Officers of the Executive Board
The Rev. Amanda Groves
Christian Church in KY (Disciples of Christ)
President
Amanda Groves is a 2021 M DIV graduate from Lexington Theological Seminary. She graduated from Murray State University in 1992 with a Bachelor of Music Education. She then fell in love with her fiddle playing husband and moved to Southern Illinois where he was teaching Industrial Arts. While there, she graduated with a Master of Vocal Performance from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale in 1995. Amanda has sung in operas, choruses, and successfully competed in several vocal competitions. Amanda has taught public school music in Illinois, Kentucky, and Tennessee.
The Rev. Dale Raines
United Church of Christ
First Vice President
Rev. Dale Raines serves the Kentucky Council of Churches as a representative of the Indiana-Kentucky Conference of the United Church of Christ, and is pastor of the St. John United Church of Christ in Louisville, where he has served since 2016. Dale loves the energy of the Nulu neighborhood where St. John is located, and enjoys serving a church that is in such a dynamic area. However, he also loves going home to the 11 acres in Shelby County that he and his wife, Lisa, call home. They share those acres with a menagerie that includes 4 cats, 2 dogs, 3 horses, and 2 miniature donkeys (who just may make an appearance in St. John's Christmas Eve service!). Dale is thankful for the opportunity to be a part of the important work of the Kentucky Council of Churches.
Mrs. Linda Axon
United Methodist Church
President for Church Women United in Kentucky and therefore the Council's Second Vice President.
The president of Kentucky's Church Women United, Linda Axon, is active in St. Paul United Methodist Church in Frankfort.
Rev. Dr. Donald K. Gillett, II
Christian Church in KY (DOC)
Interim Treasurer
Rev. Dr. Donald K. Gillett, II is the General Minister for CCK.
The Rev. Batavi Combs
African Methodist Episcopalian Zion
Secretary
Commission & Committees
Assemblies Planning
Rev. Dale Raines
Assemblies Planning is the group that guides the Executive Director in the development of themes, leaders, sites, worship arrangements and other details of the annual assemblies of the Council. It meets several times a year, as needed. The meetings typically last one and a half to two hours and have largely taken place via Zoom this year. The current chair is Dale Raines of the United Church of Christ tradition. If you are interested in joining this committee, email Dale at stjohnnulupastor@gmail.com.
Budget & Finance
Rev. Kenneth Golphin
This standing committee gives oversight to the processes by which funds are budgeted, spent, invested and audited. This group meets about three times a year via Zoom. The current chair is Rev. Kenneth Golphin of the AME Church tradition. If you are interested in joining this committee, email Kenneth at pastorgolphin@aol.com.
Development Unit
The Funds development unit of the Kentucky Council of Churches had its first meeting in December of 2009. Since then, the Council has pruned some long-standing practices, and sprouted many new branches of funds development. The committee reviews the donations of our judicatories as well as individual giving. The committee also works on the research and writing of grants and other fundraising options. This committee usually meets several times a year, as needed. Currently we are working on a project along with the Ecumenical Formation Initiatives committee to teach seminary students about advocacy, Social Justice and Christian Unity. The current chair is Rev. Jeffrey Sowelln. If you are interested in joining this committee, email Jeffey at amazingrace6792@yahoo.com
Ecumenical Formation Initiatives
Rev. David Miller
The Ecumenical Formation Initiatives commission is charged with finding where there is energy for Christian unity in Kentucky, and finding ways to partner with those who exhibit that energy. At this time, the group is focusing mainly on campus ministries. This group meets a few times a year, usually for two hours via Zoom. We are currently working on a project that would help teach seminary students about advocacy, Social Justice and Christian Unity. You would be a part of getting this huge project off the ground. The current chair is the Rev. David Miller of the United Methodist tradition. If you are interested in joining this commission, email David at dkmiller@unionky.edu.
Justice and Advocacy
Rev. Kent Gilbert
The Justice Commission is charged with developing consensus policy statements for consideration of the Board and the Assembly, for fostering mutual support in the area of justice and advocacy within those consensus policy statements, and for guiding and strengthening the Council’s public role in this area. They benefit from a library of such policy statements developing the past, and from a number of relationships with coalitions who have proven to be good partners with the Council. This group meets roughly quarterly and are currently meeting via Zoom. This committee will play a role in our annual Prayer in Action Days (normally held in Frankfort) during the Legislative Session. For 2021, this event will be held via Zoom. The current chair is the Rev. Kent Gilbert of Union Christian Church, Berea. If you are interested in joining this committee, email Rev. Gilbert at kent.h.gilbert@gmail.com.
Nominations & Personnel
Rev. Lisa Lewis Balboa
This standing committee combines two roles.
One is to populate the various groups of the Council whose members are recruited in consultation with their denominations (all of the groups listed in this manual except for Care for Creation). In addition, they verify that the chairs chosen by each group are willing to serve again and monitor when terms are ending. The slate is brought to the late August Board meeting so that it can be brought to the fall Assembly, and so summers tend to be busier than other times for this work. The slate to be voted on is for the constitutionally mandated officers and the 15 at-large members of the Board.
The other role is to oversee processes of recruitment, selection and evaluation of staff and interns, and any revisions of employee work descriptions and of the employee policy manual.
This group meets about four times a year, usually by conference call, and is currently chaired by the Rev. Lisa Lewis Balboa of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church tradition.
If you are interested in joining this committee, email Rev. Balboa at lbalboa67@yahoo.com.
