Ministers of Oakwood Church

ELDER GORDON & PHYLLIS HENDERSON 1963 - 1965 An evangelist and strong preacher. He continued to lead the new membership in our faith. He went back to working with evangelism and has organized the work of the Voice of Prophecy for many years as ministry coordinator. Both he and his wife were active in music. Phyllis died in 1995 after a short illness.

ELDER JOHN & BARBARA ERHART 1965 A kind, soft spoken pastor. He was at Oakwood for only a few weeks and transferred.

ELDER JOHN & CAROL DAVISON 1965 - 1966 A strong, practical church leader. He was also a skilled craftsman. During his stay he built a new house which was to become the churches pastorate and helped remodel the church basement.

ELDER LESLIE & JUANITA NEAL 1966 - 1971 An organized leader and strong with the youth. His local experience was as an assistant Pastor at Detroit Metropolitan. Under his leadership the current strengths of the church were set. Membership remained stationary even with many strong Adventists moving away. Elder Neal was Senior Pastor of the 1000 member Toronto Willowdale Church with a 12 grade school and three assistant ministers under him, and the Portland, Oregon Church. He is now pastoring in Alaska. His wife was an accomplished musician and active with voice.

ELDER LOUIS & SAB ANDERSON 1971 - 1974 He had been a missionary prior to coming as our Pastor and was well liked by many of the members. He faced the closing of Southfield Junior Academy during his term. He left again to become a missionary. Louis is currently pastor at Muncie, Indiana where they are building a new sanctuary.

ELDER STUART & PATTI HARRISON 1974 - 1979 He provided spiritual leadership and organization. A strong, well researched preacher. Much of the current organization was developed during his term. He is now the Head Minister of the Denver Colorado First Church with many assistant ministers under him. Both he and his wife Patti were talented with musical abilities.

PASTOR MIKE & MELISSA CONLEY, ASST. 1980 - 1981 A strong preacher, his work soon carried the church through our search for a new pastor. Mike has been successful with evangelism and building up the church in Port Huron. He currently is pastor of Farmington and Detroit Northwestern.

ELDER NORMAN & JOYCE YEAGER 1981 - 1983 He was pastor of Plymouth and Belleville Churches when called to serve. As a strong preacher and accomplished theologian, he went on to receive a Doctorate of Ministry Degree from Andrews University in June 1988. His wife was active with piano, organ, choir, and voice. Currently he is Pastor in Grand Prairie, Texas.

ELDER DEAN BURNS, ASST. 1983 - 1984 Elder Burns continued after Elder Yeager left. He was always friendly and cheerful even though he faced many personal problems. Elder Burns died from cancer in 1990.

ELDER ARNOLD & HARRIET KRANER 1984 A strong, hard working evangelist who came out of retirement to assist Oakwood while we were awaiting a Senior Pastor. They both provided music.

ELDER FRED & DIANA ADAMS 1985 - 1987 He began a strong preaching program and added charisma to the church, baptizing many people. After Oakwood, he remained in the area and worked as an Evangelist. His wife continued as Oakwood's school principal. Fred left the ministry and after attending school is working in S.C.

ELDER HERMAN & MARILYN OTTSCHOFSKI 1987 - 1992 He came to provide strengths and heal the church. He helped to finish our new school. Very humble with years of ministerial experience. His German heritage added uniqueness to our cosmopolitan church.

PASTOR JIM & CHERYL SIMONDS, ASST. 1989 - 1990 He came to help develop evangelism in the Oakwood area. He provided vocal music. Pastor Simonds left to start the Dearborn Company Church using many of the Oakwood members.

PASTOR MELVIN & JULIETTE SANTOS, ASST. 1990 - 1992 Melvin came to assist Oakwood in winning back many of it=s missing members. He worked to develop a program for the youth and assist with evangelism and music. He currently is pastor of the new Brighton Church and Fenton.

PASTOR MIKE & DIANA OXENTENKO 1992 - 1997 Mike has always been a strong preacher and theologian to us. A few years after arriving, Mike felt the strong conviction with the arrival of his new son to change his name from Davis to Oxentenko in honor of his real father. It=s a good thing because with Micah Davis as assistant names could have been confusing. Mike has continued to develop his small group witnessing that he started at Southern College and has used it effectively in winning many souls. Under his leadership we left the old church and now have a new modern sanctuary.

PASTOR QUINTON & KIMBERLY PURVIS, ASST. 1992 - 1993 Quinton came to us directly from Southern College where as a student he also took on the duties of an assistant pastor at a nearby church. Kim taught at our school. He is now pastoring in the Three Rivers area and has started building a new church for the Mendon Congregation, which is the oldest Adventist Church in Michigan.

PASTOR MICAH & TONI DAVIS, ASST 1994 - 1998 We never realized the power of a couple dedicated to the youth as shown to Oakwood by the Davis=. And a double blessing has been their music. Their support of the school has included teaching and spiritual leadership.