Who will be the Director of Worship?
At their April 22 meeting, Session voted unanimously to concur with the recommendation of the Director of Worship Search Committee to hire Billy Petty as the Director of Worship at Ward Church.
Who is Billy Petty?
Billy is the chair of Worship Ministry Leadership at the National Praise and Worship Institute in Nashville, Tennessee. From the NPWI website:
Billy is a worship leader, music director, vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, conductor, clinician, ministry consultant and studio session vocalist/instrumentalist. Billy has been a worship leader, an arts director and mentor for worship leaders, artists and bands since 1989. Before NPWI, his most recent ministry role was at the largest evangelical church in New England as the Worship Arts Director at Bethany Church. Billy has served as Music Director for productions at venues like Carnegie Hall, Living Waters Theater and the New Hampshire Capitol Center for the Arts. Billy has been a guest speaker at the Experience Conference and Church Solutions Group and has appeared as a pop and classical soloist at Carnegie Hall and the Hosanna Integrity Worship Conference. He has worked with professional vocalists, instrumentalists, choirs and orchestras across the country, as well. In 2009, Billy started, and continues to facilitate, a worship and tech arts leaders gathering (The New England Arts Leaders Gathering) that has become a group of 100+ arts leaders.
What about Billy’s family?
Billy’s wife, Amy, has a singer/songwriter career of her own. She is a professional opera singer, but is equally comfortable with folk and rock music. Billy and Amy have one dog named Dora. And no, she is not named after Dora the Explorer. They named her Dorabella from Mozart’s opera “Cosi fan tutte.” Billy and Amy are both originally from the Detroit area. Billy grew up in St. Clair Shores and Amy grew up in Royal Oak.
When will Billy and Amy arrive in Michigan?
Soon. They have already found a house to rent in Livonia and hope to relocate from Nashville in early May. Billy’s first Sunday will be May 19.
Ward Staff News
I am pleased to announce that Dustin Schlabach (pronounced Slay-Ball) has been added to the Ward Staff as the Director of Small Groups. Last week, Dustin relocated from Charlotte, North Carolina, to Northville, Michigan and is still unpacking boxes. Dustin is a graduate of Appalachian State University (B.S.) and Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary (M.Div.) and has a background in organizational development. He will report to Pam Doge and be an integral member of the Group Life team.
As the Director of Group Life, Pam Dodge and her team oversee all adult ministries at Ward. Her title reflects the fact that nearly everything our church does can be considered a “group” of some kind. Pam resources and oversees more than a hundred ministries of all sizes at Ward. It has become clear in recent years that one area of Group Life that requires much more attention is our growing small group ministry. Last year, Session authorized the creation of a new staff position that will focus on the expansion of our small groups’ structure and the development and care of small group leaders. We’d like to produce custom-made curriculum that reinforces our Love-Serve-Share mission. We’d like to create easy on ramps for people to connect to a small group. We’d like to train leaders to ensure healthy, vibrant, disciple-making small groups. The addition of Dustin to the team will allow these initiatives to flourish.
Dustin is a dynamic young man with a passion for Jesus Christ and for the Church. His faith is solid. His enthusiasm is contagious. His chemistry with the team is sound. We look forward to welcoming him to Michigan and to Ward.
You may write Dustin at Dustin.Schlabach@wardchurch.org.