Nominee Information
Position: Synod Council – At-Large – Laity
Candidate: AJ Beckett
Congregation: Grace, Wheeling, WV
Residence: Wheeling, WV
I have been a part of the Synod Council ever since I was elected youth member in 2021/2022. Once I turned 18, I then became a Laity at Large member of the Council. The time has now come for me to run for re-election and I believe I have served the Synod Council faithfully as pointed out by my fellow Councilors and I want to continue my service and being a part of the church body.
Candidate: David Whitacre
Congregation: Fairview Chapel, Gore,VA
Residence: Winchester, VA
Whitacre is a life-long member of Fairview Chapel, Gore, VA, one of four member congregations of the Capon-North River Parish. He has served as treasurer of the parish along with being a key lay leader in his congregation. He is well-acquainted with the blessings and challenges of small rural congregations and multi-point parishes in the Ridge and Valley Province on the edge of the Shenandoah Valley. In this, he would bring a perspective not currently represented on the Synod Council. He is also familiar with life in proximity to an urban center, living on the rural-urban interface. He served faithfully on Synod Council in the ’00s (or maybe the late ’90s). He is well-versed in the core markers of Lutheran theology and practice and is committed to a Lutheran presence in Appalachia. He is recently retired.
Position: Synod Council – Youth
Candidate: Jane Basile
Congregation: St. John’s, Davis, WV
Residence: Davis, WV
Jane is a member of St. John’s in Davis. She is very active in the congregation. Jane serves where needed and is a great helper. She is a faithful worship assistant and a gifted member of the bell choir. She has been a worship assistant since the age of 9. Jane was confirmed in November 2025. She loved learning Luther’s Small Catechism and lots of church polity. She is eager to serve on Synod Council and to get her feet wet serving the wider church.
Candidate: Eli Reid
Congregation: First, Parkersburg, WV
Residence: Parkersburg, WV
Eli is an active member of First Lutheran Church in Parkersburg. He has a love for serving God and his community. Currently, he serves the church as an acolyte and volunteers for other duties on an as needed basis. Eli is recently confirmed.
Position: Discipline Committee – Clergy
Candidate: The Rev. Deacon Mary Sanders
Congregation: St. John’s, Redhouse, MD
Residence: Redhouse, MD
Deacon Mary has been active in our synod for years. She has a background of working with the WVDNR as a water specialist. She is not afraid of conflict or confronting those who need to be confronted.
Candidate: The Rev. Sean Smith
Congregation: Lutheran Cooperative Ministries
Residence: Wheeling, WV
Pastor Sean would be great on the Discipline Committee. He is well-known and respected in the synod. He is knowledgeable in church polity and policy. He follows rules well and works well with others.
Position: Secretary
Candidate: David Finney
Congregation: St. Paul, Morgantown, WV
Residence: Fairmont, WV
David Finney served as secretary of the Allegheny Synod, 2012-2024. He began serving as secretary of the WV-WMD Synod under vacancy appointment by the Synod Council in December 2025. Educationally, Finney holds a Master of Public Policy & Management, a Master of Business Administration, a Diploma in Horticulture, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. Professionally, Finney was worked in the golf industry in various supervisory positions from 1984 to 2012. He was the Supervisor of Campus Grounds, University of Pittsburgh – Johnstown Campus, Johnstown, PA, 2014 – 2024. Since 2009, he has served as an adjunct professor at four different institutions of higher education.
Feedback
Post your comment on this topic.