Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior,
Jesus Christ! We are Dianne and
Steve Springer,
Associates in Mission of the General Board of Global Ministries,
serving in the Red Bird Missionary Conference since October 1992.
The passion for mission work we share grows stronger
the longer we serve.
We are blessed to serve two UM congregations that share that passion:
Thousandsticks
UMC (since October 1992) and
Lower Beech Fork UMC (added to our charge in
July 2002). These congregations are located about 20 miles apart.
More about the Springer’s
Steve is serving as pastor of the Thousandsticks UMC in Thousandsticks, Kentucky and the Lower Beech Fork UMC in Mozelle, Kentucky. Both of these churches are located in Leslie County.
Born in Chicago, Illinois, Steve spent his growing up years outside Chicago, Ridgewood, NJ and Oreland, PA. He attended Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA where he received a degree in general agriculture. He holds a master’s degree in entomology from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (now Virginia Tech) in Blacksburg, VA. Also he has completed his course work toward a PH.D degree. In May 1992 he attended the Appalachian Local Pastor’s School at the Red Bird Missionary Conference to become licensed to preach in the United Methodist Church. Emphasis of school: the culture of Appalachian people and serving in rural areas.
Prior to this assignment, for 24 years, Steve taught biology to non-science majors at Essex County College in Newark, NJ. While there he also served as college administrator which included department chairperson, division director and liaison for Essex County College with the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. He also served a long-term president of the Association of NJ County College Faculty.
As a member of St. Paul’s UMC in Brick NJ, he taught both high school and adult Sunday School, and served in many leadership roles. He was a certified lay speaker and with his wife, taught the Basic Lay Speaker’s Course. He served on Conference Committees. Steve was involved in short term mission trips to Haiti, Mexico and Equador. He and Dianne led mission teams to Maryland and rural Kentucky. They taught seminars to encourage others to serve. He was a volunteer interpreter for Heifer Project International and served on the regional advisory board. Steve attended the Walk to Emmaus in Eastern Pennsylvania and served on numerous teams. He and Dianne helped establish the first Southern New Jersey Walk to Emmaus where he served as lay director of its’ first men’s walk.
Dianne works along side her husband sharing the work related to pastoring
the churches. She works with children and families in the churches and in
the community.
A native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, she grew up in Oreland. She attended
Shippensburg College in PA and Brookdale Community College in Lincroft, NJ
majoring in early childhood education. While their children were growing up,
she was a stay-at home Mom. From 1986-92, she was a pre-kindergarten teacher
at St. Paul’s UMC Christian School in Brick, NJ.
Prior to this assignment, Dianne held membership at St. Paul’s UMC in Brick, NJ. She was a certified lay speaker, served as mission chairperson, held United Methodist Women offices at the local and district level, taught with Steve the Basic Lay Speaker’s Course, worked as a Heifer Project International volunteer interpreter and served as chairperson of the HPI Mid-Atlantic Region Advisory Committee. She was a participant on mission work teams to Kentucky, Mexico, Equador, Maryland and Kentucky. She attended the Walk to Emmaus in Eastern Pennsylvania and served on numerous teams. Dianne was the women’s lay director of southern New Jersey’s first Walk to Emmaus
Dianne and Steve were 4-H Dairy Goat Club leaders for ten years in Monmouth County, NJ.
They were married December 19, 1964 and have three grown children. Sarita and her two children (Curtis and Gina) live in Versailles, Kentucky; Mark lives in Howell, New Jersey, and Chase and his wife, Jeri, and two children (Courtney and Nichole) live in Wasilla, Alaska.
“Serving with Jesus in the Heart of Appalachia has been both challenging and rewarding. The adventure of being United Methodist missionaries awaits us each day. Moving among God’s people in the hills and hollers has allowed us to experience firsthand the need for The United Methodist Church to remain in mission in this impoverished area.”
Missionary Advance #773963
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