Staff

Welcome to
Sycamore Presbyterian Church
Alive in Christ!

Our Staff ?

Whether ferrying their way across the Ohio River or preparing for Sunday services, the staff of SPC is truly a team...a team of dedicated and caring folks whose personalities are as diverse as our church.

From the more reserved to the over-the-top extroverts, we like to think it's part of what makes SPC so unique: everyone can find someone they can relate to on our staff and in our congregation!

You'll find more about this caring group of Christian folk below...just click on a photo to learn all about each of us! And don't forget to say HELLO when your in the building...we'd like to get to know YOU better!

Highslide JS

Dr. Lawrence W. Kent, Sr. Pastor of Sycamore Presbyterian Church, is a native Buckeye. He graduated from Bowling Green State University in 1975; the Methodist Theological School in Ohio in 1979; and Pittsburgh Theological Seminary , where he received his Doctor of Ministry in 1985. He was also awarded a Doctor of Humane Letters from Baker College, Flint, Michigan in 2001. Dr. Kent has over 30 years of ministry experience, including service to First Presbyterian Church, Lansing, MI (1979 – 1985); First Presbyterian Church, Flint, MI (1985 – 2004); and Sycamore Church since June, 2004. He has contributed chapters to the books Counseling Single Adults (Baker Book House) and Single Adult Ministry (Navpress). Larry is married to Joyce and they have two children, Elizabeth and Cameron. His recreational interests include travel, backpacking, rooting on the Ohio State football team.

Email Dr. Kent

Dr. Larry Kent
Pastor-Head of Staff

Dr. Jerry W. Pitman is originally a Texan. Born and raised in Texas, Dr. Pitman attended the University of Corpus Christi, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary where he earned a Doctor of Ministry degree, and Texas A&M Universtiy, Corpus Christi Extension Center earning a Master’s of Science degree in counseling. Dr. Pitman has pastored churches in Texas and Alaska and served a church in Michigan as staff counselor and associate pastor. Dr. Pitman’s ministry focus at SPC is pastoral care, senior adult ministries, teaching, short-term counseling, and is currently developing a single adult ministry. Dr. Pitman is married to Kathy and they have one surviving child Darrell who also lives in the Cincinnati area as well as an identical twin brother who lives in the area. Dr. Pitman’s hobbies and interest include golfing, fishing, and hunting.

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Dr. Jerry Pitman
Associate Pastor

Rev. Hutchins comes to SPC from the First Presbyterian Church in Hamlet, North Carolina. She is a graduate of East Tennessee State University and served as Director of Christian Education at Fountain City Presbyterian Church in Knoxville for eleven years. She attended Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, Virginia and earned her Master of Divinity in 1991. She has continued her service to the Lord through various churches in West Virginia and North Carolina, including serving as Moderator to the Presbytery of West Virginia. Shirley and her four-legged companion, Noel, an eight-year-old Maltese, live in the Loveland area.

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Rev. Shirley Hutchins
Associate Pastor for Adult Ministry

Jack is SPC's first Director of Operations, joining the church staff in January of 2008. He is the immediate past-president of the National Association of Church Business Administration and has served in numerous positions with that organization for the past 10 years. He and his wife Janalee have two grown children and live in Symmes Township. Email Mr. Taylor Ext. 105 Jack Taylor, FCBA Director of Operations	Jan Ferris became the Director of Children’s Ministries in 2002. Previously she taught elementary school for 13 years before taking time off to raise her 2 daughters. She holds a BS degree from The Ohio State University and a Master of Education degree from Xavier. She and her husband, Ken, and two daughters are also members of Sycamore Presbyterian Church. Email Mrs. Ferris Ext. 107 Jan Ferris Dir. Children's Ministries	Joe Dilley, a native of Ohio, came to Sycamore as organist in 1993. He became Director of Music Ministries/Organist in 2004. Joe also teaches school music to 5th and 6th graders at the E.H. Greene Intermediate school in Blue Ash. Email Mr. Dilley Ext. 116 Joseph Dilley Dir. Music Ministries/Organist
Jeanne Stevens has been with Sycamore Church for 13 years, first as Ass’t Director/ Teacher with Sycamore Preschool and ,for the past 9 years, as Office Manager. She is a member of the church and lives in Loveland with her husband, Tod. They have 2 daughters. Email Mrs. Stevens Ext. 101 Jeanne Stevens Office Manager	Stephanie joined the staff in July 2007 as our Bookkeeer and is a member of SPC. She and her family moved to Loveland in 1998 from Pittsburgh, PA. She graduated from the University of Pittsburgh and holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Accounting and Finance. She and her husband Don live in Loveland with their three children. Email Mrs. McGill Ext. 111 Stephanie McGill Bookkeeper	Born in Pittsburgh, Pa. and raised in Alliance, Ohio, Barry attended Mercersburg Academy and graduated from Case Institute of Technology with a degree in Chemical Engineering. For 38 years he worked for Eastman Chemical Company for 38 years in marketing. Barry and his wife Barbara moved to Cincinnati in 1982 from Syracuse, NY and joined Sycamore Church in 1984. Email Mr. Harrison Barry Harrison Financial Secretary
Ann Ross is one of our Administrative Assistants in the church office. She joined the staff in April, 1999. Ann and Paul “Randy” Ross and their son Andy moved to Cincinnati from Pittsburgh, Pa (“Go Steelers!”) in 1998 and live in Kings Mills. Andy is currently living in Houston, TX. Email Mrs. Ross Ext. 106 Ann Ross Secretary	Gail joined Sycamore Church’s office staff in 2005 after 12 years at Xavier University’s development office. She is a former elder commissioner and current member of Pleasant Plain Presbyterian Church. She is married to Steve Sargent and they have a married son and daughter and four grandchildren. Email Mrs. Sargent Ext. 103 Gail Sargent Secretary	Alex Mendelsohn has directed the Handbell Choirs and Children's Music at SPC since 2004. He is currently pursuing a Master of Music degree in Music Education and Arts Administration at University of Cincinnati, CCM. Prior to returing to school as a full time grad student, Alex taught K-12 music in the Cincinnati Public Schools. Email Mr. Mendelsohn Ext. 116 Alex Mendelsohn Asst. Dir. Music Ministries
Jamie Coston joined Sycamore Presbyterian Preschool as preschool director in 2003. Jamie has worked in the early childhood field for over fifteen years with prior experience in both teaching and administrative positions. Jamie gained her degree in Early Childhood Education/Development from the University of Cincinnati, and currently resides with her husband Kevin and family in Anderson Township. Email Mrs. Coston Phone 513.683.7717 Jamie Coston Preschool Director	BIO COMING SOON! Email Ms. Reuscher Ext. 108 Meredith Reuscher Dir. Student Ministries	Wendy Grethel has been a member of SPC since 1994. She started teaching Sunday school in 1996. In 2002, Wendy started helping the Jr. High Youth group and soon moved onto the Student Ministry Team. She still loves to teach the youth. Wendy and her husband, RJ, live in Loveland with their two sons. Email Mrs. Grethel Ext. 108 Wendy Grethel Student Ministries Assistant

Tony began his work at SPC in December of 2007. Prior to joining the church staff he spent 7 years in maintenance at Saint Frances DeSales and 5 years in the maintenance department at Maple Knoll Village.

Email Mr. Barnes
Ext. 109

Tony Barnes
Lead Maintenance

Rick comes to SPC with many years of maintenance experience. He currently works weekdays for the Snooty Fox consignment stores and has also worked in the family business as a carpenter.

Email Mr. Ware
Ext. 109

Rick Ware
Weekend Maintenance

Julie has been the the Childcare Coordinator at SPC since Dec. 2007. She has taught in different sectors including, Special Ed where she worked as and ABA therapist for 2 years. Prior to that, she received her Masters degree in Educational Psychology from New York University. Julie and her husband, Dave live in Symmes Township with their two children, Lucas and Ashley.

Email Mrs. Smith
Ext. 120

Julie Smith
Childcare Coordinator