Staff Members

Ritchey Cable | Pastor

Contact Ritchey: ritchey@gashland.org

Ritchey Cable joined Gashland in July of 2012.  Ritchey is from Conroe, Texas and attended Baylor University where he met his wife, Melissa.  They were married in June of 2000 and have three children, Parker, Cooper and Sophie.  Ritchey attended Covenant Seminary in St. Louis after Baylor.  Ritchey was an Associate Pastor for seven years in Alexandria, Louisiana before moving to Kansas City.

 

What is one book you could read over and over again?

What is one movie you have watched over and over again?

It’s a Wonderful Life and Back to the Future

What is your current favorite song?

What is your forever favorite song?

What is your favorite thing about your job?

What led you to go into ministry?

 

Michael Morefield | Associate Pastor of Discipleship

Contact Michael: michael@gashland.org

Michael Morefield joined Gashland EPC in May of 2015. He is from Kansas City, Missouri and met his wife, Lacey, at her older sister’s wedding. Michael and Lacey were married in July of 2012 in Castle Rock, Colorado. They have one son named Asher. Michael went to Baker University in Baldwin City, Kansas for his undergraduate and then attended Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis. 

What is one book you could read over and over again?

If I could read one book over and over again it would be the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, but if I had to narrow it to one book within that trilogy it would be the Return of the King. It’s a story that you never want to end. A story that beautifully paints redemption. A story that encourages you in the struggles of life. A story that shapes the type of person you want to become. 

What is one movie you have watched over and over again?

A movie that I have watched over and over again would be the Dark Knight Trilogy. I clearly has an appreciation for trilogies. I love how this trilogy paints light overcoming the darkness, good overcoming evil and how it centers on the theme of redemption. 

What is your current favorite song?

My current favorite songs are O Great God by Sovereign Music and Matt Boswell and also Good Day by Surfaces.

What is your forever favorite song?

A song that will always be one of my all-time favorites is Farther Along by Josh Garrels. It is a song that encourages the weary and broken heart in this fallen world by pointing us to the hope that we have in Christ and the glorious future that is coming for those who trust and rest in Jesus. 

What is your favorite thing about your job?

My favorite thing about my job is preaching and teaching the Word of God and helping others grow in becoming disciples of Jesus. 

What led you to go into ministry?

My initial call into ministry came when I was on a mission trip to the Czech Republic just before I started college at Baker University. On this trip God was using me to share my faith with the lost and as I was teaching others about how great and how good the grace offered to us in Jesus is, I realized that God was calling me to give my life to telling others about Jesus. Then at Baker University, I helped start and lead a campus ministry that further affirmed and matured this call into ministry.

Caleb Mason | Director of Student Ministries

Contact Caleb: caleb@gashland.org

Caleb joined Gashland in June 2017. He moved here from his hometown of Sarasota, FL, and he married his high school sweet heart, Cassidy, in May 2014. Caleb attended Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach, FL where he studied Ministry with a concentration in Cross-Cultural Studies. Caleb has a heart for missions, and during his time at PBA was able to lead mission trips to Jamaica and down the Amazon. During his time in college, he also worked as a youth minister part-time and worked for an inner-city ministry called Urban Youth Impact.

What is one book you could read over and over again?
Thoughts for Young Men – J.C. Ryle
 
What is one movie you have watched over and over again?
Lord of the Rings (Return of the King)
 
What is your forever favorite song?
Ice Ice Baby – Vanilla Ice
 
What is your favorite thing about your job?
I love the relational side of ministry. I love hearing stories and sharing stories. I love seeing the gospel take root in the lives of teenagers. 
 
What led you to go into ministry?
I grew up in a Christian household but I didn’t really know Jesus until my senior year of high school. God overwhelmed my heart at a Christian summer camp and I immediately began to see ministry opportunities all around me. I started leading FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) for my high school and began to intern for a PCA pastor. That pastor met with me every Wednesday morning at McDonald’s for hotcakes and coffee. He was consistent and affirming. He patiently guided me through difficult questions and pushed me out of my comfort zones. He loved me well in a crucial time in my life.  And it was through his discipleship that I began to feel called into Youth Ministry. Ever since those mornings at Mc’Ds I have desired to be a steady presence in teenagers’ lives. My desire is to walk side by side with students through the difficult years of adolescence and to display the stability and constancy of our God’s love. I view Youth Ministry as a long-term process, not as a simple stepping stone. I am praying that through consistently proclaiming the Gospel day after day our students would be made “mature in Christ “ (Col. 1:28)

Rachael Adams | Director of Children's Ministries

Contact Rachael: rachael@gashland.org

Rachael Adams is our Director of Children’s Ministry. Rachael has been working at GEPC since August 2012. She grew up in Overland Park and has lived in the Kansas City area most of her life. She has a degree in Meetings & Destination Management and over 20 years of part-time vocational and volunteer ministry experience with children. Rachael loves working with children and volunteers, as well as organizing people and events. She has been married to Eric Adams since 1997 and they have three children: Jared, Jason, and Audrey. 

What is one book you could read over and over again? 
Persuasion by Jane Austen
 
What is a movie you have watched over and over again?
Roman Holiday
 
What is your current favorite song? 
Lord from Sorrows Deep I Call by Keith and Kristyn Getty
 
What is a song that will always be one of your favorites? 
In Christ Alone by Keith and Kristyn Getty
 
What is your favorite thing about your job? 
My job is full of variety. I have the opportunity to work with children, youth, and adults, as well as staff and volunteers. I also have many different job responsibilities such as leading, coordinating, training, and teaching.
 
What led you to pursue ministry? 
What started as a job that fit both the church’s and my needs at the time, has blossomed into a love for ministry, for children, and for volunteers. Since becoming a Christian at 23 years old, serving the Lord has been a part of my life. I’m grateful to now have the privilege to share and lead others to share the hope of Jesus with the next generation. 

Nicole Moncada | Little Lambs Ministry Director

Contact Nicole: nicole@gashland.org

Nicole joined the staff as Little Lambs Ministry Director in August of 2020. Nicole is from Los Angeles and met her husband, Octavio, in Southern California. They were married in 2011 and they have two sons, Tobin and Ezra. Nicole and her family moved to Missouri in 2017 and they enjoy living in Kansas City. Nicole has a degree in Child Development from Cal State University, Northridge. She also has a graduate degree in Spiritual Formation and Soul Care from Talbot School of Theology. 

What book could you read over and over again?
I really love Children’s Literature and one book I can read over and over again is The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams.
 
What movie could you watch over and over again?
A movie that I’ve seen more times than I can count is The Princess Bride.
 
What is one of your forever favorite songs?
A song that will always be one of my favorites is L-O-V-E by Nat King Cole because it’s the song my husband and I danced to at our wedding. 
 
What’s your favorite thing about your job?
My favorite thing about my job is sharing God’s Word with the babies and toddlers, singing with them, and praying with them. I also love the opportunity to partner with families and support them as they seek to pass their faith to their children. 
 
What led you to pursue ministry?
From the time I was a child, I was aware that God was loving and pursuing me. I really think it was the experience of His love that caused me to pursue Him in return. Perhaps that’s why I enjoy working with children so much. I was a child when I put my faith in God, and I knew my faith was real from the time I was young. As I’ve gotten older, I know that I want to live my life in love and obedience to God. I certainly have not always done that well. But His persistent love and commitment to my growth and maturity has sent me on a pilgrimage of Christian spiritual transformation. I want to be on this journey with others, and perhaps sometimes I can be the guide, just as I need others to help guide me. 

Ellie Brown | Worship & Media Director

Contact Ellie: ellie@gashland.org

Ellie joined the Gashland team in July of 2021. She graduated from Covenant College in 2020 with degrees in English and Art, and she focused on poetry, mixed media, and theology within those fields of study. Her primary interest is in the interactions between art and the church, why they’re important for each other, and how art can better be used as a tool for evangelism. She and her fiancé Lake McGinty are planning on getting married on October 16th, 2021 in Danville, KY, which is Ellie’s hometown, and they plan to live in Gladstone, MO afterward. They both hope to go to seminary someday as well and further pursue ministry and service to the church.

What is one book you could read over and over again?

I know it says just one, but I’m an avid reader, so there are so many. I’ve read the Harry Potter series more times than I can count, but I could also read The Giver series by Lois Lowry, the A Wrinkle in Time series by Madeleine L’engle, and The Mysterious Benedict Society series by Trenton Lee Stewart over and over again.

What is a movie you have watched over and over again?

Beauty and the Beast (live action)

What is your current favorite song?

Pale Moonlight by The Gray Havens.

What is a song that will always be one of your favorites?

Too Good by Jess Ray.

What is your favorite thing about your job?

I love preparing for worship on Sundays, getting to use my love of writing and theology to write prayers and transitions as well as come up with ways to better express the gospel in song. I also thoroughly enjoy creating and being a part of The Porch and am looking forward to pursuing that further. 

What led you to pursue ministry?

I grew up in a Christian home with a dad who was an incredible musician, and the worship leader at every church we attended. I began playing violin when I was seven, and then singing when I was ten. In middle school, I joined the worship team at church under my dad’s leadership, and learned more about the behind the scenes of leading on Sunday mornings. Christmas of my freshman year of high school, I received a guitar and took every opportunity to learn and lead with it. In college, I became the primary worship leader for Reformed University Fellowship, a college ministry, and it was there that I began to feel led to pursue ministry. Making music and making it with excellence, while also using it to express both joy and lament, are all things that I learned while leading with RUF and things I have a passion for in the church.

My junior year of college, I put on an art exhibit about joy and lament at my home church, Grace PCA in Danville, KY. All of the artists were members of the church, all different ages, skill sets, and mediums, and it was that event that opened the doors for me to pursue what art means for God’s people. Worship is one way of exploring that interaction. As an artist, I’ve learned and am still learning what it means to glorify God in the things I make, and my hope and reason for pursuing ministry is to help others see that art matters to God and that it can be glorifying to Him and helpful to His people for understanding the brokenness of life, but also who God is. 

Chuck Leedle | Worship Leader for 8:30 AM Service

Contact Chuck: chuck@gashland.org

Chuck Leedle joined Gashland EPC in November 2016. Born in Springfield, Ohio, Chuck attended Ohio State University and Ashland University, earning a bachelor’s degree in music education and master’s degree in educational administration. Chuck’s professional career included working as a vocal music teacher, high school principal, and worship leader at two Grace Brethren Churches over a span of thirty years. He is married to Debbie, and lives in Lenexa, KS. The Leedles are blessed with two married children: Mark, who is married to Brittany and lives in Delaware, Ohio; and Clara who is married to Kyle and has four children: Naomi, Leah, Josie, and Hannah. They live in Lenexa, KS as well.

What is a book or books you could read over and over again? 

 “Desiring God” by John Piper, “The Invisible Hand” by RC Sproul, “The Ultimate Priority” by John MacArthur, “Undaunted Courage” by Stephen Ambrose, “Washington-The Indispensable Man”  by James Flexner,  and “The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt” by Edmund Moore

What is a movie you have watched over and over again? 

“Groundhog Day”, “Elf”, “Lawrence of Arabia”, “West Side Story”.

What is your favorite song?

“‘Hark’ The Herald Angels Sing” by Charles Wesley, “Be Thou My Vision” in the traditional Irish style, “Who Am I” and “Jesus Friend of Sinners” by Casting Crowns, “Holy Water” by We The Kingdom, and “All Things New” by Hillsong Worship

What is your favorite thing about your job?

Getting to participate with the church in worship and reflect upon the greatness of God and His Holy Word in preparation for worship.

What led you to go into ministry?

After college, having been actively involved in a large Grace Brethren Church music ministry, I accepted a call to lead music and worship at the Eastside G.B.C. in Reynoldsburg, Ohio, and later, the Pataskala G.B.C. in Pataskala, Ohio where I served for 23 years.

Jennifer Thowe | Administration Manager

Contact Jennifer: jennifer@gashland.org

Though born in Warrensburg, MO, Jennifer has lived most of her life in the Northland area, graduating from Oak Park High School. Though her father has passed away, she is pleased to have her mother and brother living nearby, and her sister in Johnson County. Following high school, she attended the University of Missouri, enjoying favorite classes in math and statistics, and earning her degree in business, with an emphasis in marketing. While attending MU, she met her now husband, Neil, and they married following graduation. Through years with Neil as an Army officer, the Thowes lived in many areas of the country, including San Antonio, TX, August, GA, and Alabama. Jennifer is the proud mother of three children, Ella, Owen, and Faith. Their family is completed by two canine “children,” Oreo, a six year old rescue German Shepard mix, and Milo, an almost one year old min Aussie-doodle.

What is one children’s book have you read to your kids over and over again?

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom – Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault

What is a movie you have watched over and over again?

I’m an action movie kind of person, which I know is surprising, but it’s true! I like all the Mission Impossibles; I’ve watched them several times. I also love the Avengers.

What is your current favorite song?

I love love songs and duets, and Kelly Clarkson.

What is a song that will always be one of your favorites?

90s music. 

What is your favorite thing about your job?

Meeting new people and getting to know lots of different members of the church. I love that it’s a constantly changing environment; you never know what’s going to happen!

Ernie Slinkard | Facility Manager

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