NorthStar Church Network – An Association of Baptist Congregations

Rev. Stephen Welch –

Stephen is the missions team leader for NorthStar Church Network.  He is experienced as a church strategist, consultant, and catalyst for creative thinking, and gifted interpreter of demographics and cultural trends.  His past positions include church planter, director of church extension, director of language missions, strategist and chaplain.  Steve is a member of First Baptist Church of Herndon. (Click on his name above for Contact Form)

Rev/Dr Sanford Beckett –

As Associate Director, Sanford wears many hats. He provides resources to our churches in church programming (Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, Missions Education, etc.) And he is the leader for our Partnership Missions opportunities. Sanford served churches in Missouri, Mississippi and South Carolina. He also worked for a large community health clinic working to provide health care to uninsured persons. Sanford attends McLean Baptist Church.  (Click on his name above for Contact Form)

Rev. Greg Loewer –

A Louisiana native with 28 years of pastoral ministry in Texas and Virginia, Greg began serving the churches of NorthStar Church Network in 2005.  He assists the association’s various language congregations and gives focus to new church starts.  Greg also serves on the pastoral staff of Columbia Baptist Church.  He and his wife, Janet, have 5 grown children. (click on his name above for Contact Form)

Rev. Jesse Parker –

Jesse has served NorthStar as Liaison for Single Staffed Churches since 2005.  He also coordinates the two annual events for Pastors and Administrative Assistants.  He has retired from serving 35 years as Pastor of Little River Baptist Church in Aldie located in Loudoun County, VA.  He has served a total of 56 years in the ministry in churches in North Carolina and Virginia.  He and Joyce, his lovely wife of more than 57 years have two grown children and three grandchildren.

Ms. Sheri Link –

Sheri began her ministry with NorthStar in 2003 and is currently the Staff Liaison to NorthStar’s Churches on Mission Group.  She networks for NorthStar churches throughout the Community At Large for issues of health, homelessness, housing, hunger and other human services.  She retired from Columbia Baptist Church after serving 27 years as Ministerial Staff to People’s Needs and continues to serve as a member of that church.  since 1968, she has been a resident of Falls Church.

Ken Hadley –

Ken is serving as a NorthStar Fellow for 2010-2011.  He supports the C3 Group and has previous experience in faith-based, higher education and government contracting.  Ken is currently scheduled to attend Leland Seminary in the fall.  He and his wife, Rita, have 3 incredible daughters.  Ken is a member of Convergence in Alexandria and serves on their Leadership Advisory Board.

Mrs. Patty Carey –

Patty was installed as the WMU (Missions Unlimited) Director in November of 2009.  Her goal is to reignite WMU mission activities and education throughout  NorthStar Church Network, and will be working with Woman’s Missionary Union of VA and WMU, SBC.  She lives in Haymarket, Virginia and is married to Rev. John L. Carey Jr.  They have four children and four grandchildren.

Mrs. Katie Harding –

Katie is the director of NorthStar Women’s Network, which she founded in 2003 from a vision that God put on her heart to unite Baptist women and groups within the association.  Through the WMU of VA she has served as a resource to churches, women’s groups and associations throughout our state.  In 2004, she was commissioned as a missionary by the NorthStar Church Network and Ox Hill Baptist Church to minister to women in Northern Virginia.  She now spends much of her time mentoring women to help them grow in their faith, and resourcing them in their ministries.  Katie and her husband have two grown children and are members of Ox Hill Baptist Church where she also serves as the Pastor’s Assistant and the Women’s Ministry Director.

Mrs. Sue Stanley –

Sue Stanley is our Associate of Administration and has been with us since 1996.  Duties include assistant to Stephen Welch, office manager, and bookkeeper.  Sue is married to Carlton Stanley and they attend Immanuel Bible Church in Springfield.  Sue has two grown sons, a wonderful daughter-in-law, and two super grandchildren.

Mrs. Jackie Harris –

Jackie is our Demographer and the Administrative Assistant to the Associate Director.  She began work in the Association’s office in Manassas in 2000 as the Librarian and assisted with projects including the Annual Church Profile.  She and her husband, Jim, have three grown sons, and to-date, 5 grandchildren.  She has been a member of Grace Baptist Church of Woodbridge since 1985 and is currently one of their trustees and a member of the Library Team.

Mary Beth Inman –

Mary Beth joined our staff in June, 2007, after graduating from James Madison University.  She is the Ministry Assistant for Language Ministries and greets our visitors as Receptionist.  She is actively involved with our C3 Group and has lead sessions at our Senior High Retreat.  Mary Beth maintains our master database, prints our monthly newsletter, receives registrations from NorthStar’s various ministry events, as well as a host of other duties.  She is currently attending The John Leland Center for Theological Studies and is a member of Fairfax Circle Church.

Dorothy Allport –

Dorothy has been our Wednesday Volunteer since 1986 and has assisted with numerous administrative projects.  She has served on various committees and is currently chair of NorthStar’s Ordination Council and a member of the Nominating Committee.  she has been associated with her home church, First Baptist Church of Alexandria, since 1932 and has served as their Church Clerk since 1979.  She has been a member of the Business and Professional Women’s Organization for 63 years and has served as President of the VA-BPW.  She is also a Life Member of both the local Law Librarian Society of DC and the American Law Librarian Association.  She enjoys traveling, being with people, and singing in her church’s Senior Adult Choir.

Mrs. Eloise Barton –

In August, 1979, Eloise started working as secretary to Dr. Charles R. Standridge, pastor at the First Baptist Church of Clarendon (presently The Church at Clarendon).  She retired in 1997 and began helping out at the Annandale office whenever needed.  In 2007, NorthStar asked her to be a ‘regular’ volunteer once a week, and she became our Tuesday Volunteer.  She says it was the best decision she could have made.

Mrs. Jeanne Woodside –

Jeanne has been our faithful Association’s Librarian since 1983.  She works with churches in our Network, around the State, and anywhere she is needed teaching all aspects of Church Library Ministry.  She and her husband, Bob, are active members of Calvary Hill Baptist Church in Fairfax, VA.