Vienna Presbyterian Church Congregational Meeting August 30, 2026 11:00 am | Sanctuary
An Important Season of Leadership: Next Steps Throughout the history of God’s people, God has continually called and set apart servant leaders to advance the mission of His work in the world. In our church, we place a high value on the leadership of lay people who work alongside of (not in front of, not behind, but together with) the pastors and staff for the good of the Gospel here at Vienna Presbyterian Church. On August 30, at 11:00 am in the Sanctuary, the Session has called a congregational meeting for the purpose of electing a new class of Elders, Deacons, and Nominating Committee Members. Elders are responsible for the spiritual leadership of their congregation, providing oversight to the mission and ministry of the church. Deacons provide for the caring fellowship of our congregation. Our Nominating Committee is designed to prayerfully discern those who God might call each year into the ministries of Elders and Deacons. We are happy to provide you with the names and bios of each nominee for all of the positions mentioned above. Please be in prayer for each individual who has been nominated and prayerfully and boldly accepted the nomination. Should you have any questions or comments prior to our meeting on August 30, please do not hesitate to reach out to Elder Ryan Seckinger, Chair of Nominating at Nryanseckinger@gmail.com; Pastor Hope, Moderator of Session at hope.lee@viennapres.org; or Elder Chuck Allen, Clerk of Session at chuckaallen1@gmail.com. We look forward to a joy-filled and productive congregational meeting and are grateful for your participation!
Nominating Committee Nominees Summer is a wife and mother of two. Her daughter recently graduated from James Madison High School and will be attending Penn State as a business major, and her son is a freshman at James Madison High School who enjoys hockey and working out. Summer works for the City of San Antonio's destination marketing organization as the Director of Citywide Sales. Originally from Daytona Beach, Florida, she has called Northern Virginia home for more than 20 years.
Summer Davey
Summer became a member of Vienna Presbyterian Church in 2019 and has enjoyed serving through the Fellowship Committee and other volunteer opportunities. She feels God is calling her to say "yes" to serving because VPC has had such a meaningful impact on her family's faith journey. The relationships Summer’s daughter has built here helped shape her during some of her most formative years, and Summer is incredibly grateful for the people who invested in her. As her son continues to grow in his own faith, she wants to walk alongside him and help ensure the church remains a place where her family—and other families—can grow together in Christ.
Summer’s relationship with Jesus is one of the key foundations of her life and guides how she lives, leads, and serves. She hopes to reflect His love through serving others, while continuing to grow in her own faith and give back to a church that has given so much to her family. Mary spent her childhood and youth near Vienna, Illinois, and has called Vienna, Virginia home for more than 30 years, learning along the way that the two towns are pronounced quite differently. Active involvement in the church has been an important part of her life, including teaching children’s Sunday School and serving in leadership roles in missions, outreach, and Stephen Ministry, both as a minister and a leader. Since joining Vienna Presbyterian Church, Mary has served as a GriefShare leader and is actively involved with the Welcome Team, the 60+ Leadership Team, and the Monday night women’s Bible Study. She jokingly describes herself as a “resident pew potato,” but VPC has provided her with countless opportunities for spiritual growth and deepening her relationship with God while encouraging her to share her faith more openly with others.
Mary Davis
Mary believes God has been gently nudging her toward a new season of service. With a humble heart, she is answering that call and trusting Him to provide guidance and discernment as she begins serving as a member of the Nominating Committee. She looks forward to discovering new ways to serve both God and the church community. Joyfully retired, Mary is blessed with two wonderful, married sons, two beloved daughters-in-law, and three adult grandchildren. She also enjoys attending VPC with her companion, Lee Cook, and treasures the time they spend exploring and traveling together
Elder Nominees CE and his wife Jean have been residents of Vienna since 1986 and are long-time VPC members. Their children grew up in Vienna attending local public schools and VPC. Mary Beth, her husband Eric, and their twins, Abigail and Aiden, attend VPC and are active in VPC activities; Chas has three children and lives in Arlington; Alex and his wife Hillary live in Falls Church and have one child. CE is retired but actively serves on boards of several non-profits and public companies. In his spare time, he and Jean enjoy spending time with their family. He enjoys golf, fly fishing, snow skiing, retreating to Southwestern Virginia, and ongoing participation and support for Virginia CE Andrews Tech. Over the years at VPC, he has served twice as an elder, is active as an usher/greeter, chairs the Audit Committee, supports Next Gen, and has volunteered on many different committees. CE’s decision to serve was easy: “I love our leadership and direction under Hope and the entire pastoral and VPC team. We can do big things in our community and beyond by doing all the right little things well. We are well focused on the Lord’s work, are truly a Christ-Centered Church and I am humbled to be asked to be a small part of that exciting future for VPC. And, to top it all off, Hope asked me to serve again, and that is an “ask” I would never refuse.” Chuck and his wife Corrine have been married for nearly 23 years and are the parents of Josh (16) and Drew (13). Their family began attending VPC in 2017 and became members in 2018. He currently co-leads the Sunday morning Parent Connect class in Adult Ministries and has volunteered with Club 4/5 in the Children’s Ministry for the past four years. In his free time, he enjoys attending his children’s activities, including marching band, track and field, and basketball, and occasionally enjoys running long distances. Professionally, he serves as the President of an economic consulting firm in Washington, D.C., which he helped found in 2009.
Chuck Fields He is incredibly grateful for the spiritual growth he has experienced at VPC over the past eight years and is humbled by the opportunity to join Session. When asked to serve, he spent time in prayer and discussed the opportunity with his family, ultimately feeling called to offer his gifts in support of God’s mission for the church, both within the community and beyond. It is difficult for him to summarize Jesus’ role in his life in just a few sentences. Jesus has been his Lord and Savior for many years. Christ’s response in Mark 12 regarding the greatest commandments, to love God with all one’s heart, soul, mind, and strength and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, serves as a daily reminder as he seeks to faithfully serve God in all that he does.
Elder Nominees Kate Katch grew up in Australia and moved to New York in her 20s– pursuing her dream of working for the United Nations. She and her husband, Kevin, moved to Vienna in 2000, where they raise their daughters, Emily (8) and Ella (4). Today, she works as a storyteller, helping organizations bring their purpose and impact to life. She loves dark chocolate, the moms in her neighborhood, date nights, and VPC summer camps with her girls.
Kate Katch
She also loves VPC. From their first visit in 2021, she sensed God’s Spirit — in the worship, the sermons and Bible studies, the friends they met, and those who served their children. It has been a privilege for her to worship and serve here.
Kate believes God is at work in Vienna and wants to use VPC so more people experience His love and goodness–not only on Sundays, but in our families, neighborhoods, and workplaces. She feels called to say “yes” because she wants to serve this congregation and support our church’s leadership in discerning what God is doing and joining Him there. Kate says, “Jesus is my all. I have known His comfort through loss, His faithfulness through joblessness, His steadfastness through questioning, and His goodness and generosity through family and community. My desire is to serve Him all my days and extend His goodness and love to others.”
Alice grew up in Virginia and has lived here her entire life. She has worked as a pediatrician in Northern Virginia since 2000, although for 15 years of that time she would have considered her primary “job” to be that of homeschooling her three kids. In her free time she enjoys reading and playing games and puzzles of all kinds. She and her husband, Humphrey, have been members at VPC since 2023 but she has been attending Presbyterian churches since she became a Christian in high school at a PCA youth camp in Florida. At VPC she has enjoyed being part of the leadership team for the Perspectives Sunday School class and volunteering in the 2nd and 3rd grade Sunday School classroom.
Alice Mar
Like anyone who has walked a Christian life for decades, Alice has had times of spiritual dryness and times of doubt. Through those times, she has always clung to the knowledge that God loves her and that He sent His son, Jesus, as an embodiment of that love. She believes that the church is God’s instrument and that the work of the church is simply to show that love to others. She had been praying for God to show her how she could serve more at the church when the opportunity to be on Session arose, so it seemed like a pretty clear answer to prayer!
Elder Nominees Steve was raised in a Christian home and accepted God’s grace, knowing Christ as his Savior since childhood. Throughout his life, he has walked with Christ and relied on His guidance. God proved more than sufficient as he and his wife, Brenda, raised their family and as he served in various roles, including corporate executive, leader, teacher, mentor, and coach. In retirement, God has continued to lead, bless, and protect him on a spiritual journey across the country, using photography of His creation as a way to connect with and encourage others.
Steve Riffee He has seen God faithfully direct his steps throughout his life, demonstrating the truth of Proverbs 16:9. When he was called to consider this role, it was not something he had been seeking. He prayed earnestly for wisdom and discernment in how to respond. As he considers serving the Lord at VPC, he recognizes the importance of the church faithfully following, obeying, and sharing the Word of God with every life it touches. Three generations of his family are actively involved at VPC, and he prays that God will continue to guide each of them through the leading of the Holy Spirit. He seeks to walk closely with Jesus each day and to follow Him wholeheartedly. He believes that God has given him gifts not merely for personal benefit, but to help him know, serve, obey, and follow Christ more faithfully. John 15:5 has been a foundational life verse, reminding him that apart from Christ he can do nothing and that only by abiding in Him can he bear lasting spiritual fruit. Ryan and his wife Stephanie live in Fairfax Station and have been members of VPC since 2011. They have three children: Lizzy (20), Ruth (18), and James (15). Growing up the son of a pastor, Ryan lived in New York, Ohio, Thailand, Malaysia, Michigan, and Texas before landing in Northern Virginia in 2008. Ryan is a professional engineer by day, and in his free time he enjoys taking on home renovation projects and is working on a burgeoning gardening hobby.
Ryan Seckinger
At VPC, Ryan has enjoyed serving on the worship team, on several committees including a Pastor Nominating Committee, and with Next Gen. Over the summer, he joined the Son Servants mission trip to Chattanooga with our high school students. He is completing his first term on session and is glad for the chance to serve again.
Ryan's faith has been shaped by God's steady faithfulness through different seasons of life and by Christian friends and mentors who have given him wise counsel and shown him what it looks like to follow Jesus over the long haul. Jesus led and continues to lead through a very personal love, and his heart for service and compassion gives Ryan clarity on what is truly important. “I am excited about the on-going work God is doing at VPC in Vienna and beyond. I believe that what this church has set out to be — a caring fellowship bringing Christ into our diverse community through discipleship and service — is vital, and I look forward to continuing to serve and to work together toward this mission.”
Elder Nominees Rachel Thompson has been a member of VPC for almost 25 years. She's married to Scott and has two adult sons: Josh attends Virginia Tech and Zack will start at Penn State this fall. At VPC, she has accompanied the youth choir and been involved in many committees and groups including the PNC that called Pastor Hope. Currently she plays and sings at the contemporary service and is involved in Great Banquet, the Friendship Class, and Dementia Care Ministry.
Rachel Thompson
She is excited to be serving again on Session and interested in continuing to explore God's plans in shaping the inner workings of this church. She turns to Jesus in her everyday life for help, comfort, grace, understanding, and guidance and looks forward to sharing those “God moments” with others as we seek His will for the full fellowship here at VPC.
Deacon Nominees Julia is a foreign service kid, who grew up moving every few years across different states and countries, including Virginia, Illinois, Nicaragua, Haiti, Burkina Faso, and India. She works at the College Board as a Lead Engineer focused on web analytics and client tooling for websites supporting the SAT and AP. Her family includes her husband, Bob, and their two college-age children, Stafford and Zoe—they live locally in Vienna.
Julia Beach
Her relationship with Jesus is the baseline for how she makes significant life decisions, and regular church attendance is part of that discipline. She is grateful for how VPC services consistently keep the truths of Jesus front and center, and she tries to “hide Scripture” in her heart by connecting God’s word to everyday moments.
“God is calling me to say “yes” to serving at this time because my season of volunteering through my children’s activities has shifted, and I feel it’s time to give more back to my church community. I’m hesitant to add more responsibilities, but I believe this step will strengthen my faith, help me stay engaged with the needs around me, and support my growth through service.”
Jonathan has been a member of Vienna Presbyterian Church since 2008, alongside his wife, Melissa. They are grateful to have raised their son, Tyler, within the VPC community. Professionally, Jonathan is an information technology executive with more than 25 years of experience leading organizational and technology transformation efforts in both the public and private sectors. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, cooking, grilling, and enjoying outdoor adventures. VPC has played an important role in Jonathan’s faith journey. Over the years, he has served as an usher captain, member of the College of Elders, leader with Bags of Love, and adult leader on an SMP mission trip to Mexico. He has also been actively involved in the Great Banquet community and a weekly small group that grew out of that ministry.
Jonathan Bennett
Guided by his faith in Jesus Christ, Jonathan seeks to lead and serve with humility, compassion, and a servant’s heart. He is thankful for the ways VPC has helped shape and support his family over the years and looks forward to continuing to serve the congregation by caring for others and helping strengthen the church community.
Deacon Nominees
Rob Brooke
Rob has lived in Northern VA over 50 years and has been married to Susan Brooke for 11 years. They have one daughter, Addison, who is 6 and keeps them young! He has worked at Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC) for 21 years – VIPC is a nonprofit funded by the Commonwealth to help early-stage technology-based entrepreneurs access funding and grow their business. A very rewarding place to work, he travels a lot around the state, engaging with companies and universities who are developing the technology of tomorrow. When not working, he enjoys landscaping and gardening in ways to help the bees, butterflies, and other animals.
Rob loves nature, camping, and hiking the trails around NOVA and in Shenandoah National Park. The whole house loves to travel, with trips planned to the beach and the mountains high on the list each year. He has 2 brothers – one of them is his twin! They are all Eagle Scouts, and Rob obtained the rank with his brother in a double ceremony many years ago. He graduated from Virginia Tech with a BS in Marketing and loves following the Hokies and all the local sports teams. Hockey is one of his favorite sports to attend and watch. (Go Caps!) “I've been attending VPC since 2009. Serving and volunteering is something I’ve always enjoyed, but life sometimes gets in the way – I’m looking forward to being able to catch up on my volunteer goals to make our community an even better place!”
Greg Hildeman was born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He earned degrees in Metallurgical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). While attending the University of Wisconsin, he met his wife, Joy, and the two were married in 1970. They have two sons and two grandchildren. Following graduate studies at MIT, Greg spent 29 years at Alcoa’s Technical Center in Pittsburgh, where he built a career in engineering and innovation. After retiring from Alcoa, he worked in the solar energy industry for four years. In 2014, Greg and Joy relocated to Northern Virginia, where Joy was born and raised. They have been members of Vienna Presbyterian Church since January 2021 and have served on the Welcome Team for the past two years.
Greg Hildeman
Greg believes God continues to call him to serve and use his gifts for the benefit of others. He is committed to supporting the mission of VPC and looks forward to finding meaningful ways to care for and serve both the congregation and the broader community as a Deacon. His faith in Jesus Christ guides his life and service. Greg strives to follow Christ’s example and draws inspiration from Psalm 119:105, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Trusting God’s guidance, he is eager to use his talents wherever they can best support the ministry and mission of Vienna Presbyterian Church.
Deacon Nominees John has been a member of Vienna Presbyterian Church since 2012, when he and his family began worshipping at VPC after moving to Northern Virginia fourteen years ago. Although his family joined the church more recently, John’s connection to VPC goes back to his high school and college years. He and his wife have raised three children, all of whom are now attending college.
John Hunter
Throughout his life, John has enjoyed serving his local community. As he and his wife entered a new season as empty nesters, he felt a clear call from God to serve more intentionally within the church. He is grateful for the opportunity to answer that call through the ministry of the Deacons. John’s faith is grounded in daily prayer and a desire to follow the example of Jesus Christ. He believes that Jesus perfectly modeled servant leadership and sees serving as a Deacon as a practical way to live out that calling. John looks forward to caring for and supporting the congregation while serving Christ through service to others.
David and his wife Andrea have lived in Vienna since 2009 and have been members of VPC since 2016. They have twins, Katharine and Christopher, who are sophomores at George C. Marshall High School. Since joining VPC, David has been actively involved in the Hypothermia Program and parenting support groups. He works as a project manager for IBM, supporting federal government clients. In his free time, David enjoys taking walks with Andrea, attending and supporting his children's activities, cycling, and visiting national parks. "The most meaningful moments in my walk with Christ have come through serving others. With each opportunity to serve, I have found my own faith strengthened by both those I serve and those I have the privilege of serving beside. I look forward to caring for and supporting the members and friends of VPC."
David Keller
Deacon Nominees Courtney McCreesh has been an active member of Vienna Presbyterian Church since 2023 and currently serves as a Deacon. She is excited to begin her first full term and continue supporting the care ministries of the church. Professionally, Courtney spent ten years working on Afghanistan security issues, first at the U.S. Institute of Peace and later as a government contractor. She and her husband, Patrick, have four children who are active in VPC’s Youth and Children’s Ministries.
Courtney McCreesh
Courtney believes God calls His people to care for both those they know and those they do not know. She is grateful for opportunities to serve in structured volunteer roles and sees her work as a Deacon as a meaningful way to follow God’s leading and care for others.
Her relationship with Jesus is strengthened through regular worship, prayer, and continual spiritual growth. Courtney looks forward to worship each Sunday and believes that a relationship with Christ requires ongoing nurturing. This year, she is focusing on asking more questions as she seeks to follow Jesus’ example, recognizing that He often taught and connected with others through thoughtful questions and meaningful conversations.
Matt Sumner has attended VPC for the last three years after relocating to Northern Virginia from Gainesville, Florida. Matt has always felt a call to serve. From volunteering in the church nursery at VPC, to serving on the Property and Grounds Committee and Board of Trustees at his previous church in Florida, Matt is happy to lend his time and talents for the betterment of the church. Matt understands and appreciates that all of us are limited in what we can do to further God’s Kingdom on earth, but if we all do our part, we can make a difference. After prayerful consideration, Matt is ready to accept a nomination to serve as a deacon at VPC.
Matt Sumner
Deacon Nominees Pam has been a dedicated member of Vienna Presbyterian Church for the past 13 years, serving in a variety of ministries that reflect her love for children, families, and the broader community. Her greatest joy has always been centered around caring for others. She and her husband, John, are blessed with two grown sons and daughters-in-law, and are proud grandparents to four grandchildren, a grandson and granddaughter in each family.
Pam Thrasher
Professionally, Pam has spent her career as a teacher, nurturing and encouraging countless students over the years. At VPC, she has served in Children’s Ministry, Bible School, MomCo, ESOL, Be Our Guest Prom, Usher, and Belong, sharing her gifts of hospitality, compassion, and encouragement across many areas of church life.
Pam believes that God has called her to continue serving others by sharing the joy of the Lord through the ministry of the Deacons. She looks forward to caring for and supporting members of the congregation and community, helping others experience Christ’s love through meaningful relationships and acts of service.
Bob was born and raised in Fairfax, VA where he was actively involved in Emmanuel Lutheran Church. Giving his life to Jesus Christ as a young child, he then recommitted his life to the Lord as a young adult. “That renewed relationship with Him has shaped the direction of my life ever since.” Throughout his adult life Bob has been active in a variety of ministries such as teaching Sunday School; engaging with Promise Keepers ministry; serving VPC as a Deacon; being an active, long-standing member of Monday Night Men’s Bible Study “where [he] has formed meaningful friendships and experienced the encouragement and accountability that come through authentic Christian fellowship;” and participating in a number of mission trips in which he has been blessed to “be His hands and feet by sharing His love in both practical and spiritual ways.”
Bob Walter
Committed to relying solely on God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ, Bob is glad to once again serve Jesus and our VPC family through our Deacon ministry as “we care for our church family, encourage one another, and reflect Christ’s love to those around us.”
A Caring Fellowship Bringing Christ Into Our Diverse Community Through Discipleship And Service Vienna Presbyterian Church | 124 Park Street, NE, Vienna, VA 22180 | www.viennapres.org | 703.938.9050