Leadership
Pastor
Pastor Sarah Lynne
Rev. Sarah Lynne Gershon is our pastor. She offers guidance to our lay leadership and oversees church staff. She loves chatting about the Bible and theology, singing from the Sacred Harp as often as possible, and hosting people in her home.
Sarah Lynne grew up in a large evangelical church in Orlando, FL. After reading through the gospels for the first time in high school, and catching Jesus' vision of "good news for the poor," she was sent on a journey that led her to move to Minneapolis to join the Catholic Worker, an intentional community (unaffiliated with the Roman Catholic church) where members offer beds in their homes for people who would otherwise be without housing.
Sarah Lynne met her husband Brett in Minneapolis. Later they and their two children, Alasdair and Iver, moved to the Bloomington, IN Catholic Worker and lived there for 7 years. Since then she has developed a passion for Christian faith formation, worship, and service. Recognizing a call to pastoral ministry, Sarah Lynne began studying at Christian Theological Seminary in 2018 and graduated in 2024 with Masters of Divinity and Masters of Theology degrees.
After accepting a call as First Christian Church Bloomington's Associate Pastor, Brett and Sarah Lynne left the Bloomington Catholic Worker and began focusing on church ministry. She oversaw the formation of a weekly free community meal that provided nourishment for over 100 people each week. She also oversaw the formation of an emergency winter shelter hosted by multiple churches and run entirely by volunteers. On dangerously cold nights, this shelter provides a warm bed for people who can't (or won't) use the year-around shelters.
Sarah Lynne and Journey of Faith share a vision for justice, a desire to work with grassroots organizations, and a commitment to ministry with marginalized people-especially as it relates to poverty, racism, LGBTQ+ identities, mental health, and homelessness. She was delighted when she was called as the minister to Journey of Faith (beginning on Sept, 2025) as they replant in Ypsilanti.
Email: PastorSarahLynne@gmail.com
Members
Authority in our church ultimately rests with its members. They elect representatives to the church council for limited terms and there are some decisions that need approval by the membership at a congregational meeting. Members are individuals who decide to trust Jesus as their savior and make a commitment to follow Jesus in this particular congregation.
Pastor Sarah Lynne emphasizes that faith is about a decision not a belief. We all go through periods of doubt. Some of us have strong convictions and some of us are natural skeptics. We value people with varying levels of assurance and skepticism. The shared commitment members make is to trust Jesus and look to him for guidance. As members, we also commit to following Jesus in our Journey of Faith community. We invite anyone who attends the church to make that commitment. You are welcome to join us!
Church Council
Our church council has a minimum of 3 members of the church, with provisions to expand with the growth of our ministries and congregation. As of the writing of this page, we have 5 council members representing elders, deacons, our mission team, and financial officers.
Elders & Deacons
Elders oversee the spiritual well-being of our community and deacons oversee its physical well-being. They don't just do, but lead others to grow in mutual support of one another. Elders and Deacon oversee our weekly communion during worship. The bread and cup that we share together at the Table reminds us to love one another (as Christ loves us) through both physical and spiritual support.
Staff
We currently have two musicians on staff, leading us in worship each Sunday
Dave French is an accomplished guitarist who has been playing with Journey of Faith's band for over 10 years. He says playing at JoF is like the most fun music training camp, giving him the opportunity to play with amazing musicians throughout the years. He loves helping our congregation sing together, believing that the worship band's job is not to perform, but to support us all in praising God with our voices and sharing our hopes, sorrows, and joys in song. When he plays, he is always attentive to the spirit in the room. Feeling and playing with the spirit helps connect congregants to that holy spirit as well. You can tell when you've got it when it feels like the whole room is moving with the music. He once reflected on worship saying, "Maybe it's why there's an ancient proverb that says, 'To sing is to pray twice.'"
Dave also has a passion for sound and recording. He has generously blessed us with those gifts as well. Dave's been recording music since 1988. He says it's like a diary of sound; it captures a memory and creates opportunity for reflection and improvement. You can find his recordings of our music and more on Dr. Funk Ypsi at Soundcloud. Some of Dave's favorite bands are Radiohead, Indigo Girls, and Bob Dylan and he will sometimes treat us with "Here comes the Sun" or "Blowing in the Wind" when he chooses a song for our offertory.
You can reach Dave at: jofdisciples@gmail.com
Jason Gong is an international pianist and cellist from Michigan. He received his Masters of Piano Performance at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, UK studying under Prof. Noriko Ogawa and Prof. Paul Roberts and his Bachelors of Music in Piano Performance from the University of Michigan studying under Dr. Louis Nagel.
Although his foundations are in classical music, Jason loves to explore the connections between all creative disciplines. How politics, traditions, and cultures inform, and are in turn informed by, new genres. As artists, how our acts of creation and recreation reflect our self-discovery. In times of crisis, or when physical needs are threatened, what is the role of art? These ideas drive his love for improvisation and passion for collaboration.
Currently, Jason is based in Ypsilanti, Michigan where he performs around SE Michigan, maintains a teaching studio for both piano and cello, and is the accompanist and assistant director for St. Augustine's Catholic Choir. Recently he has performed for the show "We Call it Tango" in Detroit, and performed on tour with St. Augustine's in places like the Notre-Dame Basilica in Montreal and St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. In the summer Jason also teaches at CelloChanWoods a week long cello retreat in Starksboro Vermont. In his spare time, Jason enjoys cooking for others, listening to podcasts, and swing dancing! You can reach Jason at: www.jasongongmusic.com
Questions About Leadership?
If you have questions about church leadership or want to get involved, please contact us.