ROBERT FERRO
SENIOR PASTOR
Robert Ferro has been the Senior Pastor of Bethany since 2001. A native of Northeastern Ohio, he graduated from Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus, Ohio in 1996. He served a rural congregation in central Illinois before his call to Bethany. Robert also has a degree in Business Administration and Accounting and worked as a Certified Public Accountant for 12 years before entering the seminary. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Adult Christian Education Foundation of Madison, Wisconsin, and has been a Bethel Bible Series Clinic Instructor since 2009. Additionally, he serves on the Board of Directors of West Park Meals on Wheels. Robert and his wife, Linda, have been married for 29 years and have three adult children, David, Anna and Rebekah. In addition to his ministry, he enjoys reading, hiking, watching classic films, studying history, traveling and being with his family.
MELISSA TODD
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION DIRECTOR & CHURCH SECRETARY
Melissa was baptized and grew up at Bethany English Lutheran and is happy to serve as Christian Education Director and Church Secretary. She graduated with honors from Ohio University with a degree in Telecommunications with minors in Women’s Studies and German. In her free time she likes to cheer on the Cleveland Indians and explore the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. Her favorite book of the Bible is Judges.
SARAH TODD
FINANCIAL SECRETARY
Sarah was baptized at Bethany English Lutheran Church when she was in the first grade and has been an active member her whole life – volunteering as a Sunday School teacher and serving on Church Council. She began working as the Financial Secretary in the summer of 2014. She has a degree in English from Miami University where she did a focus in Journalism and minored in Women’s Studies. In her free time she enjoys cheering on the local Cleveland sports teams, going to movies, reading, playing Scrabble and debating Harry Potter fan theories.
JESSE LANGE
MUSIC DIRECTOR
Jesse, the director of our Chancel and Hand Bell choirs, is a lifelong Lutheran who grew up in Michigan. He is also the vocal music director at Cleveland Heights High School. He earned both his Bachelor of Music Education and Master in Choral Conducting Performance degrees from the University of Akron. Jesse is an active member of the Cleveland Chamber Chorus, and he is past associate conductor of the Singers Companye. He served as vocal music director of Faith Lutheran Church in Kent, Ohio for several years, and as the tenor soloist for First Congregational Church in Akron. Jesse and his wife, Marissa, also a musician, reside in Akron with their daughters, Wilhelmina and Matilda and, new addition to their family, Cordelia!
MOLLY WERING
NURSERY
Molly grew up as a member of Bethany English, and continues to receive the sacraments here. She attended West Park Lutheran School and Lutheran West High School.
After studying early childhood education at Mount Union, she later taught kindergarten for 6 years, before staying home to raise her 3 children.
She now says she’s thankful for the opportunity to serve the fellow young families through her work in the nursery.
Jason Aquila
Organist
In addition to being the Organist at Bethany, Jason is the Music Director of the Voice Performance program at the Baldwin Wallace Conservatory of Music. He holds a Master of Music degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music. Jason has performed as a pianist with many internationally acclaimed singers and instrumentalists, including Metropolitan Opera soprano Jennifer Rowley, and Chicago Symphony Orchestra Principal Flute Emeritus Donald Peck. He currently lives in North Olmsted with his wife, Emily, her son Carter, and their dogs and cat. In his spare time, Jason enjoys reading and playing board games.