Pastor of Early Childhood Ministries
Born and raised in Wilmington, Delaware, Gwen was the oldest of four children. As a child she attended a Nazarene church in Newark and a Christian Missionary Alliance Church in Wilmington where God spoke to her heart. Like Samuel, it was at a tender age that Gwen felt a deep sense that God was calling her into His service. Although her childhood was wrought with tremendous family difficulties God stayed near to her heart and continued to guide her steps.
When Gwen was twelve she and her family moved abruptly across the country to the inner city of Los Angeles. But God guided her through the efforts of a local outreach pastor who took her to church and would have an incredible impact on her life. A few months later Gwen was baptized and she became involved in a local Nazarene church youth group.
Gwen was called into active service during Junior High when she fell in love with the church nursery and served every Sunday. At sixteen she began teaching Sunday School through the inner city outreach and was a camp counselor that summer for the first of many years to follow. Having a great love for people she continued to serve in the office, leading the youth group and taking many opportunities to talk to people about Christ.
During these years Gwen completed her degree and worked in the fashion industry. When God blessed her with two precious sons, Wesley and Ryan, she began her own home business and switched her focus to the development of young children. God called her back to school to major in Child Development at this time because of her love for children. She became involved in community parent-child programs, volunteered at the elementary school on PTA executive board for four years and worked as a substitute in a local preschool.
In 1991 God called Gwen and her family to Lake Avenue Church where she began as a volunteer teacher in the Sunbeams class in Early childhood. In 1993 she was invited to join the staff as coordinator of childcare for the beginning of the new Saturday Night worship service. In 1995 she was asked to become the "interim" Early Childhood Director and then God called her to stay.
Today, Gwen continues to follow God's call through leadership of our Early Childhood Department. Her love of young children and her call to teach and serve the needs of young families brings Gwen hope that the love of Jesus Christ will continue to shine brightly through the lives of these precious little ones and their families here at Lake Avenue Church.
