Incoming Leaders
Celebrating New Ministry Leadership
The Free Methodist Church in Southern California celebrates God’s work in raising up new leaders to guide our congregations and ministries. This page honors those who have completed significant milestones in their ministry journey and will be recognized during Annual Conference 2025. These faithful servants represent the ongoing story of God’s leadership provision from generation to generation.
Leadership Development Pipeline
The recognition of these incoming leaders represents just one stage in our comprehensive leadership development approach. The Free Methodist Church in Southern California is committed to identifying, equipping, and deploying leaders at every level through intentional processes.
Our leadership pathway includes several stages that create a continuous development journey:
- Local Ministerial Candidates (LMCs) begin their formal preparation under local church supervision
- Conference Ministerial Candidates (CMCs) continue development under conference guidance
- Ordained Elders serve with full clergy rights and sacramental authority
This multi-stage approach ensures leaders receive appropriate mentoring, education, and practical experience while confirming their calling through community discernment. The conference’s Ministerial Education & Guidance (MEG) committee oversees this process, maintaining standards while supporting individual development.
Incoming Elders
The following individuals have completed the ordination process and will be ordained as Elders during our Annual Conference. Ordination represents the conference’s formal recognition of divine calling to ministry, including authority to administer sacraments and provide spiritual leadership.
In Free Methodist tradition, Elders have completed comprehensive spiritual and professional assessment, demonstrating commitment to lifelong ministerial service. The ordination ceremony includes the historic practice of laying on of hands to signify this sacred commissioning.
Liz Cornell
Brian Scott
Eleitino Tuiasosopo
Andrea Vaudrey
Reginald Wadlington
Jaime Winslow
Meg Wolfgram
Jessica Zittel
Paul Zittel
Conference Ministerial Candidates
Conference Ministerial Candidates (CMCs) are leaders who have been recognized by the conference as being in preparation for ordination. These individuals have demonstrated clear ministerial calling and are under conference supervision while completing required preparation.
CMCs serve in appointed ministry positions while continuing their theological and practical training. They represent an essential part of our leadership pipeline, ensuring ministry continuity and fresh perspectives across our conference churches.
Daniel Garzaro
Caitlin Jordan
Mia Shin
Christopher Spolar
