SCC LEADERSHIP TEAM Jeff Kesner SCC vision,operations, missions and local outreach
Although Jeff was baptized at the age of 23, it has been a life long journey of learning to live his life in the fullness of God’s will, blessed with the fruit of knowing Him. He has learned through personal experience the magnitude of God’s grace and love and the desire Jesus has to live in the hearts of all men and women, despite their human imperfections. It is through that same grace that his life has been transformed and renewed. And it is because of that same grace extended to him that he desires for all people to experience a true relationship with their Creator and Savior.
Jeff has dedicated his life to joining God in the awesome work that He does around the world. He lives and works in the Kingdom to help others to realize what God has shown him many times over--His glory and His love for every individual in every part of the world. God has put a passion on Jeff’s heart for His mission and for His family. This passion has lead him to travel across the world, obeying God’s command to go. He has worked in God’s Kingdom both locally and in places like China, Kenya, Costa Rica, Indonesia and Uganda serving persecuted Christians, supporting missionaries, helping those who are not able to help themselves and helping to plant churches. He has lead short term mission teams to some of these places, helping others to grow in their Christian worldview.
Having served in the church for over thirty years, taking on various responsibilities of service and leadership Jeff understands the church not just as a function to sustain Jesus’ ministry on earth, but as the actual body of Christ. In experiencing God’s glory, love and forgiveness in his own life it has created a desire to help others find the love, forgiveness and the purpose filled life that God has for each of them. He believes God’s desire is for all people to experience a life of passion, love, forgiveness and purpose.
Rhonda has been a Christian since she was 8 years old. She cannot remember a time that she did not believe in God and Jesus. She has been married to Leroy Byler for 32 years this May and together they have a 25 year old son, Christopher and a 21 year old daughter, Nicole. They also have a son, Michael, who is with the Lord.
Rhonda has always been very active in the church. She grew up in a Southern Baptist church in Fauquier County. They encouraged her as a teenager to take an active part in the activities of the church. Rhonda attended a Mennonite church in Washington, D.C. when she started dating Leroy and they both joined before they were married. They then joined Midland Church of the Brethren when Christopher was born. There Rhonda taught Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, was on the founding committee of Hearts and Hands Preschool, served on the board and served beside her husband as a Deacon. It was a time of real growth.
The people at Midland allowed her to become more confident in her life as a Christian. There she was able to serve alongside several pastors. The past few years Rhonda found myself at Mountain View Community Church. The first Sunday she attended she heard God saying in her heart “This is where I want you”. Now Rhonda finds herself following in a new direction to help in starting a church in Luray. She has found in her Christian walk that when you talk to God and wait on Him, He will guide you in the direction of the path He is clearing for you. It is exciting to see God at work around you and being part of what He is doing. Rhonda has found that many times in her life and most recently since her and Leroy have been coming to SCC.
God has given Rhonda the opportunity to be a part of mission work in Kenya and Uganda in the past few years. Her trip to Africa was a wonderful way to meet Christians from a different walk of life. Seeing the joy in the African Christians, when you know they have no material goods and how hard their life is, just gives life a whole new meaning. This trip helped Rhonda see God working in the poorest part of our world. Missions keep her humble and grateful for every blessing in her life. Everyone should experience God at work in the mission field whether it be at home or far away.
It has been Rhonda's pleasure serving the Lord throughout her lifetime as a wife, mother and being part of the church. She has found there is no other joy like the joy you have sharing your Christian walk with others. She hopes to be able to use her time and talent to spread the truth and love of Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior as long as she walks on this earth.