Bob Bixby | pastor@wordcentered.org - lead pastor
After completing their college education, Bob and his wife Jennie ministered
for ten years in France and Belgium as Baptist missionaries. God led them through circumstances and personal burdens to return stateside, and they accepted the pastorate at Morning Star in
December 2002. The Bixbys were both raised in Christian pastors' homes. Bob was the son of missionaries in Africa and France; and Jennie grew up in a pastor's family here in Rockford.
Bob considers theology his duty and favorite hobby. Jennie enjoys practicing the ministry of hospitality; but most of all, she loves her roles as helpmeet and mother. In March 2001,
God blessed the Bixbys with the opportunity to adopt their daughter Patience. She is a long-awaited living example of Lamentations 3:25. The Bixbys are now a family of four,
since the January 2007 birth of their son Corban, whose adoption was finalized at the end
of February 2007.Jeremy Scott | jeremy@wordcentered.org - pastor
Jeremy and his wife Anouk have been involved as
servant-leaders with Morning Star for a long while. The Scotts married in June 2002 and relocated to minister for a few years in a church in Rhode Island.
But their desire to return to Morning Star increased over time. En route back "home," they were able to serve as Morning Star's "missionaries"
and on-site Global Grace representatives for five
months after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita hit the Gulf States (2005-06). The Lord blessed their ministry in Louisiana, but the
Scotts were thrilled when it was time to move back to Rockford and settle in at Morning Star again in the spring of 2006. Shortly
thereafter, Jeremy joined the leadership team and has been serving faithfully in different capacities, including the youth ministry, multimedia
recordings, and events organization. As of October 2009, Pastor Jeremy became a full-time church staff member. In March 2010,
he was ordained and installed officially as one of Morning Star's pastors. Jess Miller | jess@wordcentered.org - pastor
Jess is a husband to Natalie and father to Ashley, Callista, and Wyatt.
Jess is employed full-time with Slavic Gospel Association here in Rockford. He enjoys studying theology.
Jess was ordained and installed as one of Morning Star's pastors in March 2010. Among other leadership responsibilities, he supervises the Bible education/Sunday School hour for all of
Morning Star's age groups, and he usually teaches the adult class. Natalie assists Jess with the organization of Sunday School and Children's Church, and she also helps the leadership team
with secretarial responsibilities. Chris Metras | chris@wordcentered.org
The church enjoys Chris' sincerity and enthusiasm for praising God with
music as a part of our worship. Chris oversees the worship and music ministry, and he is also the director of Global Grace Missions,
Morning Star's mercy ministries and missions arm. Chris and his wife Margaret have six children—Colette, Cody, Ethan, Evan, Elise, and Chloe. Margaret enjoys accompanying on the piano on occasion
and ministering in various other capacities within the church. Chris is on faculty at Shirland School. He also runs his own painting business, Integrity Painting. When he can find some "spare time," Chris
enjoys bow-hunting and working on musical compositions of his own. He and Margaret also teach private music lessons in the community. The Metras' oldest, Colette, will begin college in fall '10.
Cody, Ethan, and Evan are educated at home. Rick Bovell | rick@wordcentered.org
Rick and his family moved to NW Illinois from Atlanta, and joined the Morning Star family in 2007.
Rick has a passion for evangelism and expounding on the truths of Scripture. In addition to ministering in the local jail, Rick directs Morning Star’s mid-week ministry to children,
Kids 4 Truth (www.kids4truth.com), and teaches a children’s Sunday School class along with his wife, Michele.
Rick and Michele immigrated in their adolescence to the United States from the islands of Barbados and Jamaica, respectively, and remain connected to their Caribbean heritage.
In 2008 they joined several members of the church in a short term evangelistic mission in a rural community in Jamaica. They are the parents of five boys, whom they homeschool.
Rick works full-time as a senior programmer with a Milwaukee firm.Brian Hanson, intern | brian@wordcentered.org
In October 2009, Brian moved to Rockford from Boston with his wife Johanna and their
son Stefan. Their daughter Olivia was born in February 2010. The Hansons are well prepared and well equipped to edify the saints of Morning Star, particularly when it comes to their musical training and gifting.
They hope to settle into Rockford and remain involved and serving in the church family for as long God as would have them stay. c o n t a c t | info@wordcentered.org, 815.520.3697
m e e t u p | discipleship, counseling, fellowship
r e s o u r c e s | downloads and links
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l e a r n | beliefs and ministry philosophy
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