Pastor
Pastor Orville J. Erickson
I have been at Greenhill since April of 2001. After growing up in a small town in the rural Upper Peninsula of Michigan, I attended the University of Michigan where I studied Physics and Ancient Near East. I then attended Grace Theological Seminary for master’s degree work in Divinity. I served in college and youth ministry in Pennsylvania and Iowa before becoming Greenhill’s pastor. I also own a small computing business. My wife, Jennifer, (married since 1995) and I have 3 children: Mikayla, Marissa, and Taylor.
When I was in seminary I remember a professor telling us that people do not want the pastor to read long passages from the Bible during the sermon. My ministry philosophy is pretty simple. When you come to Greenhill I have only one thing to offer you – Jesus as presented in the Scriptures. The Bible is the basis for everything we do in life, in our families and in our local churches.
Elders
Delvin Sommerlot ‐ Elder
I have been a part of Greenhill (formerly Cedarloo) Church for almost 50 years. My family started going to Greenhill when I was young. I was baptized in the church and have grown in my faith and love of the Lord. I have been on the board for about 20 years. My wife, Renee and I are a part of the worship band and teach Sunday School. We have one son, Zach, who is a pastor in Denver, Iowa.
Brandon McMillen ‐ Elder
I started attending Greenhill in 2007 at the invitation of my roommate, Stacy Heller, shortly after moving to the Cedar Valley from Missouri. Prior to Greenhill, I had very little church experience and had never heard a clear Gospel message. After about a year of attending Greenhill on a regular basis, I submitted my life to the Lord and was baptized. I started serving on the Elder board in 2019. My wife, Marie, and I are members of the worship band. I also lead a small group and am part of the children’s church teacher rotation.
Joe Thorne ‐ Elder
Early in our marriage, my wife, Jolene, and I began attending Greenhill Church after searching several other churches in the area. We were drawn to, and stay with Greenhill because of the genuine friendliness of the people and their dedication to strong Biblical teaching. In addition to my duties as Elder, I teach adult Sunday School. We have one son, Michael.