Rev. Donna Banks (she/her)                       ______________

Senior Pastor

Upon graduation from Duke Divinity School, she joined the staff as the Associate Pastor of Christ United Methodist Church in Chapel Hill. She also served appointments as the senior pastor at Saint Francis United Methodist Church in Cary, NC and Evergreen United Methodist Church in Chapel Hill, NC, as well as District Superintendent for the Corridor District of the North Carolina Conference and Director of Student Life at Duke Divinity School.  Prior to her call to ministry, Donna has previous experience from her 16-year career in the chemical industry, which afforded her the opportunity to have a succession of roles as a research chemist and in corporate sales, marketing and management. Donna is married with two daughters.

 
 
 
 
Pastor Charles
Rev. Charles C. Daly (he/him)                        _______________
Associate Pastor

Charles comes from Mt. Carmel UMC in Manns Harbor, NC where he served as the lead pastor from 2015. He grew up in North Carolina, received his undergraduate degree from UNC, and completed a Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary in New York City. During seminary, Charles interned at St. Paul and St. Andrew UMC, co-led a Methodist student ministry on Columbia University’s campus, and taught Sunday school to 70 children as the youth pastor of Tian Fu United Methodist Church. His ministry has included hospice chaplaincy, dementia care, food pantry management, addiction response, homelessness services, disability services, and music leadership.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Victoria Lane (they/them)                   ________________

Coordinator of Youth Ministries
Victoria came to Epworth to assist with the Youth Ministry in September 2023. Born and raised in Pikeville, NC Victoria received a Religious Studies degree from NC State and is currently in the 3rd year of their Master of Divinity Program at Duke Divinity School. Hoping to serve in the UMC as an ordained elder, Victoria specializes in Christian Education and aspires to one day be a chaplain. 
Their ministry thus far has allowed them to work alongside youth ministry programs, mission projects, elder care facilities, and interreligious education efforts. Victoria has a passion for making the Bible’s stories come to life in accessible or engaging ways and welcomes the opportunity to serve in Epworth’s community. Victoria and their partner Drew are getting married in April 2024 and have three lovely furry friends at home. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Amanda Wilson Children’s Ministry Coordinator

Rev. Amanda Fleishman Wilson (she/her)

Coordinator of Children’s Ministries

Amanda came to Epworth in November 2016 as Coordinator of Children’s Ministries. She is a graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary, an ordained United Methodist Deacon, and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a small counseling practice serving low-income individuals and families. Amanda grew up in Maryland and Virginia but is blessed to have married a lifelong Tar Heel, J.D. They have two children. Amanda is passionate about building cross-cultural relationships, seeking both personal and social transformation by God’s grace, and helping kids grow in God’s love through the stories of the Bible and through their daily lives

 
 

Dona Gamble

Administrative Secretary

Dona Gamble was born in Fitzgerald, Georgia. After graduating from The University of Georgia, teaching 5th grade, and marrying Don, she began working as a church secretary at First UMC, Myrtle Beach, S.C. After moving to Durham, she began working at Epworth and enjoys working on the newsletter and bulletins each week, supporting other staff members in their ministries, and helping those who call, email, or stop by the office. She and her husband Don enjoy their children and grandchildren, traveling (especially to the Pacific Northwest, Montana, and Wyoming), Duke basketball, and Georgia football.

Meg Hemingway Bass

Financial Manager

Meg was born in Elizabethtown, NC to long-time Epworth members, Pat and John (Alden) Hemingway. She attended Epworth Kindergarten in 1964 and was taught by Hilda Moone. She grew up overseas in Mexico City, Mexico; Sao Paulo, Brazil; and Brussels, Belgium as her dad worked in the International Division of Liggett and Myers Tobacco Company. She graduated from Duke University in 1981 with a BA in Psychology. She has two children, Lewis IV and Emily who are both life-long members of Epworth. Meg loves to read, pull for her Blue Devils and stays busy caring for her dogs, Elmo and Edsel.

Fred Ibberson

Organist

Fred began his tenure as Epworth’s organist on Palm Sunday, March 19, 1978. He holds a BA in
French and Music from Juniata College in Huntingdon, PA, where he studied organ performance with Donald Johnson. While completing his doctoral studies in Romance Philology at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, Fred also continued his organ studies with David Weadon, former associate chapel organist at Duke University, and with organist/composer Robert Hebble, long time associate to
Virgil Fox at Riverside Church in New York City.

Fred enjoys traveling and spending time at home with his spouse and his canine companions.

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Leigh Furman

Epworth Preschool Director

Leigh joined us as Preschool Director in July 2017. She moved to Durham in 2002 and started at Epworth Preschool as a parent in 2003. Leigh began teaching in the preschool in 2008. She graduated from UNC-CH in 1996 with a BA in Psychology. While her husband, Jeff, was in the Navy, Leigh received her Masters in Leadership of Teaching in 2001. 

Leigh is Tar Heel born but spent most of her childhood in New Bern, NC. She and Jeff were thrilled to settle in the Durham/Chapel Hill area to raise their three children, Abby, Molly, and Will. When Leigh is not at Epworth, she enjoys spending time with her family. They love to go for family hikes but more often you can find Leigh on the sidelines of soccer games, watching tennis matches, on deck at swim meets, and cheering for the Tar Heels.

 
 
 
 
 
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Theresa Shebalin

Nursery Coordinator

Theresa grew up in Florida but considers Durham “home.” She moved to the Triangle area in 2001 to pursue a PhD in archaeology at UNC, which she completed in 2011. Theresa now works as a 5th grade science teacher and swim coach at Durham Academy, runs archaeology summer camps in Morganton, NC, and of course cares for Epworth’s youngest members on Sunday mornings. She rarely has “spare” time, but when she does, you’ll find her playing with her son, Stefan.