Reverend John Middleton
Senior Pastor
Contact: 407-894-1081
Email: revjohn@joymcc.com

A native Floridian with a great love for the state’s natural beauty, John Middleton was awarded a Bachelor of Science degree by the School of Biology at Florida State University in 1975. After spending five years with the Florida Park Service he began a twenty year career in the restaurant industry. Raised and educated as a Roman Catholic, Rev. Middleton first recognized as a child the spiritual stirring that would ultimately lead him to professional ministry, and even considered entering seminary upon graduating from High School. But it was in mid-life that he finally responded to God’s incessant call.  Resigning his position and selling his suburban home, John enrolled in the Florida Center for Theological Studies in 2000 and it was that institution that awarded him the Master of Divinity degree.  

Reverend Carol L. Chambers
Assistant Pastor for Music
Contact: 407-894-1081
Email: revcarol@joymcc.com

Rev. Carol Chambers has been called “a church musician with a pastor’s heart”.  She graduated with a degree in Voice from Rollins College and received a Master of Divinity Degree from Southeastern Seminary in 1978.  She was ordained in Austin, Texas that same year, and later earned a Master’s Degree in Religion from Indiana University.  Her faith practice has been ecumenical in nature and she has served in several different denominations.  From the late 1980’s through 2006, she worked mostly in New York in the fields of child welfare and domestic violence.  She continued to serve churches in various ministry positions and also did consulting throughout New York State for the Department of Children and Families, SAGE, and Brookdale Center on Aging where she did training on the needs of LGBT elders.

Kathy Beasley
Student Clergy
Contact: 407-894-1081
Email: kathy@joymcc.com

Shirley Dasher-Strader
Student Clergy
Contact: 407-894-1081
Email: shirley@joymcc.com

Shirley has been a member of Joy MCC since 1999 and a resident of Central Florida for most of her life.  After graduating from high school in Orlando she received her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Florida.  .
Shirley currently serves as one of Joy’s Deacons and with her life partner Jennifer, co-founded and co-leads the women’s bible and fellowship group, SOFEA. (Sisters of Faith Encouraging Another)
Shirley is currently working on her Master of Divinity degree from Florida Center for Theological Studies, and will soon begin her Clergy Candidacy at MCC Tampa for the 2008 Fall Term.

Reverend Frank Faine
MCC Clergy
Contact: 407-894-1081
Email: frank@joymcc.com
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Tom Koester
Clergy Intern
Contact: 407-894-1081
Email: tom@joymcc.com

Rev. Tom Koester was born and raised in upstate New York (in the Rochester area).   He received a B.A. from Wadhams Hall College and his M.Div from The Rochester Center for Theological Studies.  Tom was ordained a Roman Catholic priest in 1975.  He served in several parishes ranging in size from 500 families to 5000 families.  He also was Chaplain at Cornell University.  He celebrated his first same sex union there in 1978.  Tom’s bishop wanted to force him back into the closet, which he did not agree to.  He did continue his ministry, in the model of the “worker priest” at Cornell, Northwestern University, National College Television, The American Cancer Society and was Employee Assistance Coordinator at companies like Xerox, Pitney Bowes and Kodak.
Tom moved to Florida in 2004 and lives in Deltona.  He became involved with Joy MCC in 2007 and is a proud member.  He is currently in the process of transferring his credentials to MCC clergy.

Hank Lewis
Special Assistant to the Pastor
Contact: 407-894-1081
Email: hank@joymcc.com

Hank Lewis has been active in bi-vocational ministry for most of his adult life.  He spent over 25 years in higher education in positions ranging from adjunct instructor to College President.  Hank holds a Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s degree in Business Administration.  Hank grew up in the Southern Baptist denomination and worked in churches for over 20 years.  He has served as Youth Pastor, Minister of Music, Senior Adult Minister, Associate Pastor, and Interim Pastor for different churches.  After “retiring” from ministry in Southern Baptist churches, Hank found Joy Metropolitan Community Church to be a place where he would use his experiences and talents to serve God.  Hank has a passion for feeding the working poor and is also the Executive Director of Joy Charities whose mission is to feed the hungry.

Reverend Calvin Tate
MCC Clergy, Retired
Contact: 407-894-1081
Email:calvin@joymcc.com
Rev. Calvin Tate received his B.A. degree from Wayland Baptist University, Plainview, Texas in 1955.  Licensed to preach in 1951 and ordained in the Southern Baptist Church in 1955, Rev. Tate attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Ft Worth, Texas and received his Masters of Theology in 1959.  Pastor of eight Baptist Churches in 4 states, Rev. Tate was also ordained in the Open Bible Churches, Inc. in 1984.  He then pastored the Open Bible Church in Orlando Fl through 1991.  He was ordained by the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches in 1996 and founded and pastored the Rainbow Promise MCC in Lakeland, Fl.  On September 22, 1998, Rev. Tate retired from the active pastorate.   He is a treasured member of the Joy MCC Clergy team.