Being a “Cradle Christian” I was raised to know and love the stories of the Bible, and to understand God’s love and acceptance. Like John Wesley, however, it was only later that I had an experience where I learned and realized that all of that information applied to me. This happened, of course, at church camp, Elementary camp at Cedar Glen, where I responded to an altar call and then came home asking “what does it mean that I accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior?”

Upon becoming a believer, I began to hear a different call of God in my life. In youth group, and in madrigal singers in high school, I began to understand and practice the gifts of listening, caring, organization and leadership. As I began to practice pastoral roles, I realized that this work satisfied an inner hunger, so I set out on the path to ordination. I attended Cal State Long Beach, where I received a BA in Sociology with a minor in Psychology. I met with the District Committee on Ordained Ministry, who told me that being born, raised, educated, and churched in Southern California, I should probably go somewhere else for seminary. I applied at schools around the country, and Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, Illinois, was the first to say “Yes.” So I spent three years in the Chicago area. I came back to the California-Pacific Annual Conference, where I was ordained and appointed to serve. I served as an Associate Pastor at the Yorba Linda UMC and Shepherd of the Hills Church in Mission Viejo. My first solo charge was the lovely, multi-cultural Artesia-Cerritos UMC. Next came Saint Andrew UMC in Santa Maria, where I went through some major life changes at church camp – this time at Colby Ranch.

In all of these places, times and experiences, I learned to be open to the movement of the Spirit, and that the best leadership is that which points beyond oneself to what God is doing today.

One of the highlights of my position is sharing in the children’s discovery of their faith and learning more about my own faith through them. They have a simplicity that is refreshing. I feel assured that our future is in good hands.

I am a Southern California native and a life-long Methodist. My husband, Bobby, and I have 3 grown children who are no longer living at home so Bobby and I are embracing this new season in our life. I have found great joy in yoga and practice as often as I can. I have a vegetable garden but am about as green as a gardener as the vegetables that I grow. I enjoy being outdoors and am always up to go on a hike. I am available to play any board game any time.

As staff I get to help people find ways to live out their calling to help others, whether that is through our Congregational Care Ministries program, Shower Ministry program, EngageHB, or one of many other outreach ministries that we have here at CUMC.  As a lifelong United Methodist, I love being able to live out my faith everyday by helping to show the love of God to others.  I love this church family and the way CUMC lives into it’s calling of helping to transformation the world.

I have been married to Jeff for over 35 years and we have 2 grown sons.  To refresh my spirit I read, garden, do Pilates, yoga, and Disney.

His more recent sacred music experiences have included the Los Angeles area Westminster Presbyterian Church, Seventh-day Adventist Church, Second Baptist Church and Holman United Methodist Church and director of the dlw (Don Lee White) Community Chorale, a group of 45 gifted singers dedicated to the preservation and performance of black sacred music in it’s many forms including, negro spirituals, hymns, anthems, cantatas, and traditional gospel music.

As an educator, Dr. Calhoun has taught at the University of La Verne, Loyola Marymount University, University of California at Irvine, and Cypress College. He has traveled extensively including a 2006 European tour with the Paul Smith Singers to Munich, Frankfurt, Lucerne, Essen, and Vienna. In March 2010 James performed with the Albert McNeil Jubilee Singers in concert at Lincoln Center (Avery Fisher Hall), both as soloist and accompanist and he recently made his debut performance at the Walt Disney Concert Hall where he was featured in a performance of Camille Saint-Saëns’ Organ Concerto with the Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles.

We are blessed to have James join us in doing God’s work through music!

In my spare time…I enjoy working Sr. High Summer Camp and walking along side young people on their faith journey, and I love to create! I do this through many different mediums such as gardening, singing/music, sewing, and I especially love creating sacred space. One of my favorite verses is Psalm 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God.” This verse keeps me grounded in all my comings and goings.

Miss Leyla spends most of her time ensuring the safety and security of the children at CUMC Huntington Beach Preschool. She is actively involved in the classroom supporting teachers. She is as an advocate for early childhood education working with Social Services and a variety of regional early childhood development organizations.

She brings a marketing communications background with an MBA and Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication from the University of Denver. She transplanted to Huntington Beach with her husband and daughter from Colorado via Bakersfield, CA in January, 2017. She enjoys spending time baking, running, and going on fun adventures with her family.