Our Staff
Rev. Molly Vetter is passionate about many things: building community with unlikely and diverse people, making the church more boldly welcoming, and caring for the earth. She was appointed Senior Pastor of Westwood United Methodist Church in 2019. She’s excited to serve a congregation with such a rich legacy of thoughtful engagement on social issues and such an incredible worship space in which to connect to the grace and mystery of our God.
.
In her personal and professional life, she loves planning events and trips, and enjoys experiencing them, too. She loves designing and making things, especially out of fabric or food or the internet.
.
Before coming to Westwood, she served for several years as lead pastor of Redondo Beach First United Methodist Church, and for 11 years as an Associate Pastor at San Diego First United Methodist Church. Molly received her Masters of Divinity from Claremont School of Theology in 2001. Commissioned as an Elder in 2001, she was ordained in full connection in 2004.
.
Outside of the local church, she’s enjoyed working with District Junior High Camps and Strength for the Journey, a retreat for adults living with HIV/AIDS in San Diego County. For many years, she led a weekly Bible study at the San Diego Rescue Mission Women and Children Center, and she has also guided Bible studies and taught classes for the California-Pacific Annual Conference and San Diego State University. She currently volunteers as the Communications Coordinator for the Grain Place Foundation, a non-profit that will inherit and continue her family’s organic farm in central Nebraska.
.
She’s really good at church meetings. Her work in the United Methodist Church has included serving as Chair of the Order of Elders for our Annual Conference, and as member of its delegations to General Conference in 2008, 2012 and 2016. As a Board member of the General Board of Church and Society, she supported work for Economic and Environmental Justice. She been a part of Faith and Order work of the National Council of Churches and World Council of Churches.
.
As an undergraduate, Molly studied Art History at Boston University, and spent a semester abroad in Niger, in West Africa. Molly is a graduate of North Platte High School in western Nebraska. Molly lives with her husband, Matthew Parker, and their son Jonah.
Dr. Carter’s passion for his ministry evolves out of his family’s struggle to loosen the chains of systematic racism – similar to bell hooks he believes that education is the practice of freedom. At its broadest level, he believes that learning should be transformational: it should transform how the student views herself, her neighbor, and her worldview.
.
His research, teaching, and activist interests are in Black, Womanist, and Environmental ethics, with a particular focus on race, food, and nonhuman animals. He is also the co-creator of Racial Resilience, an anti-racism and anti-bias program that utilizes the combined insights of contemplative practices and critical race theories.
.
Dr. Carter is currently an Assistant Professor of Theology and Religious Studies at the University of San Diego. He is also on the board of directors of Farm Forward, an anti-factory farming non-profit. He is a commissioned Elder within the United Methodist Church.
.
He earned his PhD in Religion with an Ethics & Society concentration from Claremont School of Theology. His dissertation, Eating Oppression: Food, Faith, and Liberation was the foundation for a new book, The Spirit of Soul Food.
Andrew is an Ohio native who relocated to Los Angeles to pursue a DMA in Choral Music at the USC Thornton School of Music. Prior to his move to Southern California, Andrew spent seven years as Director of Music Programs for Defiance College in Defiance, Ohio. While in Defiance, Andrew also served as Director of Music at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, Performance Series Director for the Defiance Community Cultural Council, and was an active OMEA adjudicator and area clinician.
.
Since graduating from USC, Andrew has been teaching in the Los Angeles area including courses at the Colburn Academy and Pepperdine University and working as a consultant with the USC Brain and Music Institute. In addition to his degrees in music, Andrew received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and an MBA from Ohio Northern University and Bowling Green State University respectively. Andrew has used his varied education working for non-profits including Early Music America, and most recently, as the Financial Manager for the Cal-Pac United Methodist Foundation in Pasadena, California.
Diana and John Holbert visited Westwood UMC as soon as they moved to Culver City from Dallas, Texas in 2017. Immediately upon their arrival, Diana signed up to teach Vacation Bible School in order to get to know the children of our church. She has taught Bible stories in VBS for the three years that they have been among us. Often you will see Diana and John arrive at Westwood with their granddaughters leading the race into the church, a place both of the little girls love. Saoirse (pronounced Seer-sha) is 7 and Moxie is 4½.
.
Pastor Diana was raised in Kansas, and received a music degree from Grinnell College in Iowa and a Master in Music from SMU. Beginning in 1984, Diana developed a liturgical dance ministry at First UMC, Dallas. She has led worship through dance in Greece, England, Australia, and Brazil, and across the United States, from Alaska to Florida and California to New York.
.
While she was getting her master’s in music, Diana taught music and dance in a private elementary school. Later she became a children’s choir director for fourteen years, and then she began seminary. One of her preaching professors was her husband, John. You will have to ask her what it’s like to be graded by one’s spouse. (Or ask John what it’s like to be harassed by a student who is your wife!)
.
In June 2011 Diana retired as the Senior Pastor of Grace United Methodist Church, a Reconciling Congregation in Dallas. Over her career as a clergywoman, Diana served as lead minister in suburban and inner city parishes. Three of her most interesting posts were 1) as Associate Pastor for Hamilton Park UMC, a predominantly African-American congregation, 2) as an American clergywoman dancer for a year near Manchester, England, and 3) in 2005 she completed her Doctor of Ministry degree, writing about her experience as a General Board of Global Ministries missionary and founding pastor of ArtSpirit, a United Methodist ministry in the arts community of Dallas. Diana and John live in their “Garage Mahal” behind their son Darius’ house, and are only twenty minutes or so from their daughter Sarah and her husband Kyle in The Village Green.
Everest Harvey
(they / them / their)
Director of Youth and Social Justice
.
Everest was born and raised in Folsom (of Johnny Cash fame) and spent their childhood collecting rocks, doing crafts, reading, and birdwatching with their grandmothers. They were raised going to Episcopal churches in the Sacramento area. Their story echoes a narrative common throughout queer corners of Christian communities – one of feeling drawn to follow Jesus even as they struggled to find their place among the people who claimed to love Him. Being queer in Christian spaces presented many challenges and frustrations, but it also opened the door to deeper connections and opportunities for growth in their communities. Their passion for justice and mentorship began in high school and followed them through many positions working with different communities of young people, including four years working for Sierra Service Project, where they first encountered the Westwood community.
.
From a young age, faith and social justice were inseparable topics for Everest, not only in relation to their own queer identity but also in the ways Jesus’s story and legacy spoke to the issues they saw in the world at large. Through their studies at school and their own lived experience, Everest came to know and love Jesus as a radically forgiving and loving teacher. They try to center Jesus’s teachings in their own life- prioritizing the belief that all people are capable and worthy of redemption and grace.
.
They completed their undergraduate degree in sociology and literature at UC Santa Cruz before spending a year in Taiwan on a Fulbright Teaching Scholarship. Their position at Westwood combines several of their passions: building and participating in communities of faith, working with and facilitating spaces for young people, and pursuing social justice in an intentional and loving way. Everest has a special interest in liberation theology, restorative justice, and creating communities of belonging for people of all ages. They spend most of their free time outside – seeking out good food, books, and company.
Deaconess Jeanne Roe Smith is the curator of the 580 Cafe at UCLA. (Wesley Foundation Serving UCLA) Jeanne has served as the Executive Director/Chaplain at UCLA since 2009, co-founding the 580 Cafe with students in 2010. In this role, Jeanne has been able to live her commitment to Love, Justice, and Service in building global community, addressing issues of suffering and displacement, and promoting community core values of the UMC Order of Deaconess and Home Missioners. Jeanne has published and presented locally and nationally on engaging students in higher education in community care and faith formation to build a more just and compassionate world.
.
With 22 student cohort leaders, Jeanne and the students offer community, care, and compassion to students facing food, housing, and educational access challenges. Building beloved community across a diverse spectrum of religious, cultural, and global identities, 580 Cafe engages students in meaningful activities that address current needs and challenges.
Westwood Church is part of the larger witness of the United Methodist Church. We are a part of the California Pacific Annual Conference which is actively living into the vision of “Inspiring the world as passionate followers of Jesus Christ so all may experience God’s life-giving love.”
Resident Bishop:Bishop Dottie Escobedo-Frank
District Superintendent: The Rev. Dr. Siosaia Tu’itahi