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Pastor Dan Baer

  Dan Baer was born and raised near Pittsburgh, PA in the small town of Apollo.  He is fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Duke Blue Devils.  Dan has a Business Administration Degree from Campbell University, and a Masters of Theology from Duke Divinity School.  He enjoys fellowshipping with people, walking, bowling, singing, and spending time talking and listening with the Lord.  Dan has a heart for the "lost and the least of these".  Loving God and loving neighbors are important parts of his ministry.  He shares and lives a message of love to all of God’s children.  Dan is single and hopes to one day find the special woman who will share this message of love with others.  Until then, he will continue to serve and love God with all his heart, all his soul, all his mind, and all his strength.  Thanks be to God.

Bess Edwards-Sawyer

Bess Edwards- Sawyer was born and raised in Goldsboro. Later she graduated from the private Methodist College, Greensboro College with a degree in church music and an emphasis in organ. She graduated Summa Sum Laude for the class. She obtained her Masters in Church Music and organ from Northwestern University in Evanston Illinois.
She has served St. Luke UMC for 25 years. She and her family feel so fortunate to have a loving church family who is so supportive of the church and her ministry.
She is married to the Reverend William Wade Sawer a graduate of Southern Baptist Seminary. Bill enjoys the choir and helping when he is asked in the music program.
They have two children, Weil a K-5 Lead music Teacher at Eastern Wayne Elementary in Goldsboro and organist of Gordan St. Christian Church in Kinston, NC. He is an organist and travels through the region. Catheran-Bess is a resident of Greensboro, NC and is an animal specialist technician. She has 5 cats and 2 dogs!
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Sonja Emerson

Sonja Emerson is the Children’s Ministry Director of St. Luke United Methodist Church. She has been employed with the church for 19 years. Ms. Sonja is employed full time with Wayne County Public Schools and is currently the Dillard Middle School principal. She has a background in Special Education as a teacher of special needs children for 30 years. At St. Luke UMC, Ms. Sonja is responsible for coordinating programs and activities to support the spiritual development and growth of young children through 5th grade. She believes her role as the Children’s Ministry Director at the church is to tell and show through this ministry that all children are loved by God.

Juliette Thompson

Juliette joined the staff at St. Luke United Methodist Church October 1, 2014.  She grew up in Wilmington, and has two sons, Jerry and Jeff. After  moving around quite a bit,  settled down in Goldsboro in 1966. She is dedicated to her church and has taught Sunday school for fifty some years at churches she attended. She is actively involved with the community through Town and Country Extension Club where she is president and  has been for 10 years. She currently lives in the Saulston area with her companion, thirteen year old Toy Maltese, “Sweetie Pie”.

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Pastor Dan Baer

  Dan Baer was born and raised near Pittsburgh, PA in the small town of Apollo.  He is fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Duke Blue Devils.  Dan has a Business Administration Degree from Campbell University, and a Masters of Theology from Duke Divinity School.  He enjoys fellowshipping with people, walking, bowling, singing, and spending time talking and listening with the Lord.  Dan has a heart for the "lost and the least of these".  Loving God and loving neighbors are important parts of his ministry.  He shares and lives a message of love to all of God’s children.  Dan is single and hopes to one day find the special woman who will share this message of love with others.  Until then, he will continue to serve and love God with all his heart, all his soul, all his mind, and all his strength.  Thanks be to God.

Bess Edwards-Sawyer

Bess Edwards- Sawyer was born and raised in Goldsboro. Later she graduated from the private Methodist College, Greensboro College with a degree in church music and an emphasis in organ. She graduated Summa Sum Laude for the class. She obtained her Masters in Church Music and organ from Northwestern University in Evanston Illinois.
She has served St. Luke UMC for 25 years. She and her family feel so fortunate to have a loving church family who is so supportive of the church and her ministry.
She is married to the Reverend William Wade Sawer a graduate of Southern Baptist Seminary. Bill enjoys the choir and helping when he is asked in the music program.
They have two children, Weil a K-5 Lead music Teacher at Eastern Wayne Elementary in Goldsboro and organist of Gordan St. Christian Church in Kinston, NC. He is an organist and travels through the region. Catheran-Bess is a resident of Greensboro, NC and is an animal specialist technician. She has 5 cats and 2 dogs!
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Sonja Emerson

Sonja Emerson is the Children’s Ministry Director of St. Luke United Methodist Church. She has been employed with the church for 19 years. Ms. Sonja is employed full time with Wayne County Public Schools and is currently the Dillard Middle School principal. She has a background in Special Education as a teacher of special needs children for 30 years. At St. Luke UMC, Ms. Sonja is responsible for coordinating programs and activities to support the spiritual development and growth of young children through 5th grade. She believes her role as the Children’s Ministry Director at the church is to tell and show through this ministry that all children are loved by God.

Juliette Thompson

Juliette joined the staff at St. Luke United Methodist Church October 1, 2014.  She grew up in Wilmington, and has two sons, Jerry and Jeff. After  moving around quite a bit,  settled down in Goldsboro in 1966. She is dedicated to her church and has taught Sunday school for fifty some years at churches she attended. She is actively involved with the community through Town and Country Extension Club where she is president and  has been for 10 years. She currently lives in the Saulston area with her companion, thirteen year old Toy Maltese, “Sweetie Pie”.