Pastoral Team
Senior Pastors Weldon and Kathleen Townsend
What’s your role at Shield of Faith?
Weldon: serve others; Kathleen: Co-founding pastor of SOF (with Pastor Weldon) and worship leader
Tell us about your family.
Weldon: PK (Kathleen) and ALL the SOF Church; Kathleen: My immediate family consists of my beloved husband, Weldon, and my adorable German shepherds–Kit, my boy, and Gabby, my girl. I come from a wonderful, Godly family. I am the oldest of six children–4 girls and 2 boys.
What sports team to cheer for?
Weldon: Michigan State Spartans; Kathleen: Michigan State, Merrill, and Hemlock
What’s your favorite movie?
Weldon: It’s a Wonderful Life; Kathleen: Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Patton, the 1938 Dickens Christmas Carol with Reginald Owens as Scrooge and the Tiny Tim we all know and love
What do you like to eat?
Weldon: chicken, turkey, fish; Kathleen: wonderful, tasty meals that someone else prepares–my go to foods are cheese, chewy bread, and chocolate
What’s your favorite book of the Bible?
Weldon: James; Kathleen: It changes dependent on my life’s circumstances. I love the romance of Christ to His bride in Song of Solomon.
What’s your background?
Weldon: public school teacher; Kathleen: raised a Catholic; Polish and German in ancestry; fell in love with Pastor in high school; married to him for 54+ years; filled with the Spirit in 1976; started SOF in 1990
What’s your dream vacation?
Weldon: Disney World; Kathleen: Heaven…if I could just have a peek…
If you could do a hobby for a living, what would that be?
Weldon: I’m living it!; Kathleen: I am doing it as an interior designer.
My Email: pstrweldon@sofsaginaw.org
Associate Pastor Mike and Stephanie Maike
What’s your role at Shield of Faith?
Associate Pastor, “I wash feet!”
Tell us about your family.
Stephanie, bride of 30+ years, daughters Alexis (son-in-law, Jeff) and Kayla
What sports team to cheer for?
Team Jesus
What’s your favorite movie?
Brave Heart
What do you like to eat?
All meat
What’s your favorite book of the Bible?
Galatians
What’s your background?
Born and raised in Long Beach, California, US Army Paratrooper, Medical Field for 26 years.
What’s your dream vacation?
Horseback into mountains, set up camp and elk hunt
If you could do a hobby for a living, what would that be?
Mentor children and adults in outdoor skills
My email: mikemaike1210@gmail.com
Chaplain Chuck and Jackie Wade
What’s your role at Shield of Faith?
Elder and head of prison and jail ministry
Tell us about your family.
Jackie and I have 3 grown children and 9 grand children
What sports team to cheer for?
Michigan State GO SPARTANS!
What’s your favorite movie?
God’s NOT Dead
What do you like to eat?
Venison or fish
What’s your favorite book of the Bible?
1st John
What’s your background?
We were brought up in the church but, never knew Jesus as Savior and Lord till age 30
What’s your dream vacation?
Anywhere up in the Smoky Mountains
If you could do a hobby for a living, what would that be?
Anything outdoors
Pastors Adam and Jackie Gilles
What’s your role at Shield of Faith?
Adam: spiritual leader, elder of the church, and youth pastor supporting our mission, showing the way to Jesus, and making Him famous; Jackie: children’s ministry, Young Warriors, pastor
Tell us about your family.
Adam: I have a loving, kind, beautiful wife, Jackie. We have three beautiful daughters, Aubrey, Isabel, Lexi, and two dogs, Roxy and Mia. We love Jesus, the outdoors, camping, hunting white tail deer and spending time with family and friends; Jackie: married to my amazing husband Adam for 15+ years. We have 3 beautiful daughters, Aubrey, Isabel and Lexi. 2 loving dogs, Roxy and Mia.
What sports team to cheer for?
Adam: hunting sports; Jackie: I love cheering on my daughters in everything they do–currently, cheerleading and soccer.
What’s your favorite movie?
Adam: The Passion of Christ; Jackie: Faith like Potatoes
What do you like to eat?
Adam: venison, pizza; Jackie: Mexican food
What’s your favorite book of the Bible?
Adam: Acts; Jackie: James
What’s your background?
Adam: graduated at Bridgeport high school, work at Michigan Machining in Mt. Morris, love to hunt; Jackie: grew up in Alger, MI, married in 2007 and have been living in Birch Run for the last 10 years, work for Merrill Technologies in Saginaw.
What’s your dream vacation?
Adam: to go on a hunting adventure with my wife; Jackie: Hawaii
If you could do a hobby for a living, what would that be?
Teach kids about hunting, fishing, and the great outdoors and all that God has to offer through it; Jackie: travel all over the world while sharing God’s Word
Minister Jason and Care Pastor Jenny Deweese
What’s your role at Shield of Faith?
Jason: coordinate 5K Fellowship activities and assist with young adults; Jenny: coordinate office details, outreach, assisting pastors and General Council members, providing a listening ear and compassionate heart with wise counsel to our members, young adults’ leader
Tell us about your family.
Our three children, cat, and dog keep life full, rich, and fascinating: Russell, Cammy, Daisy, Tiger Lily, Lucy
What sports team to cheer for?
Go, Pack, go!
What’s your favorite movie?
Jason: action or sci-fi; Jenny: While You Were Sleeping, Kate & Leopold
What do you like to eat?
Jason: pizza; Jenny: homemade sauerkraut (Grandpa Polzin’s recipe)
What’s your favorite book of the Bible?
Jason: Acts or Romans; Jenny: Jude
What’s your background?
Jason grew up in a Christian home in Davisburg, MI. Jenny grew up in a Christian home in Merrill, MI. Married and lived in Lapeer for 11.5 years before moving to this area in 2010.
What’s your dream vacation?
Jason: Hawaii; Jenny: Australia to see great white sharks in the wild
If you could do a hobby for a living, what would that be?
Jason: play basketball; Jenny: musical drama, waterskiing, or musical drama while waterskiing 🙂
Pastor Lynn Ahrens
What’s your role at Shield of Faith?
Women’s Ministries Pastor encompasses visiting our women, being available for advice and guidance, teaching, planning activities, and anything else our church family needs
Tell us about your family.
Born into a German musical family in Frankenmuth, MI,
grew up as “The Herzog Trio” singing
country music throughout Michigan.
Later, married into a musical family.
As our children grew, we became “The Ahrens Family Singers.”
I am now a widow and discovered I’m truly a FRIEND of God.
What sports team to cheer for?
The Detroit Tigers
What’s your favorite movie?
“The Perfect Stranger” and “Dave”
What do you like to eat?
Salmon and Romaine Lettuce.
What’s your favorite book of the Bible?
The Gospel of John, Ephesians, and The Book of Revelation
What’s your background?
I was a sinner saved by Grace.
What’s your dream vacation?
When we visited Israel and Greece and walked where Jesus and Paul walked.
If you could do a hobby for a living, what would that be?
I’m doing it!
My Email: lynnahrens2011@gmail.com
Director of Dance Ministry Colleen Curry
What’s your role at Shield of Faith?
Dave- Worship team drummer
Colleen- Dance ministry
Tell us about your family.
2 children: Alaina and Alexander, 1 dog Belle, and 2 cats Tiny and Angel
What sports team to cheer for?
Dave- Detroit Tigers or anything the kids do
Colleen- Alexander’s baseball and flag football; professional Detroit Tigers and Lions
What’s your favorite movie?
Dave- Monsters University or anything Phineas and Ferb
Colleen- Veggietales, Disney animation and Ever After
What do you like to eat?
Dave- Panda House General Tso with fried rice, Jets pizza
Colleen- Cheese pizza, turnips, Christmas cookies
What’s your favorite book of the Bible?
Dave- James
Colleen- Psalms, 1st Corinthians 13:4-13 is my favorite scripture
What’s your background?
Dave- Swan Valley high school class of 1987, Ferris State class of 1993,
been here at SOF since 1993
Colleen- Came to Christ in 1984,
went to Heritage high school class of 1994,
SVSU class of 1999, been here at SOF since 1994
What’s your dream vacation?
Dave- Tropical Island stocked with healthy food/
trainers/massagers/stretchers
Colleen- Swim with dolphins and travel Alaska and Europe
If you could do a hobby for a living, what would that be?
Dave- Hit softballs
Colleen- Plant flowers, feed birds, and travel
Director of Nursery Ministry Judy and Mike Barnes
What’s your role at Shield of Faith?
We are members of SOF and are part of the intercessor team. I am head of the nursery, and I help lead our ladies’ craft group.
What sports team to cheer for?
We cheer for MSU!
What’s your favorite movie?
I love the Hallmark Channel and romantic comedies.
What do you like to eat?
Chinese food
What’s your favorite book of the Bible?
I love all of the Bible, and I love the Psalms.
What’s your background?
I grew up in a denominational church, and God led me deeper into knowing Him.
What’s your dream vacation?
I would love to visit Alaska and Hawaii.
If you could do a hobby for a living, what would that be?
I love crafting, quilting, crocheting, and sewing things to give away to people.
