Elder nominees with bios
Maude Cornwall Bledsoe – Maude joined First Presbyterian on January 2, 2011. Previous to joining our church, she was an active member of Clemmons Baptist Church in Clemmons, North Carolina, for 41 years ,serving in various ministries. Maude has served as deacon and currently serves as leader in the Friendship Sunday School Class, member of the handbell and Celebration choirs, Martha Circle, and Vacation Bible School planning team. She retired from RJR Reynolds in 2009. Maude has three children, eight grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Maude resides at 2778 Chicken Foot Road, Hope Mills.
Clayton William “Bill” Deaton, Jr. – Bill originally joined the church around 1960 and was an active member through 1977 when a career opportunity allowed him to move to the Washington, DC, area. Some 34 years later, he retired, returned to North Carolina and, in 2012, rejoined First Presbyterian Church. Bill serves as a deacon and is the moderator of the Property and the Ushering committees. He has also been active with David’s Mighty Men, the Alpha classes, and projects such as Rise Against Hunger, Operation Bandanas, etc. He and his wife, Lynda, reside at 334 Northview Drive. Their son, Will; daughter-in-law, Brooke; and grandsons Eli (age 5) and Colt (age 2) also reside in Fayetteville and are members of the church.
Linda Baker Huff – Linda has been a member of First Presbyterian Church since 1985. She has served as an elder and deacon. Along with serving on various committees, Linda has been moderator of the Stewardship Committee, co-moderator of the Personnel Committee and moderator of the Nominating Committee. Linda has also served as the director of First School. She has taught Sunday School and is currently the director of the Children’s Choir. Linda and her husband, Ralph, own H&H Homes.
Melvin L. Kankelfritz – Mel was ordained an elder in 1992. He was commissioned a commissioned lay preacher by the Presbytery of Coastal Carolina in 1993 and served as the commissioned lay pastor (CRE) of First Presbyterian Church of Spring Lake from October 2002 through December 2013. He joined our church in January 2014. He sings in the Chapel Choir, is a member of David’s Mighty Men, and Dr. Garrett’s Sunday School Class, helps with VBS and packing meals for Stop Hunger Now, and has served on the Worship Committee for the past two years. He was commissioned a Stephen Minister at First Presbyterian Church in 2015. Mel also volunteers with Operation Inasmuch. Mel served 20 years in the U.S. Coast Guard and 24 years in industry. He and his wife, Sandi, have been married for 52 years and they have three grown children and five grandchildren. They reside in Harnett County.
Burns Lafferty – Bud has been a member since 2005. He is a former deacon, elder and superintendent of Sunday School. He has proudly served on the Christian Education, Finance, Stewardship, Personnel, and Pastor Nominating committees. He also serves on the Board of First School as Finance Chair and is a member of Dr. Garrett’s Sunday School class. Since joining First Presbyterian Church he has been a “willing volunteer,” helping with many of our hands-on mission activities during special weekends. Bud works as manufacturing director for Hexion Inc., a specialty chemicals producer in Fayetteville, and travels extensively to the seventeen chemical plants under his responsibility in North America.
Kaye Lifsey McRainey – Kaye joined First Presbyterian Church in 1977. She has been a deacon since 2015, and serves on three church committees. She is also a member of the Chapel Choir and Women’s Ensemble, a VBS volunteer, and serves on the food prep team for the Wednesday Together meals. Since 2013, she has been the Monday morning volunteer in Eller Hall, and is also a member of the G.I.F.T. Sunday School class. Kaye is a retired high school teacher and resides at 316 Kirkwood Drive.
Christopher Brian Pearce – Brian has been a member of the church since birth, with a brief interval as a member of Warsaw Presbyterian Church from 2007-2011. At Warsaw he served as an elder and chair of the Finance Committee. Brian currently serves as the moderator of First Presbyterian’s Diaconate, has served as the chair of the Stewardship Committee, works with the high school and middle school youth, teaches Sunday School in the Calvin Class (he has been a member for over 20 years), and has participated on mission trips to Tennessee; Alabama; Washington, DC; Haiti; Mexico; and Africa. Brian works in health care administration and resides at 1862 Middle Road in Eastover.
Margaret Ann Griffin Rowell – Ann has been a deacon and elder. She has served on the Nominating, Christian Education, and Worship committees and as moderator of the Congregational Care Committee. She has served as assistant Sunday School superintendent and as a Sunday School teacher. She is currently serving on the Presbyterian Women Coordinating Team. Ann is a retired high school teacher. She lives at 3225 Cliffdale Road.
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Deacon nominees with bios
David Wells Alderman, IV – Wells has been a member of First Church since 2005. He has served a deacon and as a member of the Finance and Stewardship committees. Wells works at H&H Homes. He and his wife, Molly, have three children. They reside at 374 Valley Road.
Linda Martin Andersen – Linda is a lifelong member of First Presbyterian Church. She completed the two-year Bethel Bible Series study and has taught Sunday School for preschool and elementary-age children. In addition, she created activities for the children’s bulletins for ten years. She currently attends adult Sunday School and worship service faithfully. She is a member of the Christian Education Committee, attends the SALT Reading Group, SALT outings, and volunteers in Vacation Bible School. Years ago, she served on the First School Committee. Linda is a retired elementary school counselor and Title 1 Remedial Reading Teacher and lives at 1862 Cedar Creek Road.
Brantley Armstead Brock, Jr. – Brant came to Stedman from Morehead City where he was the captain of a private motor yacht. He married Debbie Faircloth in 2007 and joined First Presbyterian Church. Shortly afterwards, he assumed the role of administrator at First Presbyterian Church where he became very familiar with all areas of the operations of the church. For the last five years, he has served as administrator at St. John’s Episcopal Church. He is a member of David’s Mighty Men and helped with Vacation Bible School last year.
Deborah Faircloth Brock – Debbie joined First Presbyterian Church in 1988. During that time, Debbie has been involved in the Children’s Ministry teaching Sunday School, assisting with a group on Wednesday night and as director of Vacation Bible School. She has served on the Christian Education Committee and is serving on the Nominating Committee. Debbie is a Stephen Minister and a member of the G.I.F.T. class where she served as a substitute teacher. She is a member of Tapestry Bible Study, serves as a team member on Meals That Matter, and is the Thursday afternoon office volunteer. Debbie worked for Cumberland County Schools for more than 34 years, teaching various grade levels. She retired as principal at Stedman Primary School two years ago.
Lynda Faircloth Deaton – Lynda first joined First Presbyterian Church in 1974 when she married Bill Deaton. In 2012, upon retirement from the federal government, they returned home to Fayetteville, transferring membership back to First Presbyterian. Lynda has taught children’s Sunday School and Vacation Bible School. She has participated in Operation Bandanas, Rise Against Hunger, Haiti packaging, and was a member of the Alpha planning team. She and Bill attend the G.I.F.T. Sunday school class. Lynda serves on a prayer team and as a Stephen Minister. In the community, Lynda has volunteered for the North Carolina Missions of Mercy. Lynda and Bill have a son, Will, daughter-in-law, Brooke, and grandsons, Eli (age 5) and Colt (age 2).
Kate Ejedepang-Koge-Okeefe – Kate has been a member of the church since 2006. She has volunteered in the children’s nursery and Vacation Bible School. Kate has served as a member of the board for First School and on the Senior Pastor Nominating Committee. She and her family are very active participants in the Children’s Ministry of First Presbyterian Church. Kate considers it an honor to be asked to serve her church through service as a deacon. Kate is a pharmacist at Womack where she has worked for over 20 years. She and her husband John have two children, Sebastian (age 7) and Isabella (age 8).
Terry Preston Sasser – Terry and his family joined First Church in 2005. He previously served as an elder and as the chairman of the Finance Committee at Bluff Presbyterian Church as well as a deacon and chairman of the Finance Committee at First Presbyterian. He is currently employed as a senior vice president and commercial relationship manager by First South Bank in Fayetteville, transitioning after 16 years with Capital Bank. He serves on the Government Affairs Committee of the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce as well as a board member for the Methodist University Foundation Board. Terry and his wife, Mary Lynn, have one daughter and son-in-law, Emily and Kyle Fera. Terry and Mary also have a one-month old granddaughter, Reagan Grace Fera.
Woodland Bowman Smith – Bowman has been a member since 1991 and has served as a deacon of First Presbyterian Church. He has served on the Property Committee, the Mission Conference Committee, Witness Committee, as a senior high youth group volunteer, and as an Operation Inasmuch volunteer. He has also been part of the Mexico Mission team. Bowman, his wife Melissa, and their two sons reside at 2827 Huntington Road.
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