Our Staff

MEET OUR TEAM.
Larry Clark

Pastor Larry Clark

lclark@monroestreetchurch.org | 419.473.1167 x211

Larry Clark has been a United Methodist minister since 1979, pastoring churches in Toledo, Cincinnati, and Columbus. He has also served as Executive Director of Toledo Area Ministries and taught courses at the Methodist Theological School, the University of Toledo, and Bowling Green State University.

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Larry graduated from BGSU in 1977 with a degree in social work and headed to the Methodist Theological School where he earned a Master of Divinity, focusing his studies on the Bible, in particular, the Gospels Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. He also received a Masters in Christian Education with a specialization in drama. Along the way, Larry went back to BGSU, where he studied sociology and received a Ph.D.

Larry is married to Denise. They have four children: Marcus, Monica, Mariah, and Sierra. Larry enjoys studying abroad (Palestine, Greece, Turkey, and Italy), embarking on work mission trips (Haiti and Mexico), traveling, camping, home remodeling, playing guitar, and attending movies and concerts.

Ruth Solo

Pastor Ruth Solo

RSolo@monroestumc.com

Ruth Solo felt a call to become a pastor when she was 15, but it took years for her to act on that call. Ruth began attending Monroe Street Church in 1978. With her youngest a senior in high school, Ruth was ready to leave her job in social services and attend seminary. She started pastoring during seminary and served several churches over the next 23 years.

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After retiring in 2019, Ruth and her husband, Rich, returned to Monroe Street Church. Ruth began helping and volunteering. She was acting interim director at the Monroe Street Neighborhood Center in 2022 for four months when asked to consider being a part-time pastor at Monroe Street. After prayer and discussion with Rich, she said yes. “It is an honor to be asked to serve as a pastor at the church that sent me into ministry so many years ago.”

Kristina Davis

Kristina Davis, Director of Music

krissings4u@gmail.com

Kristina Davis has been singing from a very early age and began piano study in second grade. By the time she was in seventh grade, Kris and her sister were singing and playing duets in church. So began a lifelong journey serving the church through music.

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During high school, she sang with the Chapel Choir at Monroe Street UMC under the direction of Mary Anderson. She graduated in1980 from The University of Toledo, where she earned a Bachelor of Music Degree, with a major in voice and a minor in piano. While at UT, she studied voice with Barbara Rondelli, piano with Frances Renzi, and harpsichord with Susan Kinkaid. Concurrently, she studied the organ with Richard Palmquist at Monroe Street Church. While studying organ, Kris became the Assistant in Music at MSUMC, where she served in various roles until 2006. She has directed vocal and handbell choirs of all ages, taught private piano and voice students, and has been a substitute pianist for area churches.

In 1996, she began a vocal and handbell music program that included global music when she became Director of Music for Toledo Campus Ministry, continuing through 2012 when she cut back on her musical responsibilities to care for family needs. Kris continues to sing with and direct For Unity, a five-voice treble ensemble born out of TCM.
Kris returned to Monroe Street Church in 2018 as a substitute accompanist. In 2019, she became the Interim organist/accompanist, then the Organist/accompanist, and in the fall of 2020, she became Director of Music. Kris says that though it was unexpected and not part of her plan, she is delighted to have returned to MSC. She thanks you all for the warm reception. It feels as though the Spirit has brought her home.

Patricia McCauley

Patricia McCauley, Handbell Director

patmac19@gmail.com | 419.351.2438

Patricia “Pat” McCauley first attended the Monroe Street United Methodist Church in 1974 and joined the Wesleyan Chorus during the tenure of Dick Palmquist. Forrest “Frosty” England and his wife Lois invited her when they found out she was getting a degree in music from Bowling Green State University.

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Patricia subsequently graduated from Bowling Green State University with a Bachelor of Music Degree and a Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Toledo in Educational Technology. She still enjoys singing and always looks forward to her next “gig.”

Pat is honored to serve as Director of the Angels’ Wings bell choir. We feel blessed that our congregation supports our bell choir and appreciates its contributions to music programs and services at MSUMC. We have followed CDC guidelines during the pandemic to continue ringing and participating in online worship services. Conducting bell ringers is challenging but a whole lot of fun. Our choir would love to have more “ringers” join us so we can use our entire five-octave set of bells.

Liz Sheets

Liz Sheets, Administrative Assistant

info@monroestreetchurch.org | 419.473.1167 x210

Liz Sheets is a lifelong member of the United Methodist Church. She feels blessed to be a part of the church’s music ministries and public relations, marketing, and outreach teams in the West and East Ohio Conferences. She served on the Reconciling Congregation’s Board in the mid-1990s.

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Liz served as a teacher and then public relations/marketing coordinator for the Wood County Board of Developmental Disabilities (Wood Lane) for more than twenty-five years. She is excited to begin her position as the church’s Administrative Assistant.

Liz’s office hours will be Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feel free to stop in and say “hi.”

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