Pastor Tammy Hallam - Lead Pastor
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Pastor Tammy is an ordained pastor with the Evangelical Covenant Church. She received her Master of Divinity through Phoenix Seminary and training in Spiritual Direction from North Park Seminary in Chicago. She has served for over twenty years as a pastor in local churches in Arizona and now in Indiana with a focus on spiritual formation, leadership development and community transformation. Her passion is to walk alongside others in their journey towards understanding God’s desire to know and love them and how they can respond to that love and live a God-inspired life. Tammy grew up in Muncie, working at their family-owned hardware store, Hi-Way 3 Hardware and has moved back to her hometown with her husband, Jack.They have 4 daughters and 7 grandchildren and love to travel and enjoy time with family and friends. Some of Tammy’s hobbies include curling up with a good book, hiking and teaching Holy Yoga classes.
Matt Thornburg - Worship and NextGen Pastor
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Matt has a passion for hearing the stories of God in people’s lives (people just like you!) as well as helping others discern how to perceive and respond to God at work in their lives. Matt discovered this passion while completing a Master of Arts in Ministry with a specialization in Church Planting and Multiplication through Wesley Seminary. At Eden, Matt lives this passion by providing space for the next generation to find the unique story of God in their lives so they may grow into all that God has for them. As Eden’s worship leader, he encourages people to respond to God’s transformative power through worship. Matt also works as a maintenance assistant and volunteer coordinator for the Cardinal Greenway. In his spare time Matt enjoys reading, running, and hiking but enjoys hanging around a warm, cozy fire with his wife, Haley, and a group of friends the most!
Phillip Freel - Staff Pastor
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Pastor Phil comes to Eden after retiring from fourteen years of preaching and ministering to a small United Methodist congregation in southern Wells County, Indiana. Phil was considered a bi-vocational licensed local pastor as he maintained full time responsibilities at a paper mill in Hartford City. He is the General Manager of New Indy Containerboard, Hartford City Mill, and has been employed at this location for the last 35 years. Phil has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration from Indiana Wesleyan University, completed the United Methodist License To Preach School, and completed several United Methodist Course of Study classes (Pastoral Counseling, Pastoral Leadership, Old Testament Studies, Pastor as Interpreter, Wesleyan and Methodist Studies). Phil and his wife, Myra, have two adult children and one grandchild along with four dogs. They live on a family farm that has been in Myra’s family for nearly 200 years in Northern Blackford County. Phil enjoys bicycling and spending time with his family.
Diane
Russell
Diane Russell - Ministry Assistant: Discipleship & Music
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Diane began playing for worship services at the age of 15 and since that time has enjoyed feeling close to God through time at the piano, organ or keyboard. A graduate of Ball State University, with degrees in education and music, her energies have been spent as an active farm wife. She andhusband Paul have raised three children and enjoy 7 grandchildren. Diane has been a member of Eden Church since 1976. Along with providing service music, she directs the Call-Out choirs, helps conduct group ministries and leads the hospitality team.
Julie Scott - Administrative and Communications Associate
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Julie returns to Eden with an extensive background in graphics and marketing. She wields every asset in her tool kit to keep Eden's members up to date on all things Eden in this ever-changing world.
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Author of sixtee books, including Eden's own forty day devotional, EPIC: Exploring Everyday Pathways in Christ, and the Pre-Apocalyptic Christian Fiction novel, The Question, Julie and her husband Bob enjoy traveling and spending time with their grown children.