministry for the last 10 years, and was ordained as a Full Elder in 2017. She currently serves as pastor of Forestville and St. John's UMCs. 

Prior to answering the call to ordained ministry, Jean was an active lay person, who served on almost every committee in the church, taught Bible study, was a Lay Speaker, and the lay member of Annual Conference.  She also served in ministry as the church secretary at her home church, Center UMC in Natrona Heights, Pa.  As she answered her call to ministry, Jean completed her undergraduate degree in Christian Studies, and then earned a Masters of Divinity from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.

Jean’s primary spiritual gifts are Preaching, Teaching and Prophecy.  Integral to her ministry is the proclamation and living out of Grace – she cherishes the title “Inviter” in her ministry.  She claims, “If anyone can say they know Jesus better and love him more because of knowing me, I will feel as if I have fulfilled my call.  I believe that the more we love Jesus, the more we love people; and that kind of love translates into church growth, both spiritually and numerically.”

Jean married her high school sweetheart, Wayne, in 1970, and together they raised a family that now includes  two children, five grandchildren and one great-grandson!  Wayne is retired and devotes his time to supporting Jean in ministry and sharing life with their family.  Lulu Belle and Petey, their pet chihuahuas, will join Jean and Wayne in the Belmont parsonage.
 

About Johnstown: Belmont UMC

The Belmont United Methodist Church in the suburbs of Johnstown was a new church start in the Evangelical United Brethren denomination 65 years ago.  Today a few of the charter members are still living, and many of the second generation members make up the core of the congregation.  The Belmont facility has been upgraded in recent years and is now fully accessible and features central air conditioning throughout the building, as well as a large paved parking lot.  Because of these elements that contribute to a spirit of hospitality, the church is often used for District and Conference functions.

The Belmont church records and airs their weekly worship services on the local cable access channel, thereby offering a valuable ministry to not only shut-in members, but to many others in the greater community.  The ministry schedule at Belmont is full and vibrant, including: involvement with residents at nearby Arbutus Park Retirement Community; a Wellness ministry that offers a variety of seminars and services throughout the year; a healthy music ministry that features the Chancel Choir; a children’s ministry which offers weekly Sunday School and Children’s church, as well as seasonal events and Vacation Bible School; fellowship lunches on the third Sunday of each month; and deep involvement with Operation Christmas Child, serving as a Relay Center as well as sponsoring an annual bus trip to work at the OCC processing center in Charlotte, NC.    The church continues to explore new ways to reach out to more people with the love of Jesus Christ, and are looking forward to partnering with their new pastor in these endeavors.
 

About Brittany L. (Gordon) Wooten

Brittany Wooten, who has served as pastor at the Roxbury St. Paul’s U.M. Church in Johnstown, Pa. since 2016, recently announced that she will serve as Army Battalion Chaplain of the 5th Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment, effective August 1, 2018.  She will be stationed at Joint Base Lewis McChord near Seattle, Washington and will be promoted on the first day of service to the rank of captain (03).  Brittany has been serving part-time as an Army chaplain candidate while serving full-time in ministry since 2012 while also attending and graduating from Methodist Theological School in Ohio in 2014.

Raised in a military family who lived in a variety of places in the United States and around the world, Brittany attended Indiana University of Pennsylvania where she earned a Bachelors of Arts in Religious Studies in 2011.  During her time at IUP, she served as the unofficial “chappy” of the ROTC unit at the University.  Serving as a United Methodist endorsed Army Chaplain is the fulfillment of Brittany’s call to ministry.  She has stated, “I feel led to care for the wounds of war in the souls of our soldiers and their families.”  Her personal mission statement is “to bring humanity to a place where we meet God, experience God, and begin to know God more completely through grace extended by the Church.”
 
Brittany is married to Dirk Wooten, a provisional elder of the Virginia Annual Conference who has been serving “on loan” since 2016 at the Johnstown: Grove Avenue United Methodist Church. Dirk intends to follow Brittany to Washington and hopes to receive an appointment in the Pacific Northwest Conference so that he can fulfill his provisional residency and be ordained in 2019 as a Full Elder.
 

About U.S. Army 5th Battalion Chaplain

About Alyce Weaver Dunn

The Rev. Alyce Weaver Dunn, will be appointed as the new Director of Connectional Ministries, effective July 1, 2018.  She has served as the Johnstown District Superintendent since 2010.
 
“Alyce will bring a plethora of administrative and relational gifts that will help us to continue living into the blessing of being a connectional church,” said Bishop Cynthia Moore-Koikoi.
 
The appointment was announced Friday by Bishop Cynthia Moore-Koikoi after the Connectional Leadership Team affirmed a recommendation made jointly by a search committee, the Bishop, and the Appointive Cabinet. The process began after the Personnel Committee reviewed the DCM job description to determine if it remained consistent with the mission and ministry needs of the annual conference. Then, according to Conference Rules, a search committee was convened to review resumes submitted by ordained elders who wanted to be considered for the position.
 
As the Johnstown District Superintendent, Alyce joyfully partnered with clergy and laity in proclaiming Christ to the world.  During her tenure as DS, she served as the Cabinet Treasurer (2011-2014) and Dean of the Cabinet (2014-2018).  Elected as a delegate to the General Conference in 2012 and 2016, the WPA Delegation chose her as its vice-chair for the 2016-2020 quadrennium.  Alyce also has served as an elected clergy delegate to the Northeast Jurisdictional Conference since 2004.
 
Currently, Alyce serves on the Board of United Methodist Communications and as vice-chair of the Northeast Jurisdictional Committee on Appeals. In the Conference, she has been a member of the Board of Ordained Ministry, serving as candidacy registrar from 2003-2008 and Secretary from 2008-2010. She also chaired the WPAUMC Committee on Disability Concerns when it launched the annual retreat for persons with disabilities at Olmsted Manor.
 
Since 1990, Alyce has served as the dean of Music, Art and Creative Drama Camp (MACD) at Wesley Woods. She often has said that the highlight of every year for her is spending time with the MACD/SACK family at Wesley Woods and sharing Christ with the campers! Because of her passion for camping, Alyce and her husband, the Rev. Keith A. Dunn, currently serve as co-chairs for clergy gifts on the “Deeply Rooted, Upward Reaching” capital campaign steering committee. Alyce has also enjoyed serving as a mentor for young adults at several Exploration events, which are designed to help persons discern a call to ministry.
 
Alyce has been married to Keith, her best friend and partner in ministry, for 30 years. Her mother, Doris Weaver, joined the Dunn household in 2014. The Dunns are diehard Pirates, Penguins and Steelers fans and enjoy hiking and traveling.  Alyce and Keith are grateful to have successfully lost a combined 150 pounds since 2015 and even amazed themselves when they ran and completed their first ever 5K race in the Spring of 2017!

 

About Director of Connectional Ministries

The director of connectional ministries serves as an officer of the annual conference and sits with the cabinet when it considers matters relating to coordination, implementation or administration of the conference program. In partnership with the Bishop and Cabinet and the elected leadership of the Conference, the director of connectional ministries has the following primary responsibilities:

• To serve as steward of the vision of the annual conference, including the development, clarification, interpretation, and embodiment of the vision
• To serve as leader of the continuous process of transformation and renewal necessary for the annual conference to be faithful to our Christian identity in a changing world
• To ensure alignment of the total resources of the conference to its vision
• To ensure the connections among the local, district, annual conference, and general church ministries for the purpose of networking, resourcing, and communicating their shared ministry. 

About Shane J. Siciliano

In June 2017, Shane J. Siciliano received both a Master of Divinity from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and a Master of Social Work from the University of Pittsburgh.  On July 1, 2017, he  was appointed to the Point U.M. Church on the Johnstown District as a part-time licensed local pastor. 

As pastor of the Point U.M. Church, Shane has worked with the congregation in developing a comprehensive plan to engage in ministry through the “Five Areas of Focus,” leading out of his strengths and prior experiences in community outreach and mission work. Shane has been approved by the WPA Board of Ordained Ministry to be commissioned as a Provisional Elder at the 2018 session of Annual Conference.

Since November 2017, Shane and the Point church have been involved in conversations with the nearby Alum Bank U.M. Church about entering into a shared ministry partnership.  Effective July 1, 2018, Shane will continue in his appointment at the Point U.M. Church and will add the responsibility of leading the Alum Bank U.M. Church.   Shane has been active in various ministries on the Conference level.  At annual conference, he has worked with the Youth Caucus, volunteered at the Parish & Community Development Coffee Shop, and is currently a member of the Conference Sessions Team (2017 - present). He also serves on the Conference History & Archives Commission (2016-present).
 

About Point UMC/ Alum Bank UMC

Point United Methodist Church is located outside Schellsburg in the Bedford County section of the Johnstown District.  The church and adjacent parsonage are on scenic Church Road, a lovely setting where deer, eagles, and other wildlife can often be spotted.  The small congregation is proud of their deep spiritual heritage and community presence.  In addition to Sunday morning worship, Bible study, fellowship groups and a bi-monthly nursing home outreach are vital parts of their ministry.  Annually, the church co-sponsors a week-long Mission Festival with the neighboring Fishertown U.M. Charge.  Throughout the year, mission support is an important emphasis for the congregation.  Also, every Fall, the Point U.M. Church hosts three days of revival services featuring various speakers, including several of our Conference approved evangelists.  Many of the congregation are life-long members of Point U.M. Church and are excited to see what God is going to do next in their ministry, especially as a new partnership with Alum Bank U.M. is formed!
 
Alum Bank United Methodist Church is located in the town of Pleasantville in the Bedford County section of the Johnstown District.  Rising out of the tragedy of a fire several decades ago, the church building is a one-level facility that is welcoming and efficient for worship, Sunday School, and various ministries throughout the week.  In addition, the church has an Annex one block from the main building which serves as a Fellowship Hall and community gathering space.  The church has a legacy of strong clergy and lay leadership and has had an active ministry, proclaiming Christ and sharing the love of God with the community.  Annually, the church holds a Mission Festival, featuring many of the missionaries that are supported throughout the year.  There is an excellent music ministry which includes choirs of various ages, as well as frequent hymn sings that are open to the community.   Bible studies and age-level and family ministries, as well as Sunday morning worship, are key components of church life at Alum Bank. The congregation looks forward to a new partnership with the Point U.M. Church as together they strengthen their witness for Jesus Christ in this section of the Johnstown District!
 

About Keith A. Dunn

Bishop Cynthia Moore-Koikoi has appointed The Rev. Keith A. Dunn, an ordained Elder, visionary, gifted and engaging preacher and excellent administrator as Senior Pastor at Bakerstown UMC.  Rev. Dunn is entering his 30th year of full-time ministry since graduating in 1989 from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, where he met his wife, the Rev. Alyce Weaver-Dunn. 
 
In addition to preaching, administration, and leadership, his strengths for ministry include teaching and pastoral care. He embraces the role of pastor as a sacred calling and prefers to be called “pastor” over all other religious vocational titles.  He describes himself as an extrovert with strong relational skills and the gift of laughter that creates space for easy but meaningful engagement and conversation with others.
 
Pastor Keith currently serves at Belmont in Johnstown UMC where he has been senior pastor since 2010.  His previous appointments have been to Oakmont, Nixon, Monessen and Webster, the former Sonrise church and Central UMC, Beaver Falls. 

He considers it an honor, privilege, and sacred charge to serve the WPA Conference in a variety of ways. Pastor Keith currently is co-chair of Clergy Gifts for the Bishop’s Camping and Retreat Initiative. Serving in this role grows out of his passions for children and youth and camping ministry.  For many years, he has served as the Bible teacher for the Music, Arts, Creative Drama Camp and chaplain of the week at Wesley Woods. 
 
Pastor Keith is a trained facilitator for a Clergy Community of Practice and recently completed a year with a group.  He previously served with distinction as a member of the Board of Ordained Ministry for 12 years and led efforts related to clergy call and recruitment.  At the district level, Pastor Keith has worked with committees on ministry, served as a ministry mentor, and taught classes for laity on preaching.
 
Having grown up in northern Washington County, where he graduated from Canon-McMillan High School, Pastor Keith earned his bachelor's degree from Robert Morris University and is a life-long fan of the Steelers, Penguins, and Pirates. He and Alyce are pleased to share their home with his mother-in-law. 
 
Pastor Keith joyfully anticipates returning to Bakertown area, where his wife Alyce served as the student assistant  from 1986 to 1988, to renew connections and walk alongside of the people as they continue to grow as disciples in service to Jesus Christ.
 

About Bakertown UMC

Bakerstown United Methodist Church has a long-standing tradition and presence in the Gibsonia area dating back to 1832. Traditional, contemporary, and periodic revival worship services are enhanced with state of the art sound and visual systems, excellent music ministry, and a strong tradition of biblical preaching and teaching.  Its Chapel in the Woods, dedicated to 12-year old girl, offers a quiet place of reflection and meditation and beautiful setting for weddings.
 
Members, friends, and visitors learn, grow, and deepen their spirituality through pastor and lay-led Bible studies; covenant discipleship classes; Christian education and Sunday school classes; men, women and other small group ministries; Christian mentoring; and a Care and Share team. The congregation embraces children and youth through a vibrant youth fellowship, children’s ministry, VBS program, highly regarded day school and pre-kindergarten, summer camp, and financial support of Camp Allegheny, Jumonville, and Wesley Woods.
 
The Bakerstown congregation partners with Faith: Fox Chapel’s Roots of Faith ministry in Sharpsburg; Hosanna Industries; The Lighthouse serving over 6,000 children, adults, seniors, and families; and the North Hills Community Outreach organization to meet the spiritual, emotional, physical and material needs of people in Allegheny County. Their extensive outreach initiatives include: financial support UMCOR; Advance Specials; and UMW projects; ramp building; Habitat; clothing, Angel Tree, Food Pantry, and feeding ministries; Circles Program; and participation in the Interfaith Hospitality Network, Northside Common Ministry, Campus Coalition, Hipwell’s Missionary, Christian Sports International, and Richland Ministerium. They host an International Student Dinner and events for My Hope America the UM Army. Their mission endeavors include China Outreach Ministries, the Heifer Foundation, and trips to Alajuela, Costa Rica, and the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota.
 
The church is forward-looking, as it continues to add small group ministries using a class-meeting model, to strengthen its hospitality evangelism, and to deepen its community and global engagement.
 

About Sung Shik Chung

Sung Chung, a native of Seoul, South Korea, has served for 17 years in the Western PA Conference, the past five years at Otterbein United Methodist Church in Greensburg District. During that time he has served beyond the local church at the District, Conference and Jurisdictional levels. 
 
One of the Rev. Chung's strengths is his varied experience in local churches. He has served as an associate pastor, pastor of a multiple-point charge in a rural area, pastor in a small town, and pastor of an inner city church. All of them have been cross-racial/cross-cultural appointments.

Before being appointed to the Otterbein church, he served West Middlesex from 2008-2013, Clintonville Charge (Clintonville: Grace, Peters Chapel, and Rankin Chapel) from 2003-2008, and Mercer as an associate from 2001-2003.  All are in the Franklin District.
 
He has served many years on the District Committee on Ministry, both in the Franklin and Greensburg districts. He also has served as a clergy mentor.
 
On the Conference level, he has been part of the Believe Again! Implementation Team, Directional Oversight Team, Conference Connectional Leadership Team, Ethnic Local Church Concerns, Conference Budget Team, Clergy Evaluation Task Force, and Board of Ministry.
 
Rev. Chung was elected as a delegate to the 2016 Jurisdictional Conference and is currently a member of the Rules Committee of Northeastern Jurisdictional Conference.
 
He earned his B.A. degree in theology from Hyupsung University in South Korea and his Master of Divinity degree from Saint Paul School of Theology in Kansas and was ordained an Elder in 2006.

He and his wife Jihye have three children: Andrew,16; Leah, 12, and Daniel, 8 months.  Andrew, an 11th grader, serves on the denomination's General Board of Global Ministries and on the Conference Youth Ministry Team. 

Rev. Chung's passion for ministry is to share Christ’s love with all the people in daily ordinary life. He believes that every day is a blessing of God, every person is an image of God, in every place there is the presence of God, and every moment is an opportunity to witness the love and grace of Jesus Christ.
 
Rev. Chung said he is very humbled and honored to be the first Asian-American District Superintendent in the Western Pennsylvania Conference and looks forward to wonderful ministries with the faithful disciples in Johnstown District.

 

About Johnstown District

Centered in the breath-taking Laurel Highlands, the Johnstown District encompasses all of Cambria County, as well as portions of Somerset, Bedford, Clearfield, and Indiana counties. The Johnstown District is home to 84 United Methodist churches – some are small, others are large; some are single-point churches, while others share ministry on multi-point charges or in cooperative parishes; some are in the city, while others are in small towns and rural settings; some offer traditional expressions of worship, while others praise God through contemporary worship. No matter their differences, all of the churches of the Johnstown District have a passion for serving Jesus Christ! Across the District, United Methodist clergy and laity are striving to make disciples for Jesus and transform the world for the sake of our Savior!

Among the notable ministries on the District are United Methodist Human Services of Johnstown, a mission agency that has been offering tangible resources to persons in need since 1977; Arbutus Park, a retirement community rooted in the United Methodist tradition that offers multiple living options; and JUMP, a volunteer home repair ministry centered in the city of Johnstown that has recently expanded into offering transitional housing for men seeking a more stable life. In addition to these particular ministries, all of the churches are involved in implementing and supporting local, national and global missions and ministries.