James Moore and Darrin Foddrell, both of Lenoir, North Carolina, are sharing the responsibilities of the Eastern District Conference minister, following the retirement of previous district minister Terry Hunt.
Beginning in January 2024, Moore intends to attend district and national meetings and do most of the traveling since he is retired and has more free time, while Foddrell will work locally with the churches and on updating the EDC bylaws.
“Both James and Darrin desire to connect the EDC more robustly with USMB and other districts while leading a very diverse group of churches,” Hunt says
Moore, who began serving in this new role Oct. 1, 2023, has served as pastor of West End MB Church in Lenoir for the past three years. He has two children and one granddaughter.
“James Moore has a heart for pastoral leadership and walking beside leaders,” Hunt says. “He has a passion for churches to grow deeper into discipleship and spiritual transformation.”
Moore holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a master’s degree in Christian ministry, both from Liberty University. He anticipates graduating from The Urban Ministry Institute in 2024.
A retired police officer, Moore served more than 28 years with the city of Lenoir as a Sergeant over the school resource officers, community officer and the traffic unit.
Before joining the USMB family, Moore served as associate pastor at Christ Church of Lenoir. He has also filled other areas of ministry, including Sunday school teacher, deacon and youth leader.
“In this new role as district minister I am looking forward to going to visit all the churches in the EDC and working alongside the USMB family,” Moore says.
Darrin Foddrell will begin his work with the district in January 2024. He has served in education for 29 years, currently as an assistant high school principal. He has also served on the USMB Leadership Board for one and a half years.
“Darrin Foddrell strongly desires to lead the EDC into a new and exciting area of developing young leaders and church multiplication,” Hunt says.
Foddrell holds a bachelor’s degree in math and science education from Appalachian State University, and a master’s degree in school administration and an education specialist degree in school leadership, both from Gardner-Webb University.
“I am excited about being a district minister, as I will have the opportunity to help with leadership training (and) building solid relationships between Eastern District churches, help cast visions for individual churches and our district and help remind everyone of why we do what we do: to be servants to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,” Foddrell says.
Foddrell and his wife, Carrie, have been married for 27 years and have two teenage sons, Camdyn and Micah. The Foddrells have served as co-youth pastors at The Life Center in Lenoir for five years.
Janae Rempel Shafer is the Christian Leader associate editor. She joined the CL staff in September 2017 with six years of experience as a professional journalist. Shafer is an award-winning writer, having received three 2016 Kansas Press Association Awards of Excellence and an Evangelical Press Association Higher Goals award in 2022. Shafer graduated from Tabor College in 2010 with a bachelor of arts in Communications/Journalism and Biblical/Religious Studies. She and her husband, Austin, attend Ridgepoint Church in Wichita, Kansas.
