Anne and Gary have been married since 1976 and have five children—three by birth and two by marriage. Tony and Harden live in Napa Valley (a great excuse for a wine-country visit!), Leslianne is in Clyde (a helpful presence as they age), and Daniel and Chelsea live near Allentown, PA (hopefully spending summer 2024 closer to home). They also have five beloved grand-dogs: Penny, Ravioli, Auggie, Ranger, and Moon.

Anne earned her Master of Divinity from The Methodist Theological School in Ohio, was ordained as a United Methodist Elder in 1999, and retired in 2020 after serving five churches, working as a hospital and public safety chaplain, and helping small congregations discern their future. She became a certified Spiritual Director and, in 2022, felt called to Waynesville to put her “boots on the ground,” with Love First as a key part of that call.

Despite being retired, Anne stays young at heart, always up for a spontaneous adventure. She’s an avid reader (juggling multiple books at once) and a passionate football fan—don’t tell her otherwise, but she’s convinced she could be a pro quarterback. Her home is always open, though during football season, expect to watch a game—preferably with a Coke in hand!

Ray has been married to Michelle for 19 years and they are the parents of Stephen (17), Elie (15), and Sophia (6).

Originally from northern California, Ray has been in vocational church ministry since 2007 and was ordained as a minister in 2011. He has a bachelor's degree in Bible & Theology/Christian Leadership from William Jessup University in Rocklin, CA.

Valuing the inclusive values of the UMC, Ray and his family moved to NC in 2021 to join and serve in a UM church and started the process of becoming a UMC pastor as soon as he could in 2022. He was licensed as a Local Pastor in July and is completing his 1st year in the MDiv program at Duke Divinity School.

He likes to run and watch the Los Angeles Dodgers, sometimes for fun, sometimes as an experience of pain. Ray can often be found drinking coffee and reading at Smoky Mountain Roasters in Hazelwood and taking advantage of the walking path around Lake Junaluska.