Cullen Rodgers-Gates

I was raised in Saudi Arabia and Augusta, Georgia. My wife, Mandy, and I met as undergrads at Wheaton College and have been married for 24 years. Our children are Hannah (22), Ethan (21), and Caleb (16). We’ve lived in Durham and attended Blacknall for 16 years. Since 2020, I have been on staff with the National Association of Evangelicals as Director of Development and Membership. Prior to that, I spent 20 years working in the international education and nonprofit sectors, including 12 years with Congo Initiative, one of Blacknall’s Deep Common Journey partners.

I love Blacknall because Scripture is taught with conviction here, and there is a concerted effort to live out the gospel tangibly in our corporate life together. I’ve been privileged to serve in a variety of roles at Blacknall over the years, including children’s ministry, men’s ministry, and as elder. I was raised in a home that cherished the Scriptures and taught me to seek after God from an early age. Growing up overseas in a multicultural and pluralistic environment laid the foundation for a life-long discovery of God’s kingdom through many personal encounters with the global church. As a result, integral mission is at the core of my understanding of the gospel and has shaped the trajectory of my life in profound ways. I am eager to offer my gifts of listening, discernment, and encouragement to build up the body of Christ at Blacknall and to continue supporting our men’s ministry, in particular.

Kaitlyn Schiess

I grew up as a military kid moving all over the country, in a family that loved Jesus and His church. My parents shared the gospel with me at a young age, and my faith deepened in college as I discerned God’s direction towards a seminary education. While attending Dallas Theological Seminary, I spent five years on staff at a church in Dallas, working in children’s ministry and then with young adults. When I moved to Durham in 2021 to begin my doctorate at Duke, I needed a soft place to land after a couple of challenging and heartbreaking years. Blacknall was that place, and God has used this community to heal me and cultivate in me a deeper love for His church.

One of my great joys is spending time with the children of Blacknall in children’s church, and I have served in the women’s ministry, taught in adult Sunday School, and belong to a young adult small group.

I study and write about theology and politics, and much of my professional work is in helping churches and communities think well about political life and address division in a healthy way. I’m thankful for the witness Blacknall has been to me of navigating disagreement with faithfulness, and I would be honored to serve this place I love as we continue to face challenges with grace and humility.

Lauren Holahan

I first came to Blacknall in the summer of 1986 as a freshman at Duke. During the 1990s, I moved several times but attended Blacknall when living in Durham, the city and the church being knit together in my heart. Return to Durham, return to Blacknall: Likely, this connection informs my current work with our Durham Ministries & Engagement Team. Then, in the great blizzard of January 2000, I came through the then thick wooden front doors and have attended steadily ever since. I was in the last new members’ class led by Ed Henegar.

Over these 20+ years, God has loved me lavishly through friendships and service at Blacknall. My son, Carl, now 25 and in his first year as a public defender in northern Virginia, was raised on the love and prayers of this congregation. And, in His mercy, the Lord has discipled me through adulthood to this season, wherein I work from home for a national technical assistance center supporting states managing their special education reporting, walk the Eno with Cortez (my Plott hound friend), and take enormous delight in popcorn, growing tomatoes, road trips, and splitting firewood.

My relationship with Jesus hums in the background of everything — it’s hard to put words to that love/conversation. I want to live in the world so mindful of my ransom and so consistent with the fiber of His love for me that there is no hiding, no fear, no danger, or opportunity for others to doubt His goodness.

Warren Gould

I first attended Blacknall when dating Becky (now my wife), the daughter of former pastor Ed Henegar. I'm thankful that God brought me into that family and this congregation, and when Becky and I returned with our three sons to Durham in 2008, we were thrilled to resume our life at Blacknall. I continue to marvel how Jesus, my risen Savior, called me by name and has led me through times of joy and trial to an ever-deepening, prayerful walk with and desire for sanctification in Him.

I’m grateful for and encouraged by the fellowship of Blacknall brothers in Men’s Ministry, participating in Bible Study Fellowship, singing in the choir, and the rich insights and new relationships gained through co-teaching a currently paused Christian poetry Sunday school class. I feel the Lord’s call to kingdom work that weds sharing the gospel message of transformation possible only through Jesus and the care for all image-bearers’ flourishing. My main involvement in this regard is serving on the planning team and helping design book studies for the Mount Level Community Partnership for Racial Justice, a Blacknall ministry partner.

A long-time school administrator, I’m energized by and have a lot of experience designing processes for and participating in strategic planning, supporting personnel, and managing organizational growth and change. Beyond the blessing of returning to the Session generally, I’d be excited to engage with fellow elders in helping guide our church in this particular season of transition.

Michael Whisenhunt

My wife, Serena, and I first came to Blacknall in the mid-1980s, and we have called Blacknall our church family ever since. Although our Father has had His hand on me my whole life, I did make a commitment as a teenager to follow Jesus Christ and was helped by many people in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and InterVarsity Christian Fellowship in high school and college. The fellowship and worship at Blacknall, however, have taught me the most about His incredible love for us and the ways we are to love one another.

My terms serving on the Session have made me feel the most connected to my church family, and I take great joy in praying with and for people. I am looking forward to seeing how the Lord provides for our congregation in the years ahead.