Eli gave his life to Jesus Christ when he was about 10 years old in Ohio attending an old fashion tent revival meeting. He was setting with his family, listening to the preacher talk about sin and Jesus’ forgiveness, when tears started streaming down his face; he went forward and gave his life to Jesus. At the time he did not fully understand the commitment he had made but he continued to seek the Lord, read and study his bible, and ask questions of his pastor.
Flash forward about 20 years, he is now married to a beautiful woman and has a family (a girl and boy) and they have just moved from Rochester, NY to Phoenix, AZ. They started attending “Trinity Bible Church” and on their first Christmas at Trinity, at the midnight service, Eli dedicated his life to Jesus Christ and the Senior Pastor, placed him with Sandy Mason (the youth pastor at that time) and they met once a week for two years and he became a disciple of Jesus Christ. Twenty years later, he and his wife started attending Lakeview United Methodist Church (UMC), in Sun City, AZ.
Eli’s actual journey started back at Trinity Bible Church where he lead a men’s only bible study that started in 1999 due to the Promise Keepers movement and then evolved into a regular weekly Men’s bible study, which he lead until 2016. While he and his family were still in New York, he and his wife went on their first Marriage Encounter weekend and God really filled Eli with the Holy Spirit. Eli and his wife became a presenting couple on the weekends and presented many Marriage Encounter Weekends and they served on the Marriage Encounter Board.
While Eli and his wife attended Lakeview UMC, he and his wife went on the Walk to Emmaus and Eli has held many volunteer positions that have helped him to continue to grow in understanding God’s will and path for his life. Eli is currently the Finance Chairman and leads the United Methodist Men’s Group. In 2020, Eli went on his first mission trip to St. Cloud, MN for a revival in that area due to the racial unrest that had happened in that area. Eli is also planning another missionary trip to Brazil, hopefully in 2021. Lakeview UMC has been doing outreach within the Phoenix downtown area where Eli has joined a group from Lakeview UMC who take a meal once a month to the JUSTA Center for homeless people 55 years and older.
Eli has taught many classes which are listed below, (some are listed above). Currently, he teaches three classes a week: Sunday Morning “Sermon After Glow” further discussions about the Sermon. On Wednesdays an old fashion bible study, book by book, chapter by chapter, and paragraph by paragraph. On Thursdays “The Wired Word” about current events in the world and what the bible says. Other bible studies: “The Story”, a book/video series by Randy Frazee, UMC Discipleship Classes, adult Vacation Bible School, Eli has helped train new Stephen Ministers and support classes for “Grief Share” groups.
Eli’s wife, Ruth Ellen passed to the Lord 2 ½ years ago and his children live in Glendale and Phoenix, AZ; he is blessed with 3 grandchildren. One is getting married in December, 2021 and his granddaughter travels all over the USA with her dad to play volley ball, she will be attending her dad’s High School in the fall of 2021. Currently, due to the virus, Grandpa watches her games on the internet and is very proud of her. Eli is a Stephen Minister and serves on the Stephen Minister Leadership Team, at Lakeview UMC.
