Leadership and Staff

The members of Jefferson Park make up our larger ministry team. Our hope is that every member will be involved in ministry. We also recognize that some members are set apart for certain tasks of leadership in ministry based on their spiritual gifts, abilities and calling.

Pastor | Staff | Deacons

Pastor: Jeff Riddle

Jeff has served as the Pastor of Jefferson Park Baptist Church since 1997. From 1992-1997 he served as Pastor of Beulah Baptist Church in Lyells, Virginia. From 1990-1992 he served as a Journeyman missionary in Budapest, Hungary. Jeff holds a PhD in New Testament from Union Theological Seminary-PSCE, a Master of Divinity degree from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and an undergraduate degree from Wake Forest University. Jeff is married to Llewellyn and has four children (Hannah, Lydia, Samuel and Isaiah). They live in North Garden, Virginia. A more detailed biography and links to Jeff's sermons and other writings are here.

Pastor | Staff | Deacons

Pastoral Assistant: Marcus Deel

Marcus became a member of Jefferson Park in 2003 while attending the University of Virginia. After graduating from UVA in 2004 he attended The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky. After earning a Master of Divinity degree, Marcus returned to JPBC to work on staff as a pastoral assistant. Marcus and his wife Lauren were married in 2004 and welcomed their first child (Elyse) in December 2007.

Ministry Assistant: Bonnie Beach

Bonnie has served JPBC in many capacities, starting as a preschool teacher in September 1997, moving to coordinate Rainbow House activities in June 2000, and taking her current position as ministry assistant in January 2002. She runs the church office, produces the Evangel, and continues to coordinate Rainbow House events. She and her husband John live in Palmyra, Virginia.

Financial Secretary: Evelyn Jones (not pictured)

Evelyn is happily married to Willis and has two adult daughters and two grandchildren. She retired as JPBC’s church secretary in 2002 but became our part-time financial secretary. She is an active member of Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church in Keene, Virginia. She and Willis enjoy a family tradition of spending a week each summer at the Word of Life camp in New York.

Pianist, Interim Choir Director: Jo Pettitt

Jo has been part of our JPBC music ministry since 1999. She was born and raised in Chicago. She is a graduate of Westminster College (Pennsylvania). She is married to Dan and has three young adult children (Jamie, Alyss, and John). Jo teaches piano lessons and in her spare time loves to read and play tennis.

Preschool Director: Llewellyn Riddle

Llewellyn has served as Director of JPBC's Christian Preschool Adventure since 2002. She also works with the JPBC children's choir. She holds a Master of Divinity degree from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and an undergraduate degree from Wake Forest University. Llewellyn is married to Jeff and has four children (Hannah, Lydia, Samuel and Isaiah). They live in North Garden, Virginia.

Custodian: Donald Watson

Donald is from Charlottesville. He is married to Anne and has three adult children and three grandchildren. Donald has worked full time at UVA for over 30 years. He has worked at JPBC since 1987.

Pastor | Staff | Deacons

Deacons

The Deacon Body at JPBC serves the church by, among other things:

Supporting and assisting the pastor in all matters relating to the ministry of the church
Leading and supporting the members in Christian discipleship, spiritual growth, and personal evangelism
Serving members through prayer, encouragement, visitation and assistance
Overseeing membership matters, including new member visitation and recommendation
Serving the Lord’s Supper, taking and counting the offering

Our deacon covenant (as amended January 2005): PDF | MS Word

Chip Case, 2008-2010

Chip is a native of Richmond, Virginia. He joined JPBC in 2002. Chip met his wife Hannah (from West Virginia) at JPBC, and they were married in October 2005. Chip, a graduate of the University of Virginia, is a teacher at The Discovery School of Virginia in Dillwyn. The Cases live in Palmyra.

Other ministries: Chip teaches an adult Sunday School class, is a van driver, and occasionally leads men's Bible studies.

Ross Kirby, Emeritus

Ross is a native of Schuyler, Virginia (the inspiration for “Walton’s Mountain”) and a retired computer programmer at Sperry Marine. He became a member at JPBC in 1974. After both were widowed, Ross married Georgia, and they share a warm Christian marriage. The Kirbys live on Park Road, just beside our church building.

Other ministries: After many years of faithful deacon service at JPBC, the church appointed Ross a Deacon Emeritus in 2002.

Chris Marshall, 2006-2008

Chris is a native of the Lancaster, Pennsylvania area. Chris professed faith in the Lord Jesus, was baptized, and entered into membership at JPBC in 2003. Chris met his wife Heidi (from Seattle) while they were both students at Hillsdale College in Michigan. They have a daughter, Madeline, and a son, Benjamin. Chris teaches second grade at Red Hill Elementary School in North Garden, Virginia, where he also coaches the school’s chess team. The Marshalls live in the Willoughby subdivision in Charlottesville.

Other ministries: Chris is Adult Sunday School Director, a van driver, sings in the choir and has been known to serve as the emcee for the annual Youth Talent Show. He also chairs the Personnel Committee.

Mike States, 2007-2009

Mike is a native of Chesapeake, VA. He and his wife Sheri joined JPBC in 2003. They met while in college. Mike, a Hampden-Sydney and Medical College of Virginia graduate, is a dentist, and Sheri is a conference planner. They live in Charlottesville's Redfields subdivision with their son Dalton.

Other ministries: Mike chairs the Finance Committee, and he is also our backup sound technician.

Pastor | Staff | Deacons