Church Staff

Reverend Thomas G. Holtsclaw, a native of Charleston, West Virginia, is a graduate of Morris Harvey College in Charleston, now The University of Charleston, where he earned a BA degree in Sociology in 1965. He graduated from Duke University with a Master of Divinity degree in 1971.

Tom's first appointment was a two-point charge at Cabin Creek, West Virginia. In June of 1960 he was appointed to the Chesapeake Methodist Church, and five years later to the Glasgow Methodist Church where he served two years prior to moving south to attend Duke University. While attending Duke, he served a two-point charge (Lea's Chapel and Warren's Grove) in Roxboro, NC. Upon completion of his graduate work, he returned to his home conference of WV and was appointed to Emmanuel UMC in Huntington. Two years later, Tom was invited by Bishop Robert Blackburn to transfer to the North Carolina Conference. In June of 1973 he was appointed to the Concord and Oak Grove churches in Roxboro. Tom remained with the Concord Church for three additional years and in 1979 was appointed to Tabernacle UMC in Robbins. Four years later he became the senior pastor of Camp Ground UMC in Fayetteville. At the end of four years, (1987) he became the senior pastor of First UMC in Rockingham. In April 1990, Bishop C.P. Minnick, Jr. appointed Tom to serve the New Bern District as superintendent where he served for six years and totally enjoyed that particular ministry with the 65 churches in five counties. Tom was in the position of senior pastor at Jarvis Memorial UMC in Greenville from June 1996 until his retirement on July 1, 2001.

Tom serves as an Intentional Interim minister and is presently serving the Aldersgate UMC in Durham as senior pastor. This is his 7th interim appointment since retirement in 2001. Bishop Alfred Gwinn and District Superintendent Gray Southern recently appointed him to serve the Aldersgate United Methodist Church through June of 2009.

Tom is married to the former Jan Mason, daughter and sister of United Methodist ministers. He and Jan are the parents of three children: Andrea Beth Holtsclaw Malpass of Goldsboro, Timothy Allen Holtsclaw of Fayetteville, and Jason Thomas Holtsclaw of Raleigh. They are also grandparents to Christopher Barrett Malpass and John Taylor Malpass.

Al grew up in rural Wake/Johnston County.  He has served churches in the Rocky Mount and Sanford Districts.  He graduated from Smithfield-Selma Senior High, Barton College in Wilson with a degree in Religion & Philosophy and a minor in Sociology in 1993, Duke Divinity School with a Masters of Divinity in 1998. 

Al was ordained an Elder in June 2000.  He has served the Hart-Speight Charge, Asbury-Bethlehem Charge, Mt. Pleasant UMC and as Associate Pastor at St. Luke UMC in Sanford.  Al's wife Paula and he will have been married for twenty-four years this coming July 24th.  They have two sons Ben and Chris. 

He enjoys fishing and all that North Carolina has to offer from the beaches to the mountains.  As a family the Hocutt's are diehard Duke fans and ACC sports fans.  The most interesting fact about Al is that he comes from a large family; He has eighteen brothers and sisters, ten are still living.  His oldest sister would have been ninety this year!
 

Hey wonderful children of God!  I am Nathan Daniel Arledge and I am originally from Hendersonville, NC.  I obtained my undergrad degree at Western Carolina University in History and Psychology.  I am blessed and honored to be a part of the family here at Aldersgate UMC.  The lord has given me wonderful UTH to work with and I am eternally honored for that!

In the future I hope to return to school to get a Masters in Divinity so that I may become an ordained elder in the UMC.  The Lord has truly called me to the ministry and I have lived great ever since!!!  

GO HEELS!!!

Karen Hicks
Director - Aldersgate Children's Weekday Program
email: Karen Hicks
 
Karen and her husband Steven have been married for 8 years, April 2006.  They have two beautiful girls, Hope, 4 and Hailey, 15 months old. They make their home in Rougemont, NC. Karen has lived in Durham all her life. She graduated from Northern High School and went to the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.

She graduated from UNC-W in 1996 with a degree in Parks and Recreation management with concentration in Therapeutic Recreation. After college she completed an internship at Pitt Memorial Hospital in Greenville, specializing in the Acute/Trauma Unit, High Risk Maternity Ward, and Gerontology/Adolescent Psychiatric Units.

Karen is a State and National Licensed Therapeutic Recreation Specialist. After college she worked as Director of Activities and Recreation Therapy at Horizon Rehab Center, Methodist Retirement Center, and Croasdaile Village Retirement Community all in Durham. She became Director of Aldersgate's After-school Program in June of 2000 and in May 2001 became Director of both the Pre-school and After-school.

Karen’s hobbies include reading, working at home, spending time with family and friends, and scrap booking. Quoting Karen, "I feel blessed to be a part of Aldersgate United Methodist Church. It is a privilege to work with a talented and dedicated team ministering to the Durham community."