our team

our team

The church has many parts. When they work together, that's the body of Christ at its best. Read about our staff and volunteers below and how their gifts work together in making the magic happen at Grace Wesleyan.

staff

Myron Rhodes, Jr.

Senior Pastor

Hi!  My name is Myron and I am honored to be the pastor of Grace Wesleyan Church!  My wife Annette and I have been married since 1992 and love living in South Florida, serving God and Christ! Originally from Little Rock, Arkansas, we have called Broward County home since 2002. We have three adult children, three grand-children (one in college at the University of Arkansas…Go Hogs!), and two mini-schnauzers, Jiminy and Cricket!

As a person who knows what it means to be rescued from a life driven by self-centeredness and brought to a place of surrender to the will of God and the Lordship of Jesus Christ, I am empathetic to the challenges and difficulties in following Christ in a world that does not honor him.  I was called to ministry at 51 years old after a few decades in the business world as a corporate executive and small business owner. I honored that call by completing a Bachelor’s degree in history, with emphasis on the early church, the reformation, the colonial era, and the spread of Methodism as the American continent was populated westward.  My theological studies were completed at Southern Methodist University’s Perkins School of Theology where I earned a Master’s of Divinity.

As a person experienced in the world, and one who has been fully redeemed by Christ, I welcome you to come check us out at Grace Wesleyan!  No one among us has a perfect track record of following Jesus, but we do the best we can to follow scripture, Jesus’ commands (all of them, not just the ones we like), and we study and worship together as seekers of truth.  There is room for anyone who earnestly seeks to surrender their worldly ideas in favor of God’s plan for his children!

Mimi Rutherford

Youth & Family

Miami native, married to Brian and Mom to Oliver & Addison.

I‘m so excited to be involved with Grace Wesleyan Church because there is a genuine feeling oflove for God and serving his community.

My favorite saying is…”Not all of us can do great things but we can all do small things with great love.” Mother Teresa

I love to laugh and feel most comfortable serving. Look forward to seeing you at church.

Freddie Colloca

Music Ministry

A native of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Freddie Colloca was born with music in his bloodlines. The son of a father who had spent much of his adolescence as part of a highly popular Latin Christian folk group, young Freddie was immersed in a world of music almost from the day he came into the world.

Freddie grew up in Miami’s heavily Hispanic Hialeah neighborhood, where the happy sounds of all genres of Latin music-from merengue, to salsa, to Tejano-was the soundtrack that surrounded him day-in and day-out. In addition to ’80s and ’90s Top 40 radio, Freddie cites his Latin musical mentors as well as the hot CCM artists of the day as equal influences on his artistic development.

Currently Freddie is active in his career of music as a worship leader, performer and recording artist in and around the south Florida area. Freddie’s desire is to passionately worship God in spirit and in truth.

Robert Beckey

IT Support

I am studying Management Information Systems at the University of Georgia. I love to use my technical skills to serve others, and I am glad that I can put those skills to work for Grace Wesleyan! I have been regularly attending church my whole life. At UGA, I have regularly attended and served with Reformed University Fellowship as well as Faith Presbyterian Church. I am excited to see how God continues to use Grace Wesleyan to further His plans!

volunteer staff

Sharon Merritt

Finance

I have been a United Methodist Church member since the early 1980’s. I was a single Mom with a young son.

I am excited to be a part of a new and growing church that has the Christian love for other people and want to be in a traditional church setting.

Pastor Larry Bergstrom

Spiritual Ordained Leader

As a lifelong Methodist, I was privileged to serve on church staffs for 47 years, 25 of them as a pastor. After retiring in 2018, I was thrilled to be a part of the beginnings of Grace Wesleyan Church when we launched our first worship service on February 8th, 2020. It’s exciting to worship with this congregation that has a vision for the future and beyond! It is my honor to serve as an ordained Spiritual Leader for the Grace Wesleyan Church.

My wife, Julie, and I have been married for 34 years and enjoy the beach and the south Florida lifestyle. We have 3 children, 4 grandchildren and will be glad to show you our pictures!

leadership council

Sherry Beckey

A native of Fort Lauderdale, Sherry greatly enjoys being a Youth Services Librarian.  She became a Christ follower in elementary school and has been blessed to grow her faith in dynamic Bible-centered churches (Methodist, Presbyterian, and Baptist).  She is passionate about heading up the Grace Wesleyan Welcome Team and is eager to add you to our friendly group of greeters!  She highly recommends the Tuesday Evening Bible Study and promises you will have the chance to ask bold questions and engage in lively discussions.

Sue Blalock

I grew up in the Chicago area and moved to Florida in 1970 with my Husband and children.  My background is mostly administrative.  For the last 35 years I have been a United Methodist attending  the Walk to Emmaus and various Bible studies. I also chaired the backpack project for several years. I am happy to be a part of Grace Wesleyan and am excited to see what God has in mind for us.

Mark Burton

My wife Pat and I have lived in Fort Lauderdale for more than 30 years and raised our two children Kelly and Thomas here. We now share our home with our lovable pit bull mix, Riley. We joined the United Methodist Church in our mid 30s where we came to know Jesus as Lord and Savior. I am excited to be a part of this vibrant, Biblical Church where I can continue to grow in faith and in service to The Lord with other faithful believers.

Rafael Jaramillo

My wife Charlotte and I moved to Fort Lauderdale four years ago and plan to establish roots after 22 years of living in four different continents, seven countries, together with our 5 great children.  I was born in Medellin, Colombia, and raised in Panama.  My wife is from North Dakota.  We met in Oklahoma while in school.

I am an engineer by trade and currently President of Emerson Electric for Latin America, Commercial and Residential Platform.

We have come to learn various cultures, languages and denominations of Christianity during our worldwide experience.  I enjoy volunteering in Boards of Non-Profit organizations and contributing in the communities we have lived.

Joelle Kennedy

I joined the United Methodist Church in January of 2011. I’ve been a member of weekly co-ed and women’s Bible study groups; both of which have increased my faith and trust in God.  I’m blessed to be a member of Grace Wesleyan.  I’m excited to see what God has planned for us, what our next steps will be, and our future in the community.

Jack Maitland

I was born and raised In Pittsburgh, and after college in the northeast and a three year career in the NFL (including a Super Bowl win with the Baltimore Colts), I moved to south Florida where I met Shirley, the love of my life. We’ve been married 46 years, have three grown children (our middle son, David, now lives with our Lord) and 7 grandchildren. We accepted Christ together in 1989 and are excited about the future of Grace Wesleyan. Our goal in life is to live as Jesus would live if He were in our place.

Holly Moody

I am a practicing attorney who was born and raised in Fort Lauderdale, and the proud mother of two daughters. God spoke to me several years ago to step out in faith and start the Reclaiming Our Church movement, which ultimately became the foundation for Grace Wesleyan Church. If you’re looking for a growing community of faithful and traditional Biblical believers, I invite you to come worship with us!

Tammy Nilsson

I have been a Christ follower for over 20 years. I started out in nondenominational churches and then moved to a Methodist Church in 2014.  My background is in accounting. I have served on a church finance committee and also worked in the accounting office for a large nondenominational church for 5 years.

Looking forward to seeing what God has planned for the Grace Wesleyan and worshiping in a traditional environment.

Dora Romero

Born and raised in Cuba, I came to this great country with my parents and sister, as refugees, in 1962. Church World Service resettled us in Pennsylvania, where we converted to Protestantism and became members of a Methodist church. My husband, Raul, and I have lived in Fort Lauderdale for the past 46 years. Our loving family consists of two children, our daughter-in-law, six grandchildren and my sister, Rosa.

I am excited and honored to have been a founding member of Grace Wesleyan Church and belong to its Leadership Team. It is a blessing to participate in Bible study discussions and listen to sermons that are solely based on the Word of God.  I prayerfully anticipate a bright and blessed future for traditional Christianity.

Fred Scarbrough

It is truly exciting to be a part of birthing a new church. As a lifelong Methodist and a 45 year resident of South Florida, I am truly enjoying the traditional teaching at Grace Wesleyan Church! There is so much energy in being a part of the community.

David Zerbee