Council of Elders

The Council of Elders is established to provide oversight and guidance within the Church for the service and care of local congregations, the preaching of the gospel and the administration of God's tithes and offerings.

2008-2009 Council of Elders
Back Row: Darris McNeely, Victor Kubik, Paul Kieffer, Robin Webber, Roy Holladay, Bob Berendt Front Row: Richard Pinelli, Aaron Dean, Robert Dick, Clyde Kilough, Richard Thompson, Bill Eddington

Council of Elders Profiles
Please be aware that some of the biographies contain information (dates, locations, etc...) which might change and not be current within the written biographies below.

Bob Berendt
Robert Berendt was born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. He grew up in a small coal-mining town on the eastern slopes of the Canadian Rockies. Sports and the outdoors are a large part of his background.

The town closed down in 1953, and he left for the city at age 16. He got a job and met a lovely girl who also worked in the office. In time they were married, and soon they had two sons and two daughters. His lack of training was a frustration for Mr. Berendt, so he attended the University of Alberta and graduated with a degree in science and education.

In 1962 his mother began listening to Herbert W. Armstrong on the radio. She wrote in for the literature and soon Mr. Berendt also began reading the booklets. He had a summer job that allowed a lot of time for studying the Bible. By 1964 they began attending the first church service in Edmonton. He taught high school science for four years before attending Ambassador College, where he received a BA.

Mr. Berendt was hired into the Canadian ministry in 1970. His wife Joan died in 1983 of breast cancer.

He has pastored a number of churches in eastern and western Canada and then, upon marrying Valerie in 1987, they were asked to serve in Germany for five years. He was the Feast coordinator at three different sites and has conducted many youth campouts, hiking trips and hockey tournaments. He is still active in sports.

Currently Mr. Berendt serves on the Canadian National Council and pastors four churches. He serves on several committees and helps coordinate Ministerial Services in Canada. He writes articles that are placed on UCG Edmonton's very active Web site and appear in other Church publications as well.

Mr. Berendt sees being on the Council of Elders (starting in July) as a huge responsibility. He said, "'God so loved the world,' and our mandate is along those lines. UCG is to reflect the love from God and Christ to all the world and in our service within the Body of Christ." He said he is determined to strive to work together on the Council to serve the Church. "It is important that we stand up for the truth at all times and that we never forget the 'weightier matters of the law,' justice, mercy and faith." He said he hopes the love of God will flow out of all Council actions.

Mr. Berendt has 14 grandchildren. His two sons are both ordained ministers in UCG and there are three medical doctors to look out for him (Rick, Dan and Heather). His daughter Cathy is also a member, and his wife, Valerie, is a strong supporter who travels with him.

Aaron Dean
Aaron Dean was born on the Feast of Trumpets 1952. At age 3 his father died, and his mother moved to Big Sandy, Texas, and later to Pasadena, California. He graduated in 1970 with honors from the Church's Imperial Schools and in 1974 from Ambassador College.

At graduation, Herbert Armstrong personally asked that he become part of his traveling group and not go to his ministerial assignment.

In 1974 he married Michelle Gemon. "Michelle has been my greatest asset. [She came] to college with only a nominal Lutheran background. She knew nothing of the Sabbath or Holy Days. She gives me a perspective that I don't have.

"After the legal battles with the State of California in 1979, and the subsequent 'putting the Church back on track' by Mr. Armstrong, it was requested that I officially become his assistant. I refused three times, knowing what the job was," Mr. Dean said. But Mr. Armstrong ignored his objections. "If God makes you do something, you will not fail. I think this is part of the 'fear of God.'"

Mr. Dean wore many "hats" until Mr. Armstrong's death in 1986. Earlier travel involved being away from home around 300 days a year. He was appointed to the Council of Elders and made a vice president, where he was able to tighten the overseas schedule by 60 percent and costs by 75 percent.

He takes little credit, as "it was God who helped a 92-year-old man in his last year visit nine countries in 24 days."

Along with setting up campaigns and meetings, Mr. Dean negotiated the student projects in foreign countries, which were very effective in demonstrating God's way of life.

He was kept busy seven days a week, usually 20 hours a day dealing with all aspects of the Church, college and Ambassador Foundation. Mr. Armstrong only allowed him one outside duty, a request by King Leopold III of Belgium that he serve on the board of Leopold's foundation.

"I was saddened at the death of my mentor in 1986. Michelle and I wanted a family, and God granted us a son, Aaron Jr., and daughter, Crystal Michelle. They truly filled a void for us," Mr. Dean said.

Mr. Dean completed an MBA with honors and began teaching at Ambassador University until its close in 1997.

Mr. Dean works in Texas for an agricultural company in domestic and international markets, which often allows him to visit scattered members.

He hopes to "help prepare the Bride of Christ," a promise he made to Mr. Armstrong. "I believe this is done on a personal basis. We can't afford complacency with the job Christ is about to give to us at His return.

"I hope to add to our world a perspective of the spiritual organism and to the personal growth of God's children to follow where Jesus Christ, the true Head of the Church, leads according to God's will and not our own, and to continue the enthusiasm of Herbert Armstrong.

"Council service is very demanding, and I must consistently pray my job allows me the blocks of time off to be helpful and effective. As long as God allows, I will serve God's people," Mr. Dean said.

Robert Dick
Robert Dick was born in 1943 in Caldwell, Idaho. His grandfather was the first to listen to The World Tomorrow in the early '50s and encouraged Mr. Dick's father to listen also.

In 1957, his father, Raymond, applied and was accepted to Ambassador College in Pasadena. He took his family with him and Bob attended Imperial High School for four years. Following high school he enrolled in Ambassador College, transferring to Bricket Wood, England, after his sophomore year.

The opportunity to visit in the homes of many members from central London to the English Channel and to preach in all the congregations of the Radio Church of God in England was a highlight of those two years.

Mr. Dick began corresponding during his junior year with Dyanne Moore, who was attending Ambassador in Pasadena. They were married following the Feast of Tabernacles in 1965.

After four months of ministerial training in South Bend, Indiana, and Grand Rapids, Michigan, the Dicks moved to Birmingham, Alabama, where Mr. Dick served as associate pastor for six months. His first full pastorate was in Mobile, Alabama, where both of their sons, Philip and Timothy, were born. Shortly after arriving he started the church in Geneva, Alabama.

Mr. Dick has since pastored Birmingham and Montgomery, Alabama; Columbus, Ohio; Elkhart, Plymouth and Michigan City, Indiana; Seattle, Bremerton, Everett and Federal Way, Washington; and Portland and Hood River, Oregon.

Mr. Dick has served in YOU administration as a district coordinator, and as regional coordinator for the Northeast, Great Lakes and Northwest. He has also served as a senior pastor in Columbus, Ohio, and as regional pastor for the Northwest.

One of the Dicks' greater ministerial pleasures was serving as a traveling speaker at the Feast of Tabernacles, providing an opportunity to meet and spend time with God's people in Europe, Africa, Canada, the Philippines and across the United States.

Mr. Dick has served on the Council of Elders for the last 12 years and currently serves as chairman.

Bill Eddington
Bill Eddington and his wife, Rae, live in Melbourne, Australia, and have six adult children.

He was baptized in 1970 and ordained as an elder in 1975. Since that time he has served the Church in many capacities—counseling, preaching, giving Bible studies, baptizing, acting as a Festival coordinator and a Festival elder and conducting weddings and funerals. He currently assists Australian Southern Region pastor Barry Williams and pastors a small congregation several hours' drive from Melbourne.

He has been a member of the Australian National Council since 1997 and chairman since 1999. He also serves on the Pastoral and the Policy and Planning Committees.

Mr. Eddington gained considerable experience in sales, logistics, strategic planning and human resources during his years of employment with several major companies and the state government of Victoria. For several years in the early 1980s he was a member of the governing council of the state's premier teacher training college, chairing the staffing and legislation committees. He is now retired.

He has never been employed by the Church and feels that his outside employment experience, noncareer Church involvement and hands-on knowledge of the operations and needs of a UCG IA international area may provide a different perspective during some Council discussions.

Mr. Eddington said, "This will be a new experience for me, and I look forward to making an effective contribution to the workings of the Council of Elders and the Church generally."

Paul Kieffer
Paul Kieffer was born in 1951 in St. Louis, Missouri. He first heard the World Tomorrow broadcast in 1964.

He graduated from the Pasadena, California, campus of Ambassador College in 1973 and was assigned to work in the Duesseldorf, Germany, office of the Worldwide Church of God.

Mr. Kieffer had met his wife, Monica, earlier on a visit to the Big Sandy, Texas, campus. They were married in June 1974.

Mr. Kieffer has lived more than 30 years outside the United States and has fulfilled pastoral and administrative responsibilities in Asia and Europe. He currently resides in Troisdorf, Germany, and serves as chairman of UCG-Germany and UCG-Holland.

He and Monica have two adult children and three grandchildren, all residing in the Dallas, Texas, area.

Mr. Kieffer was selected as an international member of the Council at the General Conference of Elders meeting in May.

Asked about his selection to the Council of Elders, Mr. Kieffer said, "I appreciate the opportunity to serve our members and help them fulfill United's motto of preaching the gospel and preparing a people."

Roy Holladay
Roy Holladay and his twin sister, Roberta, were born in Glasgow, Kentucky, in 1940 to Robert and Grace Holladay. He is firstborn of five children—three boys and two girls. The family moved to East Tennessee in 1949 where his dad worked on the railroad and sharecropped. He grew up on a farm and played basketball and football in high school.

It was Mr. Holladay's interest in sports that led him to hear the World Tomorrow radio program in 1958. His mom was an ardent University of Kentucky basketball fan. While trying to listen to the basketball games on radio station WHAS out of Louisville, Kentucky, the World Tomorrow broadcast would overpower the station and grabbed their interest.

They met a baptizing tour in the summer of 1958, and in 1959 Roy Holladay was accepted to Ambassador College. It was there that he met Norma Cowan—his future wife. They were both in the freshman class that year. Her dad had heard the World Tomorrow radio broadcast in the mid-1930s, sent money in to help start Ambassador College in 1947 and attended the first Feast in Big Sandy, Texas, in 1953 with his family.

In the summer of 1962 Mr. Holladay went on a 12-week nationwide baptizing tour. He and his wife were married in June 1963 and sent out to the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Akron and Toledo, Ohio, congregations as an associate pastor. He was ordained as a local elder on Pentecost 1964, preaching elder at the Feast of Tabernacles in 1964 and a pastor in 1968.

Mr. and Mrs. Holladay have served in Pittsburgh, Akron, Toledo, Wheeling, Charleston, Uniontown, San Antonio, Austin, Corpus Christi, Uvalde, the Rio Grand Valley, Richmond, Norfolk, Arlington, Hinsdale, Chicago North, St. Petersburg, New Port Richey, Fort Myers, Miami, West Palm Beach, Big Sandy, Texarkana, Chattanooga and Rome congregations. He served as a senior pastor in 1976, regional pastor from 1992 to 1998 and Festival coordinator in Mt. Pocono and St. Petersburg for 10 years, 1983 to 1994.

Mr. and Mrs. Holladay attended the preplanning meeting for the Indianapolis Conference in 1995, and he was selected to the interim board and served on the Council from 1995 to 2002 (the last two years as chairman). He stepped down from the Council when he became president in 2002 and served as president of United for three years. In 2005 they moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee, and presently pastor the Chattanooga and Rome, Georgia, congregations

They have five sons, five daughters-in-law and 10 grandchildren who are scattered worldwide—South Africa, Australia, California, Colorado and Texas.

Mr. Holladay sees the responsibility of being on the Council as a wonderful opportunity to serve the membership of the Church (the responsibility to care for, serve, love and look after God's flock) and to help humanity through the preaching of the gospel.

Mr. Holladay said, "I could not have served all these years without the love, help and strength of my inspiring wife—we truly are a team that works together in every phase of God's work."

Clyde Kilough
Clyde Kilough was selected by the Council of Elders in May of 2005 to serve as president of the United Church of God, an International Association, and moved with his wife, Dee, to Cincinnati to assume those responsibilities on July 1, 2005.

Mr. and Mrs. Kilough graduated from Ambassador College (Big Sandy) together in 1974, married two days later and moved to Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, the first stop in a string of ministerial assignments that included Evansburg, Alberta; Winnipeg and Dauphin, Manitoba; Yorkton, Saskatchewan; Jonesboro, Arkansas, and Poplar Bluff, Missouri; Wilkes-Barre and Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania; Akron and Youngstown, Ohio; Sacramento, Santa Rosa and Stockton, California, and Reno, Nevada.

They have two grown children, Dave, and Becca Washington; one son-in-law, Brett; and one granddaughter, Jazmin.

Mr. Kilough was born in 1951 and came into the Church in Houston, Texas, with his parents in 1963. Mrs. Kilough grew up primarily in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., and began attending Church services in 1965.

He was appointed regional pastor of the Northern California and Nevada area in 1996, and served in that capacity until being named to the Council of Elders in May 2001. His experience with the Council had begun earlier, when he worked as the first Council reporter from 1997 to 1999. Later, from May 2002 until May 2005, he was the chairman of the Council.

"We are now well into our second decade as the United Church of God," Mr. Kilough observed, "and God has blessed us immensely to be positioned more strongly than ever to fulfill our mission of preaching the gospel to the world, making disciples through that process and caring for those disciples as they strive to live God's way of life."

His emphasis for the Church has been that of being zealously focused on fulfilling that mission in every arena—individually, collectively and administratively. "God's calling and working in our lives is a miracle, and we must treasure this as a gift and a responsibility to help others.

"Understanding the good news of the coming Kingdom of God, and all that it encompasses, is one of the greatest things that can happen to an individual," he said. "In that knowledge we find the purpose for our existence, insight into both the history and future of humanity, and why and how God is involved with this world. It gives us tremendous hope for the future as well as marvelous understanding about how to live today."

The Kiloughs especially enjoy visiting the congregations and members of the United Church of God around the world. "We are always encouraged and inspired to see so many people from all walks of life, some in extremely difficult circumstances, unified in purpose and understanding. It is a continual display of God's Spirit, and it is such a blessing to be part of His work at this time."

Victor Kubik
Victor Kubik was born in Hannover, Germany, in a United Nations Displaced Persons camp in the aftermath of World War II. He immigrated to the United States with his parents in 1949.

He is married to the former Beverly Skogen. They have three children: Kim in New Jersey, Kevin in Minnesota and Michael in Indiana. Michael is married to Alix Rhodes, and they have one daughter, Alyssa.

Mr. Kubik studied the Bible through his high school years and became convicted of the Sabbath and other truths. He applied to Ambassador College in 1965 before hearing about the Church. He was accepted to the Pasadena campus and later transferred to and graduated from Ambassador College in Bricket Wood, England, in 1969. After graduation, he served in the ministry in Sioux Falls and Rapid City, South Dakota; Minneapolis, Minnesota; and Paducah, Kentucky.

In 1990, Mr. Kubik was transferred to Pasadena, where he served as assistant director of Church Administration until his resignation from the ministry of the Worldwide Church of God in March 1995.

He was the first director of Ministerial Services in United. In 1996 he and Beverly were transferred to Indianapolis where he pastors congregations in Lafayette and Terre Haute, Indiana, to this day.

He also oversees the work of the United Church of God in Eastern Europe, which includes a congregation in Tartu, Estonia, and a working relationship with Sabbatarians in Ukraine, and he travels regularly to those regions. He is fluent in Ukrainian and also speaks Russian.

Mr. Kubik has served on the Council of Elders through the entire history of United. He currently chairs the Media Committee and enjoys seeing the dynamics of constantly changing technology being used to proclaim an unchanging gospel message. He also serves on the Education/Ministerial Services Committee.

One of his passions is to help our brethren in developing areas. In 1999 he founded a nonprofit organization, LifeNets, which helps people in practical ways, helps them become self-sufficient and encourages even the poor to focus on others.

He gives special credit to his wife, Beverly, who has been an integral part of his ministry. Her full-time work is his ministry. "Without the devotion and dedication of Bev to all the things that I try to do, I wouldn't even begin to see the successful outcomes I have experienced."

His pastimes include playing the piano, bicycling and hiking.

Darris McNeely
Darris McNeely grew up in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, a small town on the banks of the Mississippi River 125 miles south of St. Louis, Missouri.

From an early age he worked around his father, a veteran of Omaha Beach during World War II, in his Texaco gas station. "From him I learned a work ethic and an appreciation for those who labor with their hands," Mr. McNeely said. "From my mother, who grew up during the Depression, I learned a compassion for those with little." Both of his parents were of Scotch-Irish descent. His mother began reading The Plain Truth magazine in the early 1960s, and it was through her teaching and example that he became a part of the Church of God.

Mr. McNeely attended Ambassador College in Pasadena, California, from 1970 to 1973. In 1973 he married Debra Detwiler. Her parents came into the Church in Ohio in the mid-1960s. She comes from a Mennonite background. The McNeelys have two grown sons, Christopher and Ryan. Ryan and his wife, Stephanie, are members of UCG. The McNeelys have two grandchildren.

Mr. McNeely has spent 35 years in the full-time ministry. The past 18 years they have lived in Indianapolis, Indiana, pastoring churches there and in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

"Besides the daily care of the churches, I have spent these years working in two areas that have given me great satisfaction—youth work and media," said Mr. McNeely. He has been on teams that developed two major youth initiatives in God's Church, YOU and UYC. For the past 12 years in United he has been involved in media efforts such as World News and Prophecy (as managing editor) and Beyond Today (host).

"Through these years Debbie and I have worked as a team," Mr. McNeely said. "Anything I have done has had the benefit of her wisdom, counsel and intelligence behind it. It would be difficult for me to distinguish between what is mine and hers; it has been a team ministry."

In May the General Conference of Elders selected Mr. McNeely to serve on the Council of Elders. "I look forward to working with the Council of Elders in meeting the critical needs of preaching the gospel and caring for those God calls to His Church," he said. "We are building on a heritage of many fine and dedicated people who have gone before us. It is a privilege to work in a senior leadership role for the Church at this exciting time in its history."

Richard Pinelli
Richard Pinelli was born and reared in Chicago, Illinois, going through what he describes as a normal childhood and finishing grade 12. He then went to and graduated from Ambassador College.

He married his wife, Mary, in 1960, and they were transferred after graduation to Vancouver, British Columbia. They worked in Canada pastoring in 12 church areas for 23 years. They moved back to the United States in 1984 where they pastored three areas before the church split in 1995.

He has been a pastor for 43 years and has 12 years of experience as a Feast coordinator, 14 years as a regional pastor, two years as Ministerial Services operation manager in Canada and 10 years as operation manager for Ministerial Services in United.

Currently Mr. Pinelli serves as coordinator of ministerial development programs, focusing on training the trainers of future ministers. Mr. Pinelli has mentored 36 trainees in his career and is very enthused about his new job and about serving on the Council.

"I appreciate the opportunity to serve on the Council at this time," he said. "I have worked with the Council closely for 10 years when I worked in Ministerial Services as well as with the home office administration. I hope this experience will be helpful in my time on the Council."

Richard Thompson

Richard C. Thompson was reselected by the General Conference of Elders to serve another three-year term on the Council of Elders in May 2006.

He was born in Jackson, Mississippi<, and was raised in a family with two brothers and a sister. His family was close-knit and very supportive of one another.

Mr. Thompson attended Mississippi State University and received a mathematics degree, with emphasis in science, in 1964.

While there he began listening to The World Tomorrow broadcast in the fall of 1963, became interested in the message and made plans to become a part of the Church in early 1964.

He taught eighth-grade mathematics in Avondale Estates, Georgia, until he began attending AmbassadorCollege in Big Sandy, Texas, in the fall of 1965. During his three years as a student at the college, he enjoyed working on the plumbing crew, in the Science Department and in the business office.

He married Onnie Guarnieri from Grove City, Pennsylvania, in 1967. He spent his last year in Big Sandy as a married student, and was hired as a Worldwide Church of God ministerial trainee in the Los Angeles, California, area in the spring of 1968. After serving there one year, he was ordained an elder in April 1969.

Mr. Thompson returned to work in the business office in Big Sandy from 1969 until 1972. He was transferred to pastor the Baton Rouge and Alexandria, Louisiana, churches from 1972 until 1976. He then pastored the Dayton, Ohio, churches from 1976 until 1983, when he returned to Ambassador College in Big Sandy. This time he taught theology and speech classes, served as dean of students, dean of student affairs and acting provost until being transferred to pastor the Athens and Buford, Georgia, churches.

Mr. Thompson also served as a Festival coordinator for 13 years and supervised sites in Penticton, British Columbia; St. Petersburg, Florida; Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri; Hampton, Virginia; Norfolk, Virginia; Biloxi, Mississippi; and Dayton, Ohio.

The Thompsons' two sons, Scot and Brett, were both born in Tyler, Texas. They both now live and work in Eustis, Florida. Mrs. Thompson died suddenly and unexpectedly of a massive stroke Feb. 4, 2006 (see "Tribute," March/April 2006 United News, page 23).

Mr. Thompson now pastors the Ocala and Tallahassee, Florida, churches and works on the Ministerial Services Team. He has taught the Gospels class at ABC for many years.

Mr. Thompson enjoys sports, especially baseball and football (LA Dodgers and Dallas Cowboys, along with adopting the Jacksonville Jaguars since living in Florida). One of his favorite pastimes is reading, especially history or biography in addition to religious books. He enjoys spending time with his sons. "We enjoy barbecuing at home and eating out together," he says. "They enjoy NASCAR, and that has been a favorite TV viewing time we spend together when possible."

He says he is hopeful United will continue to be "helpful and positive" in filling "the needs of God's people and in the preaching of the gospel as God enables the Church to continue doing His work. There is much for all of us to do before God's Kingdom comes."

Robin Webber
Robin Webber was born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1951, but has lived most of his life in California. He has been a part of the Church of God community since 1963. He attended Ambassador College in Pasadena from 1969-1973. He majored in theology and history.

Upon graduation, Mr. Webber married a fellow classmate, Susan Leimbach, of Ohio. They have now been married for 35 years and are blessed with three married daughters and five granddaughters.

Before becoming a full-time pastor, Mr. Webber worked in the insurance industry. He was ordained as an elder in 1975 and transitioned to pastoral ministry in 1979. Over the past three decades, he has served nine different congregations in the Southern California area.

He currently pastors the Redlands and San Diego congregations and serves as a Festival coordinator for Escondido, California.

Mr. Webber also contributes to the Church's editorial efforts as a senior editor for World News and Prophecy and has written a featured monthly column for 10 years titled "This Is the Way." "The focus of this column has been to note the productive and courageous efforts of men and women and how we as Christians can develop personal leadership skills and enhance our own walk with God by recognizing the contributions of ordinary folk," Mr. Webber said.

Mr. Webber's interest remains in the study of history, socio-economics and literature. Over the years, he has offered his services to museums as a docent to share his enthusiasm and passions regarding these areas of expertise.

When time permits, he loves to go mountain biking on nearby ranch land and meet his wife as she hikes toward him.