Rev. Melinda Sparks- Renner
Pastor
Pastor Melinda moved to Peoria from Huntsville, Alabama, to serve the people of Imago Dei in October 2020.
In 2012, after fifteen years of teaching the bible in various churches, she decided to pursue her lifelong dream of studying the bible in an academic setting with various theological voices in her ears. Her understanding of God, Jesus, and the bible was made all the more rich because of this pursuit. She obtained an undergraduate and master’s degree in Religious Studies from Athens State University. She was also ordained and licensed to ministry by Locust Grove Church in New Market, AL, in 2020. She grew up in rural, northern Mississippi and has a deep, abiding love for southern cooking (except for turnip greens).
Pastor Melinda is a storyteller, and she loves to hear other people’s stories. She considers this a sacred part of her calling, and as an Enneagram 4, she also considers authenticity and vulnerability a sacred part of her calling.
She is the mom of three adult children and one teenager: Colby and his wife Danielle, Anna and her wife Cadie, Sam, Celeste, and one grandchild, A.J.
She is an avid reader, and is rarely without a book in her hands, but she is seriously lacking in domesticated skills, particularly cooking. She loves politics, documentaries, podcasts about true crime, movies that make her cry, a husband who doesn’t, a nice cabernet, cheesecake, and deviled eggs. She doesn’t love mayonnaise, most sports, veiled put-downs, racism, misogyny, homophobia, inequality, injustice, or the Beatles.
Holly Earleson
Children’s Director :: Genesis
Holly grew up in Pekin, IL, where she was a flutist and Bible quiz team member in her teen years. She attended Mid-America Christian University in Oklahoma City and obtained her bachelor’s in Elementary Education. She has always enjoyed working with kids of all ages — teaching sixth grade English when she still lived in OKC to working with children and youth in various capacities in many church settings. Holly has served in children’s ministry for over 15 years.
As a newer parent, Holly is very interested in how to best teach her children about God, the Bible, life, social justice, and love without reservations. She is eager to continue to serve the families in Genesis and come alongside the parents as they guide their children on their faith journeys — learning with them about how to navigate this journey of life. Holly also has a strong desire to help the ministry to flow smoothly and effectively — maintaining an environment where children from all backgrounds can feel free to be themselves and ask all sorts of questions.
Holly enjoys a balance between reading books and journaling at local coffee shops and spending time outside walking, running, hiking, and enjoys a fire in the firepit in the backyard.
Being a one or two on the Enneagram (undecided), she likes organization and spending time with people.
Holly is married to Jeff and they have a daughter, Kara, and a son, Eric.