Leadership Team | History of WEMO | Free Methodist Church History | What We Believe | Vision

About Our Church > Leadership Team

John Hay, Jr. | Georgia O'Connor | Mike Conkle | Nicolas Estrella

John Hay, Jr. - Senior Pastor
johnhayjr@sbcglobal.net

John Hay, Jr. was appointed Senior Pastor of the West Morris Street Free Methodist Church, effective December 1, 2003. He and Becky and their children--Abby, Jared, Molly, and Sam--have been a part of the church family at West Morris Street since 1997.

John responded enthusiastically to a call to Christian ministry at age 19. He attended Olivet Nazarene University (Th.B., 1981) and Nazarene Theological Seminary (M.Div., 1986; D.Min., 2003). Ordained an Elder in 1986, John focused on urban ministry and served metropolitan congregations as a Pastor for ten years.

From 1994 to 2003, John directed a community center, brought citizens of Central Indiana together to envision the region's future, and guided Horizon House to prominence as a leading homeless center. "Through this sojourn in community service," John says, "I've always felt God's blessing and discovered some of the ways grace works in unlikely places through unlikely people."

With this appointment, John's attention turned toward the rich life of this metropolitan congregation. "It feels like coming full circle," he says. "I bring with me a ready admission that this challenge is greater than me. I also bring a deep desire to glorify God, honor the church, bear grace to all, and prayerfully seek the Kingdom in this place. And I bring with me an enthusiasm for learning, preaching, equipping leaders, encouraging community, fueling dreams, and empowering creative service."

John is an avid cyclist, "soccer dad," and enjoys water and snow skiing with the family. He publishes a weekly e-journal called Grace Between the Lines (www.geocities.com/bikehiker). Becky (BSN, Olivet Nazarene University, 1983) is a school nurse in Wayne Township; she loves to sew, scrapbook, and garden.

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Georgia O'Connor - Associate Pastor in Youth Ministries
ggbl82@gmail.com

Georgia O'Connor became our Youth Pastor in 2005. Prior to this, Georgia and her husband Gale served our youth as volunteers for a number of years. They are parents of two WEMO youth who are now out of college. Gale and Georgia have "stepped up" to serve in this official capacity, overseeing our Jr. & Sr. High youth ministries. The O'Connors share a high commitment and genuine sensitivity to youth. They live in the neighborhood in which WEMO is located and host a weekly youth drop-in ministry called "The Underground" in the basement of their home. The O'Connors also host a series of small groups for youth that meet weekly for encouragement, accountability, and growth. Georgia's a runner and she and Gale are into kayaking.

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Mike Conkle - Associate Pastor
lotsalures@aol.com

Mike Conkle serves WEMO in areas of pastoral care, encouragement, group development, and music ministry. Mike is a seasoned pastor in the Free Methodist Church, having served pastorates at Winona Lake and the John Wesley Church in Indianapolis. Mike was instrumental in beginning "Mission Indy," an inititiative that calls Indy-area Free Methodist congregations to work together for church planting and urban ministry outreach. Mike served as Interim Pastor at WEMO prior to the appointment of John Hay, Jr. Mike's a graduate of Greenville College. He's married to Debbie, who serves a consultant for developing charter schools. They have two adult children, Eddie and Sarah. As his e-mail address indicates, Mike is an avid fisherman. He's also one incredible tenor!

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Nicolas Estrella -- Pastor, Comunidad Cristiana
Nicoestrella@juno.com

Beginning in 2001, Pastor Nicolas Estrella planted a Spanish-speaking congregation within West Morris Street Free Methodist Church. Now fully organized as a Free Methodist Church, Comunidad Cristiana meets in WEMO's Chapel for worship on Sunday mornings at 10:30 am. Comunidad Cristiana reaches out to new Latino neighbors who are finding residence in Indianapolis' near Westside neighborhoods.

Pastor Nicolas Estrella is from the Dominican Republic and is now an American citizen. Nicolas is married to Gidelka and they have three sons -- Jeromi, Jaaronick, and Joash.

In addition to his church-planting work with Comunidad Cristiana, Pastor Nicolas Estrella encourages other Spanish-speaking Pastors and congregations of the Wabash Conference of the Free Methodist Church in their development.

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