DISTRICT CONFERENCE 2025
The 2025 Virlina District Conference was held at Valley Church in Roanoke, VA on November 14 and 15. Below you will find the Memorial service PowerPoint, as well as information pertaining to the 2026 District Conference as it becomes available.
District Conference Wrap Up
The 2025 Virlina District Conference was held at Valley Church in Roanoke, Virginia. Friday evening worship service lead by Tom Powers and Naomi Powers served as music leader. We were blessed with two wonderful speakers, Dr. David Jones and Dr. Dava Hensley, giving us a meaningful message on Internal Reflection on what God tells us and Reflection of God to others-showing and then sharing with others. Friday evenings special music was brought to us by the worship band from Iglesia Christiana Nueva Vida COB from Floyd, VA. On Saturday Dewey Williard led us in worship with our guest speaker being our 2026 Annual Conference Moderator, Don Fitzkee speaking on, “Lament, Repent, Reinvent”
2025 Virlina District Conference was well attended with following statistics:
Congregations represented: 75
Delegates: 166
Non-Delegates: 27 (we believe this number is more)
Children and Youth: 23
The total offering was $1,542 with $771 going to the Deportation Defense Response for the Legal and Mutual Aid Fund to help with our Brothers and Sisters who are facing immigration related legal challenges (asylum claims, applications for US citizenship, applications for green cards, deportation orders, and more).
The delegates heard reports from the District Board, the District Staff, the commissions and committees of the Board and from several agencies of the Church of the Brethren.
The delegates also processed the following items of new business:
The following people were elected to leadership rolls by our delegate body:
Moderator Elect: Sister Carol Elmore - Roanoke Oak Grove
District Board:
Freda Horn-Smith Mountain Lake
Jaime Martinez-Nueva Vida
Michael Wray-Red Hill
Norma Mandragan-Buen Pastor
Wanda Drake-Mt Joy
Greg Broyles- Roanoke Oak Grove
Susan Gibson- Williamson Road
Naomi Powers- Daleville
Annette Hubbard- Topeco
Kevin Kinsey-Central
Areli Herrera- Nueva Vida
Outdoor Ministries:
Ron Robinson- Roanoke Oak Grove
Kathy Otey- Peters Creek
Programs & Arrangements:
Kenny King- Smith Mountain Lake
Cynthia Roach- New Bethel
Nominating and Personnel:
Lori Hurt- Boones Mill
Hal Sonofrank- Christiansburg
Sam Ellis- Wakefield Chapel
Standing Committee:
Cathay Huffman- Antioch
Clerk:
Rissa Craighead- Oak Grove South
In addition to those elected directly by the district conference, the delegates also affirmed the following persons who were called to roles in the district according to the transition plan:
Bruce Huffman(Antioch)-District Board Chairperson (27-2)
Doug Diamond(Eden, First) - District Board, NCDC (27-2)
George Barnhart(Roanoke, Central) - District Board, NCDC (26-1)
Rod Quinn (Blue Ridge) - District Board, NCDC (28-1)
Bill Hinton Sr. (Roanoke, Central) - District Board, OMC (28-2)
Susan Starkey (Cloverdale) - District Board, OMC (26-1)
Martha Dean (Monte Vista) - District Board, OMC (27-1)
Our 2026 Virlina District Moderator, Dewey Williard, announced the scripture focus for our 2026 conference, 1 Peter 3:15b, “...always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you.” Brother Dewey asks if anyone has any artistic thoughts or ideas on a design to go with this text, to please let Angella Haranzo know at [email protected]. The 2026 District Conference will be held at Valley Church, November 13-14,2026.
The 2025 Virlina District Conference was held at Valley Church in Roanoke, Virginia. Friday evening worship service lead by Tom Powers and Naomi Powers served as music leader. We were blessed with two wonderful speakers, Dr. David Jones and Dr. Dava Hensley, giving us a meaningful message on Internal Reflection on what God tells us and Reflection of God to others-showing and then sharing with others. Friday evenings special music was brought to us by the worship band from Iglesia Christiana Nueva Vida COB from Floyd, VA. On Saturday Dewey Williard led us in worship with our guest speaker being our 2026 Annual Conference Moderator, Don Fitzkee speaking on, “Lament, Repent, Reinvent”
2025 Virlina District Conference was well attended with following statistics:
Congregations represented: 75
Delegates: 166
Non-Delegates: 27 (we believe this number is more)
Children and Youth: 23
The total offering was $1,542 with $771 going to the Deportation Defense Response for the Legal and Mutual Aid Fund to help with our Brothers and Sisters who are facing immigration related legal challenges (asylum claims, applications for US citizenship, applications for green cards, deportation orders, and more).
The delegates heard reports from the District Board, the District Staff, the commissions and committees of the Board and from several agencies of the Church of the Brethren.
The delegates also processed the following items of new business:
- Approved the proposed 2026 Virlina District Budget
- Approved changes to the District Constitution and Bylaws and a transition plan
- Disorganized the Roanoke, First; Hopewell; and Virginia Beach, Christian Church Uniting congregations due to diminishing membership
- Disorganized the Fairview, Floyd congregation due to completion of the congregational withdrawal process
The following people were elected to leadership rolls by our delegate body:
Moderator Elect: Sister Carol Elmore - Roanoke Oak Grove
District Board:
Freda Horn-Smith Mountain Lake
Jaime Martinez-Nueva Vida
Michael Wray-Red Hill
Norma Mandragan-Buen Pastor
Wanda Drake-Mt Joy
Greg Broyles- Roanoke Oak Grove
Susan Gibson- Williamson Road
Naomi Powers- Daleville
Annette Hubbard- Topeco
Kevin Kinsey-Central
Areli Herrera- Nueva Vida
Outdoor Ministries:
Ron Robinson- Roanoke Oak Grove
Kathy Otey- Peters Creek
Programs & Arrangements:
Kenny King- Smith Mountain Lake
Cynthia Roach- New Bethel
Nominating and Personnel:
Lori Hurt- Boones Mill
Hal Sonofrank- Christiansburg
Sam Ellis- Wakefield Chapel
Standing Committee:
Cathay Huffman- Antioch
Clerk:
Rissa Craighead- Oak Grove South
In addition to those elected directly by the district conference, the delegates also affirmed the following persons who were called to roles in the district according to the transition plan:
Bruce Huffman(Antioch)-District Board Chairperson (27-2)
Doug Diamond(Eden, First) - District Board, NCDC (27-2)
George Barnhart(Roanoke, Central) - District Board, NCDC (26-1)
Rod Quinn (Blue Ridge) - District Board, NCDC (28-1)
Bill Hinton Sr. (Roanoke, Central) - District Board, OMC (28-2)
Susan Starkey (Cloverdale) - District Board, OMC (26-1)
Martha Dean (Monte Vista) - District Board, OMC (27-1)
Our 2026 Virlina District Moderator, Dewey Williard, announced the scripture focus for our 2026 conference, 1 Peter 3:15b, “...always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you.” Brother Dewey asks if anyone has any artistic thoughts or ideas on a design to go with this text, to please let Angella Haranzo know at [email protected]. The 2026 District Conference will be held at Valley Church, November 13-14,2026.
Interested in nominating someone for next year? Click here.
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Contact info:
E-mail: [email protected] (540) 362-1816 (phone) (540) 362-1817 (fax) Address: 3402 Plantation Road, NE, Roanoke, Virginia 24012 |