Willow Glen UMC Staff

Rebecca Irelan
Senior Pastor

Rebecca has a passion for helping people to pursue the wholeness of heart and life that was preached by the founder of Methodism, John Wesley. She believes that God is holding out for each of us the option of wholeness in body, mind and spirit; wholeness in our relationships; wholeness in human community; and wholeness in all of the Creation. And she tries to lift up those options for people both inside and outside the community of faith.

Rebecca is always looking for ways to take our life and our love for God and neighbor to the next level. She aspires to follow a Jesus who came to preach good news to the poor, release to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind, liberty for the oppressed, and a kingdom life for everyone else.

Born in Iowa, raised in Montana, educated in Boston, Durham and Berkeley, she has lived all over the country and has practiced ministry in rural Idaho, suburban Eugene, Santa Cruz, Marin County, and for a short time, the city of San Francisco. She loves the diversity of her job and the people she meets and can't believe that she gets paid to have this much fun and to find this much fulfillment. Rebecca welcomes you to Willow Glen UMC and invites you to join us on the journey into a deeper communion with Christ and all of God's creatures.

For Susan, children are the most important people in the church. They're not just the church of the future; they're the church of NOW! For this reason, Susan is committed to providing a place where children and families can grow together in their faith, experiencing God's presence in their lives and learning to respond to that incredible love.

On Sunday mornings, you'll find Susan sharing stories with the children, singing and dancing with them, participating in Sunday School projects, or just sitting with children to hear about their lives.

Susan shares her life with her husband Stephen (a high school history teacher) and her son Casey. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, baking, sewing, and being a mom. She also loves to spend time with her friends and family for whom she feels truly blessed.

Lisa Jacobs
Director of Joint Youth Ministries

Lisa Jacobs is the Joint Youth Director for WIllow Glen. Lisa's desire to be a Youth Pastor started when she was 16 and she has pursued that passion ever since. She worked in the Episcopal church, the Free Methodist Church and the Urban ministry program at Westmont College. She graduated from Westmont College in 2002 with a major in Religious Studies and an emphasis in Urban Ministry.She has been working as the Joint Youth Director for over 8 years and loves serving, working with and getting to know the in's and outs of young people. Everyone always asks if she will soon study to be a pastor of adults and Lisa's response is this; "I believe that the young people are one of the most important parts of a congregation. Churches need relevant, affirming programs that help point teenagers towards God. Youth ministry is essential to the life of any church and my desire is to help facilitate that growth wherever God leads me. I can never imagine myself working with anyone but teenagers!"

Lorene Sheridan
Director of Weekday
Ark (Preschool) Ministries

Office & Facilities Manager

Becky LaBree

Organist & Director of Music Ministries

Bob Birnstihl