Helping strangers feel welcome, whether it’s a new person coming to church or one of her daughters’ friends dropping by the house for a while, hospitality is something Cindy takes seriously. As Pastor of Prayer and Belonging at Asbury her goal is to see that every visitor has a positive first time experience at Asbury.

“Nothing makes people feel more isolated than to walk into a place full of people and be ignored. I’ve found myself in that place too many times in my life. Offering hospitality to others who find themselves in the same situation becomes an important opportunity to demonstrate the love of Christ and the grace of God to others.”

Cindy grew up in Iowa and came to Tulsa midway through her college years when she transferred to the University of Tulsa where she majored in Art Education. She met and married her husband, Mike, in 1984 and they have two college-age daughters, Monica and Katie.

Cindy grew up in a small rural Iowa United Methodist Church where her grandmother played the organ, her mom taught Sunday School, and her dad was the church treasurer. Going to church on Sunday was regular a part of life growing up, but it wasn’t until after she was married that her faith journey took a profound turn. “My husband, Mike, was very influential in my deepening relationship with Christ. He showed me that there was something more, something deeper, than I had previously experienced.”

After Cindy and Mike attended the Walk to Emmaus in 1992 she began to explore a call to ministry. Soon thereafter she took her first church staff position as a preschool director and then later began seminary. Ordained in 2005, Cindy credits her family and especially her husband, Mike, for her ability to experience ministry so fully. “I have an incredible pastor’s spouse. Mike is so supportive and truly is a partner in ministry with me. He is a constant blessing in my life.”

One of the greatest blessings in Cindy’s life is the gift of laughter that flows through the life of her family. “Being able to laugh and have fun with one another makes life so much more enjoyable. Having a sense of humor makes even embarrassing moments so much easier to bear.”