Church Contacts

(816) 436-1616

I’m a Christian, a husband, a father, and a pastor. I’ve been married to my wife Amy since 1992 and see it as one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Our four boys are a great deal of fun while inspiring and challenging us to be better people and better parents.

We are at home in the KC northland. I was raised in Liberty while Amy grew up in Gladstone then Kearney. We were married at Liberty United Methodist church, which is the church that laid my faith foundation. Three of our four boys have been born in this area, we’ve buried family here, we’ve worshipped God, and grown in faith here, and we see this area as our home. I responded to my pastoral calling at Good Shepherd United Methodist church. And now proudly serve as the pastor at Gashland UMC, just miles down the road.

Mostly, we are servants of Jesus Christ, passionate about ministering in his name, and we are glad to have the opportunity to serve together with his disciples as a part of the Gashland United Methodist church.

I have been married to my husband Craig for 26 years and have four wonderful children. Craig grew up in Gashland UMC and that is how I started going here.

Our home is always busy with the kids, their friends and the two dogs running everywhere. There are usually basketball games going on in the driveway or football or whiffle ball games in the backyard. My children are very involved in sports and most of our evenings and weekends are spent at a football field, a basketball or volleyball court, or a baseball diamond.

My family is the most important thing in my life and our activities center around the lives of our children and promoting activities that enhance the lives of children and families.

After all the activities are done for the day on Thursday’s, my daughters and I reserve the TV for catching up on Grey’s Anatomy and Criminal Minds. I love snow days – they are like an unexpected gift from God – everything shuts down for a day and you have all the kids at home – sledding, cookie making with hot chocolate, game playing and just hanging out together.

I work as the Director of Connections and Preschool Director at Gashland. Listening to people and helping them connect into their passions is a very rewarding job. Directing and teaching at the preschool is a dream job – I love children and they make me laugh.

I am very involved in PTA serving on the Executive Board for Missouri PTA. Working to enrich the education and life of families, strengthen education values and policies is important to me.

In my spare time I love to cook and read. As a Christian one of my favorite Bible verses is
Philippians 4:13 … “I can do all things though Christ who strengthens me.”
If you can go to bed at night knowing that you have made a difference in the life of at least one person, family or stranger, then your day was successful.

Joe Dake is a graduate of William Jewell College with degrees in church music, specializing in organ. He also has graduate work in music and banking through the University of Wisconsin.

He served 15 years as the organist and choir director at the Barbee Memorial Presbyterian Church in Excelsior Springs, Mo., as well as 7 years as organist at Pleasant Valley Baptist Church in Liberty, Mo. For 30 years he has served as the organist at Gashland United Methodist Church. He has been a member of each church he has served. Several years ago, he received a service award from the Gashland Church Womens Group.

He maintains a teaching studio, providing instruction in piano, keyboard and organ and has numerous awards for teaching and participation in recitals, festivals and other public activities. Several of his students have participated in workshops and music events at locations throughout the US.

(816) 436-1616

Michael has deep southern roots, spending his teen years in the Appalachian Mountain foothills of North Georgia. Raised in a diverse musical family, he began playing guitar at age five. During his early teens, he was asked to bring his band on the road, opening up for many rock legends such as Ted Nudget, Bob Seger, Buddy Miles, Mike Bloomfield and many others. While touring, he had a conversion experience with Christ and soon thereafter sensed a call to prepare for vocational pastoral ministry. He left his band to finish high school. Michael has a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies, ORU, and a Master of Arts in Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary. Before moving to Kansas City in 2004, he completed 23 years of pastoral ministry. The vast majority of his ministry was spent in San Francisco and the greater Bay Area as a pastor in the Vineyard Christian Fellowship.

Leading worship, writing, recording, publishing and training worship leaders always played a role throughout his pastoral ministry. He has published and recorded worship projects for Vineyard Music Group and his own independent recordings. His recordings include bassist, Stu Hamm (of David Lee Roth Band / Steve Vai / Joe Satriani), fusion drummer, Atma Anur (Shrapnel Records) and songwriter, Mike Busbee (songwriter for Timberland / Keith Urban / Rascal Flatts / Lady Antebellum …). Busbee produced and co-wrote songs with Michael on a CD entitled Identified.

Michael is married to Liz and has two married children, Julia and Ian. Michael remains on the founding team of CrewTracker Software. He is a member of the Music Academy at Church of the Resurrection, UMC, Leawood, KS, and is excited about his mentoring role at Gashland United Methodist Church. He works with other churches, helping develop contemporary and ancient forms of worship.

Seeking to relate closely to the urban poor, Michael and Liz relocated in 2010 to the urban core of Kansas City, MO. Michael and Liz also provide leadership for Connect Africa, a California 501c3 non-profit corporation, which develops sustainable clean water technologies in Kenya and Uganda.