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.

Elizabeth Rand

Pastor Elizabeth Rand

erand@monroestreetchurch.org | 419.473.1167 x213

Elizabeth Rand joined the pastoral staff at Monroe Street in July 2016. Elizabeth grew up in Oxford, Ohio, and attended Miami University. She received her Master of Divinity at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary and completed a Master’s degree in education at DePaul University.

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Elizabeth served as an ordained deacon for ten years, leading ministries that connected congregations in Cincinnati and Dayton with their communities. She has worked extensively with children and youth, focusing on spiritual formation and arts ministries. She also helped launch a community organization that supported families living in poverty. After serving as the Calvary United Methodist Church pastor for three years, Elizabeth became an ordained elder in June 2016. She serves both Monroe Street UMC and the Monroe Street Neighborhood Center, helping draw the two communities together into one greater kingdom community. Elizabeth is married to Tom Rand, also a United Methodist pastor. Elizabeth and Tom have two sons, Will and Alistair. The Rand family enjoys music, hiking, and traveling.

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.

Ruth Solo

Ruth Solo, Interim Neighborhood Center Director

rsolo.msnc@yahoo.com | 419.473.1167 x317

Rev. Ruth Solo has been a part of Monroe Street Church in one way or another since joining the congregation in 1979. She and her family were active in the church’s life for years. Ruth was a Sunday school teacher for elementary and junior high school youth. She and her husband Rich attended two youth work-camp mission trips. She served on the Missions Committee and was on the Administrative Board back when it seemed everyone was a member of the Board.

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In conversations with Dee Baker, Ruth began working with neighborhood people who came to get clothing from the Christian Closet. From there, the Bridge Ministry was born. Ruth was the first very part-time director of the Bridge. At that time, the Neighborhood Center was an afterschool basketball program.

Ruth left the Bridge ministry two years before answering her call to ordained ministry. She served 11 churches in seven appointments during her 22 years of pastoring. Ruth retired in 2019, and she and Rich have been very active with Monroe Street since returning to the church. Ruth accepted the Interim Director role part-time when Clara Petty retired from the Monroe Street Neighborhood Center.

Lanette Cornwell

Lanette Cornwell, Administrative Assistant

info@monroestreetchurch.org | 419.473.1167 x210

Lanette Cornwell has been a member of Monroe Street since 1978, shortly after she moved to Toledo from Columbus. Lanette is in her second time around as a staff member here, having been one of two secretaries and Voice editor in the early 1980s.

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After retiring from a long and varied career that included book editing, technical writing, and administrative positions, Lanette answered the church’s call for a part-time administrative assistant. When not keeping the office in order, she enjoys reading, exercising, cooking, and traveling to see her grandchildren (and children, of course) in Michigan, Delaware, and Alabama.

Yolanda Wiggins

Yolanda Wiggins, Administrative Assistant

ywiggins.msnc@yahoo.com | 419.473.1167 x333

Yolanda Wiggins currently serves as Administrative Assistant of the Monroe Street Neighborhood Center.  She began her career in social services more than 40 years ago and has worked at various nonprofit agencies in Toledo, Ohio. Yolanda is the mother of three adult sons and the proud grandmother of one.

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