Kerry B. Robinson, Senior Pastor

"My job," says Pastor Robinson, "is to make sure the parade is going in the right direction - that we follow God - that we're after God's face and live with God's heart."

Preparing sermons for each Sunday, leading the staff, meeting with the boards, setting the vision for the church - these are all big jobs. Kerry Robinson grew up in the Church of God as a pastor's son. He came to East Side in 1996 following pastorates in South Daytona, Florida, and Chattanooga, Tennessee.

On days off Pastor Robinson often takes his wife, Becky, for a drive in her convertible, which is the only time she lets him drive it. They go to different towns in search of interesting places to eat. At home he has an oversized chair in his house called "the chair." When he's not working he likes to sit in "the chair" and read. He also loves anything to do with athletics and with his two sons Kyle and Kameron.

Doug Irving, Pastor of Connecting Ministries

"Connecting Ministries," says Pastor Doug, "is a big umbrella, under which many different and exciting ministries meet. Ushers and greeters help to connect visitors with our church, L.I.F.T. Groups and A.L.I.V.E. Ministries provide opportunities for folks to connect with each other along their individual faith journeys, East Side Men’s Ministry seeks to connect men with each other through events and discipleship, and Prison Ministry allows our people to connect with prisoners and bring them the hope of Jesus Christ."

After graduating from Bible College, Pastor Doug served for three years in the Standard Church of America as a youth pastor. Following his ordination in 1994, the Irvings moved to Anderson where they have served as lay leaders at East Side. Before joining the staff at East Side, Pastor Doug traveled with the Presence Quartet and worked for Gaither Music Company. Sensing God’s spirit drawing him back into church ministry, Pastor Doug is excited to be joining the staff at East Side. "This church has become our home for the last decade and it’s a great treat to be working for the Kingdom right in my own backyard!"

Pastor Doug likes to relax by spending time with his wife, Jennifer, reading, or watching a movie or two in the Irving home theater, also known as "The Cave." His and Jennifer’s lives were radically changed with the arrival two years ago of their first child Jaxon. "I love that little guy. My day is made when I come home and see him and get to wrestle with him. Sometimes he even lets me win!" Pastor Doug and Jennifer were blessed recently with the arrival of Alexis, their second child. "We are thankful to God for our children. They truly are the most precious gifts He has given us."

Mary Ann Randolph, Pastor of Church Life and Discipleship

What is church life and assimilation? Pastor Randolph says it is helping individuals become the church. Her responsibility includes all kinds of ministries, including ushers and greeters, caregivers, decorations, health ministries, and more. One of her most rewarding recent experiences was teaching a class on covenant marriage.

"One purpose of the church is to help marriages and families develop," she says. "But also by teaching that class I developed relationships with those couples and was able to invest personally in those people."

Pastor Randolph likes spending time with husband, Gary, and grown children Brooke and Daniel. She has been known to play a game or two of FreeCell on the computer. She also enjoys taking Sunday afternoon naps, but says they are a necessity. "I can't function without that Sunday afternoon nap."

Carol Taylor, Pastor of Children and Families

"I love kids," Pastor Taylor says. That much is evident in the way she works with children. It is also clear that she respects children. She encourages them to listen for what God has to say to them, and she listens to them when the children report back to her.

"Adults want to be in control of what kids are learning," she says. "But when you allow kids to develop a relationship with God, you don't know what will happen."

As grandmother of Leah and Caleb, who live in Florida, Pastor Taylor says she is trying to learn how to be a long-distance grandma and to make memories. Carol has three grown children: Andrea Brooke, Jenny, and Leah and Caleb's dad Chip.

Mick Gilliam, Pastor of Worship Arts and Prayer

Pastor Mick says "It's an awesome era in time to be a pastor and leader of worship. During my whole lifetime, God has been visiting on His people a newer and deeper understanding of worship! I'm glad to be a part of this whole encounter in the church." Pastor Mick's job is to enlist and empower people to use their gifts as worship leaders and to invite people into the presence of God each time they gather. He reflects " I want to see every attender experience God in corporate worship in a way that fuels and energizes their private and daily encounters with God."

Pastor Mick is essentially a life-long Church of God member and leader. He as served as a worship pastor in Oregon, Florida, Ohio and Indiana over the last 25 years. He has studied at Ball State University, Butler, AU, SOT, and Lewis and Clark College. He has also taught in Christian colleges and seminaries regularly.

His wife Linda and he have been married for 26 years. They have two children Micah and Amanda. They love camping, hiking and working in the yard for recreation. Pastor Mick enjoys racquetball, composing music and playing jazz on the side.

Mark Shaner, Pastor of Student Ministries, Young Adults, and Missions

"I am honored and humbled to work alongside an incredible team of adults (of all ages) who care deeply about students and young adults," says Pastor Mark. "I am so committed to the heart of East Side Student Ministries, that 'lives matter to God and lives matter to us.'"

Pastor Mark comes having served in student ministries for over twenty years in three congregations (two in Florida and one in Kansas) and has taken students around the world on some 40 short-term missions trips. He believes with all of his heart that if we lose this generation of young people it will not be because we challenged them too much, but because we challenged them too little.

One of his hobbies is just hanging out with his kids, He likes to golf, but says he is not any good. He planted a church in Chelyabinsk, Russia in the early 90's. He has been a baseball chaplain in the L.A. Dodgers Organization and the Kansas City Royals Organization.

Pastor Mark has been married to Vickie since 1984 and together they have four incredible (Mark's emphasis) children. Gina is a ministry student at Anderson University, Zach can often be seen behind the drums on Sunday morning, Austin is quite the architecht, and Timothy is baseball. Mark and Vickie have homeschooled all of their children and began long before it was popular.

Bill Lashbrook, Pastor of Finance and Facilities

"Being the Business Administrator requires wearing several hats," says Pastor Lashbrook, "The four main 'hats' are financial, computer network administration, human resources, and facility management. The duties include everything from supervising the accounting department, to resolving computer issues, to overseeing the custodial and maintenance departments. The job is never dull and the duties never end." With a work force of over 30 full and part time employees, a facility of over 80,000 square feet, and approximately 8 acres of landscaped property, there is always something that needs attention.

Pastor Lashbrook joined the East Side Staff in 1992 after serving on pastoral staffs in Troy, MI and Middletown and Avon Lake, OH. Prior to entering the ministry he worked for General Motors in Warren, MI as a computer systems analyst. Pastor Lashbrook has a deep heritage in the Church of God with four uncles, a father-in-law, and two brother-in-laws who are Church of God pastors.

Pastor Lashbrook has been married to Melanie for 39 years and they have two grown children, (Mark and Amy), a wonderful daughter-in-law (Tommi Sue) and son-in-law (Scott Richards) and 5 fantastic grandchildren (Ashley, Will, Emily, Ben, and Jack). In his time off, Pastor Lashbrook enjoys spending time with his family, traveling with his wife, reading, and, last but not least, playing golf.