Meet Our Volunteers!

This is our pastor, Rev. Ben Farrar, standing with his wife, Tiffany.   Pastor Ben was born in Morganton, North Carolina, and grew up in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains.  He holds his Bachelor of Arts Degree from Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, North Carolina, with a double major in Family Ministry and Theatre Arts.  He holds a Master’s Degree in Christian Ministry from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.  He has served as the pastor of this church for the past three years, and is enjoying his time here immensely.  Becoming the pastor of a church has been a dream of his for nearly twenty years, and now he feels that he is realizing his lifelong dream by pastoring this church.

Ben’s wife, Tiffany, comes from Bardstown, KY.   She is a schoolteacher with 13 years of teaching experience in various public schools.  She has two Master’s degrees herself, and specializes in teaching students how to read.  In fact, her classroom has more than 5,500 books-more than the library of any school she has ever taught in!  No matter what child enters her classroom, on whatever reading level, she can find books for them on a variety of subjects that will pique their interest and encourage them to read. 

Tiffany and Ben both believe that God has called them to this area, and they look forward to spending a long time ministering among this people while growing closer to the Lord themselves.

Randy Aglahan is a man who is greatly devoted to the proclamation of the Gospel.  He will talk about Jesus to anyone who will listen, and often hosts Bible studies out of the conference room at the local motel.  At our church, he serves as the custodian, and keeps the place very clean. 

Amanda Benson is our music leader, and has been artfully conducting the musical portions of our worship services for some years now.  Hailing from Brandon, SD, she is an accomplished guitarist and pianist, and is fluent in both traditional and modern worship styles.  She works as a math teacher at our local Junior High School, where she teaches the more advanced math classes. But she will not be with us much longer, as she is about to embark on the adventure of a lifetime-as a career missionary to the Philippine Islands!

Adam and Rachel Cowan are missionaries who moved here in 2012.  Adam became a teacher at Windswept Academy, our local Christian school, while Rachel became the school secretary.  On Sunday mornings, they assist Amy, Beth and Ashley in children’s Sunday School.  Rachel, in particular, has a tremendous gift for storytelling, and uses it to teach the Sunday School for 4^th graders and up.  During worship, she assists in leading music.  Adam, meanwhile, has seminary training, and puts his education to use in teaching whenever Pastor Ben or Clint are unable to do so.  The Cowans manage all this while raising four children, which is a huge task in and of itself.

Clint and Amy Holley are missionaries, who have moved all the way from Winston Salem, NC to minister to the Lakota people.  Clint serves as the Headmaster of Windswept Academy, our local Christian school, and Amy is their 7th-8th grade teacher. 

Operating a Christian school keeps them extremely busy, and any missionary could count himself faithful if he performed the ministry they do there.  Nevertheless, Clint and Amy manage to stay at least as active in our church.  Clint is our adult Sunday School teacher, and Amy assists Rachel, Beth and Ashley in teaching children’s Sunday School.  Amy also serves as our church pianist.  Together, Clint and Amy head up our church’s Off-the-Wall ministry, which provides a safe place for young people to go on Friday nights and relax in a Christian context. 

Connie Jackson has been faithfully attending this church for years, and cherishes the opportunity to fellowship and serve alongside of her fellow believers.  She currently serves alongside Darla Shupick in our church's breakfast ministry, and our children's stomachs thank her!

Like all members of our church leadership, Rita Lafferty was born and raised in the Eagle Butte area.  She works at our local telephone company, where she ensures good communication for the rest of us.  She knows the land, the people, and the church, and her wisdom has proven invaluable whenever the church has had to make an important decision. 

Beth McLeod is a missionary who first moved to Eagle Butte for the purpose of teaching First Grade at Windswept Academy.  She does so wisely and well.  But she also serves in the church, as a van driver and Sunday School teacher!  We are very happy to have her in our midst.

Darlene Mestes has been a member of this church almost since its founding, and continues to bring her wisdom to bear whenever the church leadership meets.  Nearly everyone in Eagle Butte either knows her or is related to her, and she is a valued member of our team.

Madison Moore is an emergency room nurse at our local hospital, and routinely deals with life or death situations that would turn the stomachs of most of us.  But within the context of the church, she deals with a different type of stress-church finances.  As our treasurer, she has kept our books and budget in perfect working order for over a year now, and that helps me sleep just a little bit better.

Mark Shupick, a member of our church leadership, is also the driver for one of our church vans.  Every week, he drives all over Eagle Butte, picking up children and taking them to Sunday School.  When not serving in the church, Mark works at Four Bands Community Services, a company that makes loans and provides training to local people who want to start small businesses.

Mark’s wife, Darla, makes breakfast for the children on Sunday mornings, with the help of Connie.  During the week, she is the operator of our city’s only day care center and preschool, the Noah’s Ark Learning Center.  Children leaving her care enter kindergarten miles ahead of their peers, and educated in some of the basics of the Christian faith!