Leadership Team & Meeting Notes

He lives with his wife, Melody, in Murphy NC. They have two sons, Jacob and Zachary and are blessed with 3 grandchildren, Cadence, Asher and Eden. Richard continues to work in Printing Sales as the owner of Mountaintop Print & More.

His journey with the Lord started at the age of 7 and has been better than he could ever imagine. Serving as a Home Group Leader, being a part of the Prayer Team, and having the opportunity to share Jesus on 3 mission trips to India are some of the highlights on the journey. Richard’s passion is to see others empowered to serve and to represent Jesus well. He desires to see the lost saved and their lives changed.

After teaching for 30 years, I retired and am now enjoying this new lifestyle. My husband, Richard and I moved from Texas about three years ago and immediately started attending Vertical Church.

What drew me to Vertical is that I loved to see how people were growing in deeper relationships with Jesus through the ministry of the church and making connections with other believers.

I’m excited that God is drawing people to Himself, they are responding to Him, and lives are being changed.

Darrin is CEO & Managing Member at Sparks Exchange. After 28 years in community banking providing financial guidance to clients including small business & real estate investors, Darrin now assists business owners  investment property owners in legally structuring 1031 exchanges.

Active Affliations:
* Vertical Church Treasurer
* Genovus Partners, CFO & Director
* Grace Fiduciary Solutions, Owner, providing Trustee & Fiduciary services.

Previous Experience:
Seasons Bank President
Senior Management for multiple community banks from $50 million assets to $2 Billion.  

Past Affiliations:
*MACA Board Treasurer
* Varsity Boys Basketball Head Coach
*President Rotary Club of Union County, GA, *Union County Chamber Board, *member Board of Associates Young Harris College. 

Jon was baptized and accepted Jesus as His savior around the age of 10. He married his wife, Shea, in 2019. They have attended Vertical Church together since 2018. They have two daughters, Blakely and Olive. Jon enjoys serving on the worship team and tech team at Vertical’s Hiawassee campus. Professionally, Jon works at Discovery House Homes and is co-owner of Scenic Flooring & Tile in Hiawassee. He wears many hats, but primarily oversees their accounting processes and general business management. Jon is honored to serve on Vertical’s Leadership Team, and excited to see the Lord moving in our communities.

Dave and his wife, Bev, joined the Vertical family in 2017.

Dave works in the insurance industry. He and Bev been blessed with two grown children, a fine son-in-law, and a precious grandson.

Dave and Bev are grateful for the supportive community they’ve found at Vertical Church. They enjoy serving in various ways. They are excited to see how God uses Vertical Church to reach people and help them grow in their relationship with Him.

Bev and her husband, Dave, joined the Vertical family in 2017.

Bev is a clinical research professional. She and Dave been blessed with two grown children, a fine son-in-law, and a precious grandson.

Bev and Dave are grateful for the supportive community they’ve found at Vertical Church. They enjoy serving in various ways. They are excited to see how God uses Vertical Church to reach people and help them grow in their relationship with Him.

I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior at 9 years old and have been striving to serve Him ever since. As I’ve grown older, I have recognized my mission field is in education. I work at Union County Schools and love serving in the small town where I grew up.

Since 2017, I have been attending Vertical Church, where I cherish the connection and encounters with the Holy Spirit. It’s a wonderful place for both newcomers and long-time believers to worship together. I am excited to be a part of Vertical Church and look forward to seeing what the Lord has in store for us all.

Makayla Rogers and her family have been a part of Vertical since the very first service. She has served in many capacities over the years alongside her husband, DJ, and their sons, Lincoln and new baby Roman. Her professional background is in Industrial & Systems Engineering, with a focus on process improvement & system transformations. She currently works as a consultant facilitating digital transformation by implementing financial software for finance organizations for businesses of various sizes & industries.

Phillip is the Senior Pastor at Vertical Church. Phillip and Kalyn joined Vertical Church in 2019. They believe that Jesus can change the life of anyone, and a relationship with Jesus is worth going all in for. Kalyn and Phillip enjoy serving the Lord above all else.