Staff
Jill Laufenberg (Interrim Pastor) came to Chester County over 25 years ago after taking a position as the Youth & Young Adult Pastor at West Chester United Methodist Church. She also served on the pastoral staff at Paoli Presbyterian Church while starting a faith-based startup for urban youth in metro Philadelphia. She has held executive positions at two national non-profits for the last twelve years. She was the Executive Director of the local nonprofit Wings for Success (now known as The Wardrobe). Jill is a member of the West Chester Sunrise Rotary, serves on the PFAC Board at Chester County Hospital, is a featured speaker at Chester County’s annual Women’s March, was on the BluePrint Committee for The Fund for Women & Girls, and led the social media campaign for Mayor Lillian DeBaptiste. In addition to her local involvement, she is a contributing author to the best-selling Bible curriculum for students, The Complete New Testament Resource for Youth Workers, Volumes 1 and 2. Creating comprehensive, practical, and relevant lessons for teenagers also helped shape Jill’s unique approach to teaching/preaching.
While studying studio art in New York City, Jill wanted to make a difference in students' lives and decided to enter ministry. She was the first female to go through Pastoral Studies/Youth Ministry at Philadelphia College of the Bible (now known as Cairn University), was ordained in 2005, was a presenter for Real World Parent Seminars, a graduate of the first cohort of The Executive Leadership Forum for Youth for Christ USA, received her certificate in Organizational Development from the Wharton School of Business, and served on the Philadelphia School Board’s Executive Council for Social Change for eleven years. She is passionate about the more significant fight for marginalized individuals and providing opportunities for them to be empowered.
This broad background of experience is possible because of a strong support system of family, friends, and mentors. Jill and her husband live in West Chester. They have a 21-year-old son adopted from Ethiopia at ten years old and is currently studying at San Diego State University. In addition to living in the borough of West Chester, Jill enjoys traveling, attending concerts, snowboarding, boxing, yoga, and has recently taken up pickleball!
Kathleen Scheide (organist) earned degrees in harpsichod and organ at New England Conservatory (with honors) and the University of Southern California (organ departmentment prize). Dr. Scheide has concertized throughout North America and Europe, the Caribbean and the Far East. She is a published composer with a significant discography. In addition to her work at Church of the Loving Shepherd, Dr. Scheide teaches at Rowan College at Burlington County.
Amos Kohne (church administrator) received a degree in Communications from Mansfield University of Pennsylvania before finding his way to his current position at CLS. . Amos is also an avid musician and sings in both his home church and the Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus.
D. John Woodcock, Pastor Emeritus, has served Loving Shepherd for over 40 years and served the community through involvement in The Religious Council of Greater West Chester, on committees such as the Multi-Cultural Task Force of the West Chester Area School District, and most recently on Chester County’s Allocations Committee for the federal Emergency Food and Shelter Program. He was a cofounder of Bournelyf Special Camp. John holds graduate degrees from the Philadelphia Divinity School of the Protestant Episcopal Church and from Temple University, and was ordained by The Rt. Reverend Herbert Spaugh of the Moravian Church (Unitas Fratrum).
