Dr. Jeff Smith, Pastor

Jeff is a native of Blowing Rock, NC and is grateful to God to serve as pastor at FPC. He is a graduate of Montreat College (B.A. Bible and Religion), a graduate of Union Presbyterian Seminary (M. Div.) and a Doctor of Ministry at Union Presbyterian Seminary. He served three different congregations during 14 years of ministry in South Carolina (Bennettsville, Spartanburg, and Columbia) and has been the pastor at FPC since 2014. He is passionate about sharing the good news of Jesus Christ and empowering the church in Christ’s mission to the ends of the earth. His wife, Angela, works for Water Mission, a non-profit ministry that provides safe and clean water to impoverished areas around the world. They have two sons, Brennan and Lawson. In his spare time, Jeff enjoys trout fishing, UNC Basketball, and spending time camping with his family.
Rev. Larke Blanton, Pastoral Associate
 
Larke Alexandria Blanton is the Pastoral Associate for FPC Boone. She is a graduate of Appalachian State University (B.A. Psychology, 2013 and Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy, 2023) and Wake Forest University (Master of Divinity, 2015). She bleeds black and gold and has a reference to App State football in every sermon preached during football season. With a heart for faith development, passion for Christian education, and a love for serving the community; Larke is thrilled for the opportunity to serve with Pastor Jeff at First Presbyterian Boone. In addition to serving in full time ministry at FPC, Larke is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapy Associate (LMFTA) in Washington State and North Carolina. She serves as a part-time couples therapist with Inside Passage Relationship Counseling. Larke is married to Jamie and together they love going to football, basketball, and baseball games as well as grilling good food and listening to live music.
 

Erin Fowler, Director of Children’s Ministries and Office Adminstrative Assistant

 
Erin has her BA and NC teaching license. She has been a preschool teacher most of her adult life, most recently at First Morning Out. Erin enjoys children and her role as Children’s Director and is embracing her new job as the church’s Office Administrative Assistant.  In her time away from church, Erin enjoys being a mom to a brood and a grandma. Most importantly, she enjoys sharing God’s love with His people.

Jennifer Jones, Financial Director

Jennifer was our office administrator from January 2002 to 2024. She is now director of finance for the church and FMO. She lives in Todd with husband, Greg, and boxers Zeus and Zoe. She has two wonderful sons, two beautiful daughters-in-law, 3 grandsons and 1 granddaughter. Jennifer loves her family, dogs, shopping, and photography, anything to do with technology and computers, cooking and kitchen gadgets. 

Dr. John Stanley Ross, Director of Music

Dr. Ross is thrilled to be a part of the first Presbyterian Church family, and looks forward to many seasons of beautiful worship with Jeff and his wonderful team. Dr. Ross is the Director of Bands at the Hayes School of Music at Appalachian State University where he serves on the graduate faculty, is President of Appalachian Pi Kappa Lambda, conducts the Appalachian Wind Ensemble, Chamber Winds and Concert Band, teaches courses in graduate and undergraduate conducting, supervises student teachers, serves as the advisor for Kappa Kappa Psi and the Collegiate National Band Association, and guides all aspects of the Appalachian Bands program. He is also the Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Charlotte Pride Band and serves nationally as a Conn-Selmer Educational Clinician. As a 2024 National Marquis Who’s Who Recipient and a 2022 Grammy Award in Music Education quarter finalist, Dr. Ross is a frequent guest conductor, adjudicator and clinician throughout the United States and abroad and has also conducted in England, China, Romania, Austria and South Korea.

 
Tyler Dellaperute, Pianist
Tyler joined our staff as our new pianist in August, 2022. Tyler has a B.A. in Music from Cedarville University and is a recent graduate of ASU with a M.M. in Piano Performance with an added Certificate in Music Theory Pedagogy. He has been playing the piano since he was in middle school and has grown up the son of a Baptist pastor. He brings the comfortability of playing both contemporary and traditional music. Tyler has worked with Brandon Winbush at Watauga High School and through music camps at ASU.
 

Cindy Clawson, Worship Band Leader

Cindy has a wide background of musical experience. She has been a church musician for 30 years in various positions as Choir Director, Church pianist, attempted organist (but her legs were too short), Children’s Choir Director, Hand bell Director and just about whatever has come up in music. She has also worked as a public school music teacher. Wherever her family moved she found some available position in a school from grades K-12. Her favorite public school forum was directing high school chorus. As life brought new challenges and different circumstances Cindy took on a job at Boone Drug, Inc. This is where she gets to work with a great group of people every day. Cindy has 3 children.
 

Brooke Hollar, First Morning Out Preschool Director

Brooke has a passion for children and has worked with children what seems like her whole life. She graduated ASU with a degree in Special Education. Brooke is married to her high school sweetheart John, they have 4 children. She enjoys the outdoors, their farm, managing an online boutique, and spending time with her family. She looks forward to serving all the FMO families and growing our preschool program.
 
Elders
 
Class of 2025
Jack Butler – Christian Education
Allison Harrison – Worship
David Kesler – Property & Personnel
Carrie Merschat – Church Life
 
Class of 2026
Melissa Bahleda – Mission
Margaret Gregor – Mission
Joe Hutelmyer – Finance & Stewardship
Patrick Moree – Communications
 
Class of 2027
Claire Cours – Worship
Kelvin Gryder – Property & Personnel
Frank Mayberry – Communications
Cathy Simpson-Koch – Christian Ed
 
Anna Lehman – Clerk of Session
Deacons
 
Class 0f 2025
Jane Butler
Andrew Glover
Dot Hutelmyer
Guy Rippy
 
Class of 2026
Barb Edwards
Sarah Gordon
Jerri Mayberry
Dee Pelliccio
 
Class of 2027
*Lynne Hutelmyer, moderator
Katherine Logan
Sue Newell
Daniel Shive
Office Staff Hours
        Monday-Friday
        8:30AM – 4:00PM
Jennifer Jones
Monday/9:00AM – 3:00PM
Tuesday/8:30AM – 12:30PM
 
*** Wednesdays during Reach Wednesday
Jeff and Larke: 8:30AM – Noon, 4:00PM – 8:00PM
Erin: Noon – 8:00pm
 
*** Staff Sabbath Days: While Sunday is the Traditional Sabbath – our staff members take a day during the week to rest. Please be mindful of this as you reach out to them during the week.
Tuesday: Larke Blanton
Friday: Jeff Smith and Erin Fowler