Levant Wesleyan Church - Church on the EDGE

About Us :: Staff

Senior Pastor

Howard Garver

About Howard...
Howard grew up in Lancaster, PA. He and his wife, Becky, met at Messiah College and were married after they graduated in 1985. He spent a number of years working for EDS in the corproate setting before heading to the mission field of Caracas, Venezuela, fulfilling a long-time dream. After a short stint there, Howard and his family returned to the USA where he had his first pastorate just outside Salem, Oregon.
Prior to coming to Levant, Howard was on staff at a church in Plano Texas for 6 years. Howard and Becky have 2 great kids.

Fun stuff...
The Garver family enjoys family camping trips, watching movies together and playing Apples-to-Apples.

His favorite...
Free-time activity: Riding motorcycle
Indulgence: Going to baseball games

Bible Verse: 2 Corinthians 5:17-20

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Chirst and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.

About Al...
Al grew up in Friendship, NY and became a Christian at age 10 at Cattaraugus Campground after hearing Jack Hagar (from FLN) speak. He went to college at Houghton Wesleyan College, in Houghton, NY, and he married his wife, Leigh, just before their Senior year of college in 1993.
Prior to coming to Levant, Al was on staff at Gates Wesleyan Church, in Rochester, NY for 9 years.

Al and Leigh have 9 incredible kids!

Fun stuff...
Office Code Name: "Your Pal Al or Mr. P-A"
He loves thrill rides and canes seats for antique furniture.

Pastor of Family Ministries

Al Meyers

ameyers@levantonline.org

His favorite...
Movie: Aladdin (you can call me Al) ...without a doubt.
Food: Definitely pizza and hot wings.
Saying: "Every great oak tree was once a nut that stood its ground."

Bible Verse: Isaiah 41:9-10
I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, "You are my servant";

I have chosen you and have not rejected you. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I

am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Youth Pastor

Chris Laws

claws@levantonline.org

About Chris...

Chris grew up in Lafayette, IN – Go Boilers! He came to faith in Jesus Christ at the age of 20 and then felt the call into ministry and attended Indiana Wesleyan University. He met his wife Karla in Rapid City, South Dakota and they were married in 2002. They have two beautiful daughters, MaKenna and Bristol. Despite being from Indiana and being a Bears and Colts fan, Chris is also a Yankees fan. Chris joined the staff coming from Easton, MD and has been working with teens in a variety of ways since 1999.

His Favorite:
Activities: Backpacking (I once did a 300+ mile trip through Colorado), 4-Wheeling, Nintendo, Wii
Movies: Star Wars
Food: The 4-C’s – Coffee, Chocolate, Cheese and Chicken Wings (If I couldn’t have those - It’s a tie between my Grandma’s lasagna and Pastor Howard’s beef brisket)
Band – David Crowder Band

Bible Verse: Jeremiah 9:23-24 - 23 This is what the Lord says:"Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, 24but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight"

About Katie...
Katie grew up in Galesburg, IL. She received her call to music ministry at the age of 19 during her Freshman year at Indiana Wesleyan University. She met her husband Robert at IWU where they both graduated in 2009. They were married June 20th, 2009. Katie began at Levant in July, 2009.

Katie and Rob have a new puppy...Meg!

Fun stuff...
Katie and Rob love watching movies, hanging out with friends, and playing Wii!

Her favorite...
Activity: Cooking/Baking

Food: Chocolate, Pasta, and Skinny Onion Rings!

Quote: “Outside of a dog, a book is a man’s best friend. Inside of a dog, it’s too dark to read.” Groucho Marx

Creative Arts Intern

Katie Withrow

kwithrow@levantonline.org

Bible Verse: Psalm 150 (NLT)

Praise the Lord! Praise God in His sanctuary; praise Him in His mighty heaven! Praise Him for his mighty works; praise his unequaled greatness! Praise Him with a blast of the ram’s horn; praise Him with the harp and lyre! Praise Him with tambourine and dancing; praise Him with strings and flute! Praise Him with the clash of cymbals; praise Him with loud clanging cymbals. Let everything that breathes sing praises to the Lord!

Praise the Lord!