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Our Team
Scott Henley
Directing Pastor
Pastor Scott began serving as a pastor in 1984, and he joined Asbury in July 2013. As a pastor, he feels called to follow an Old English word for pastor: shaper. A “shaper” is one who helps shape our imaginations, hopes, dreams, and visions to walk with the congregation in the service of Christ. In every aspect of his role, Pastor Scott seeks to place Christ’s vision first in the work of the church. Throughout the week, you’ll find Pastor Scott shaping the life of the church through Bible studies, visioning meetings, counseling, and prayer.
Outside of the church, Pastor Scott continues to live out the Gospel in the lives of his family and friends. He has been married to Sandy since 1983, and they have three adult children who live far away from them. Scott enjoys bicycle riding and watching the Cubs, Bears, and Blackhawks. He also loves sharing good food with good friends and family, playing board games, and eating s’mores cooked on an open fire.
Pastor Scott looks forward to talking with you about the life and ministry of Asbury United Methodist Church. To contact him, message him on Facebook.
Amy fox
Director of Children & Family Ministries
Amy has directed Sunday School and the GEO Kidz program at Asbury since 2012. In her role, she teaches, directs, listens, organizes, and does anything else it takes to present the Gospel and share God’s love to all children and families. Amy loves working with children. She has a Master’s degree in Elementary Education, and she taught 2nd grade before coming to Asbury. She has even coached and judged gymnastics! Amy is great at being a wife and mom, and she brings that familial love and passion to her ministry. During the week, you’ll find Amy creating colorful visuals for her program and coordinating her dedicated team, all while sipping on iced tea. She would love to talk with you about the variety of opportunities Asbury has for children!
Cherish Nelson
Youth Pastor/
Communications Director
Cherish has run the youth ministry program at Asbury since 2017, and she has directed our communications since 2021. She adores her husband and cat, and she is a self-proclaimed geek. Cherish loves film and TV, and she enjoys playing board games and card games with her friends and family. She also enjoys “geeking out” over CS Lewis and other theological giants. When you visit Asbury, you’ll find Cherish, with coffee in hand, mapping out the week’s outrageous games and interactive discussions. She would love to sit down with you over coffee or lunch to talk about faith and ministry!
Kavin Sampson
Director of music ministries
Kavin has served as our Music Director since 2005, but he has been leading church music professionally for more than 40 years. If any Asbury event has music, you’ll find Kavin nearby. He plays organ and piano for our Sunday services, and he directs our vocal and bell choirs. Kavin also creates orchestral arrangements of hymns and anthems for special services, and you might even find him playing his saxophone some Sunday mornings. Kavin and his wife are animal lovers. When he isn’t busy making music for the Lord, Kavin and his wife manage a home with lots of dogs and cats. Music is a thing of beauty at Asbury, and Kavin would love to talk with you about it!
tony grubb
web coordinator
Tony has been part of the Asbury family since 2019 and has served as our Website Coordinator since 2021. He loves all things electronics and can probably help you with any electronic questions you may have. Tony is currently pursuing a degree in Pastoral Ministry at Olivet Nazarene University and also serves on Asbury's Media Team. He is very passionate about helping the church reach new people through modern technology.
Wendy Shelquist
Secretary
Wendy worked in Asbury’s Childcare Center for over 20 years, but she became our Church Secretary shortly after it closed in 2013. Wendy will tell you it’s her job to drive people crazy with questions, comments, and trivia, but she is responsible for much more than that. She manages our calendar, fields phone calls and questions, and puts together our weekly bulletins among MANY other things. Wendy is involved in mission and music ministries at the church, and she even has a Bachelor’s degree in Spanish! When you visit Asbury during the week, Wendy would love to talk with you about our church!
Kim Yohnka
Financial Director
Kim has served as Asbury’s Financial Director since 2016. She manages our church finances, and she offers support to our program staff by helping them manage their budgets. Kim is also an enthusiastic volunteer who feels called to serve others. She volunteers with 4-H, and she helps run the ACOM food pantry at Asbury every Saturday afternoon. When you visit Asbury, you’ll find Kim in the back of our main office imputing numbers and running reports. She would love to talk with you about how we serve our community!
Mike Birr
Maintenance director
Mike has been a vital part of Asbury’s staff for many years. Mike is a jack-of-all-trades who loves his wife, children, and grandchildren. Mike is always busy serving our church and our community, but he would love to talk with you about the rich history of our church!