Clergy
Walter G. Edmonds, Senior Pastor
The Rev. Walter G. Edmonds is an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church and serves as our Senior Pastor. Pastor Walt has been at Damascus Church since 1988, first serving as Associate Pastor from January 1, 1988 until June 30, 1996, and then as Senior Pastor from July 1, 1996 until the present.
A man with many creative talents and skills, Pastor Walt has been a strong influence and motivator in the life of the parish. Throughout his tenure, Walt’s strengths in worship, education, mission, outreach, and pastoral care; as well as his gifts in preaching, music, working with adults, youth and children, and administration have helped to create the bountiful ministries that are present in Damascus Church. Many outreach ministries are most unique to Damascus Church, including its extensive vocal and instrumental program, the Academy of St. Cecilia, the Learning Academy, Harwood House Thrift Shop, and the recently started mission program in Nicaragua, Entre Culturas (Between Cultures).
Pastor Walt grew up in Hazleton, Pennsylvania, in Diamond Methodist Church, and was very active in the Central Pennsylvania Conference as a young person. Encouraged by pastors and musical mentors to always keep ministry and music intertwined in his life, Walt began his college years determined to invest himself fully and offer his best to both disciplines. He graduated from Lycoming College in 1967 with a BA in Music, completed his Masters of Divinity degree from Yale Divinity School in 1970, and studied and taught at Hartford School of Music during his seminary days. Following graduation from Yale and ordination, he was called to Haddonfield United Methodist Church in New Jersey where he served as Minister of Worship from 1970 to 1978. During those years, Walt attended Temple University and received his Masters in Music degree in Choral Conducting in 1976. From 1978 to 1981, Pastor Walt was Associate Pastor at First United Methodist Church, Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin. Called to the Baltimore – Washington Conference in 1981, Walt was given a special appointment to serve as Minister of Music at St. Luke Lutheran Church, Silver Spring, for the purpose of developing a School of Sacred Music. During those years he also founded the Music in the Parish Workshop series at St. Luke.
In January of 1988, Walt began his tenure at Damascus Church. A highlight of those early years was serving as chairman and conductor for the Celebration of the New United Methodist Hymnal at Constitution Hall on November 18, 1989. During these years he has played a major role in the building of the Christian Fellowship Center in 1996, and in the most recent completion of Phase I of the "Building on the Cross" campaign in 2011. Under Pastor Walt's leadership a conference center in Managua, Nicaragua was purchased, and major tours of the youth orchestra of the Academy of St. Cecilia and the large Charles Wesley Singers choir have occurred yearly in the summer, the last being to England in June 2011.
Pastor Walt has been married to Peggy Giauque Edmonds for 41 years. The Edmonds have three grown and married children; Pauline (Polly), Charles (Chip) and Matthew (Matt). The Edmonds are blessed with six grandchildren.
Linda Motter, Associate Pastor
Linda Motter began as Associate Pastor of Damascus UMC in July 2011. Born and raised in East Tennessee, she attended East Tennessee State University (AS, BS, Dental Hygiene) and Wesley Theological Seminary (MDiv) in Washington DC.
Linda brings to ministry over 30 years’ experience working with people as a compassionate Dental Hygienist. Her gifts for ministry include teaching, faith, intercession and caring. Linda’s ministry passion is for people to be connected with the life-giving love of God through Jesus Christ. She enjoys bridging the gap of faith understanding and sharing in people’s realization of God’s presence in their life.
Linda enjoys down time with her family: husband Wes and their three adult sons. She loves to read, listen to music, go to Cracker Barrel and aspires to take tap dancing lessons someday.
Pamela Richardson Colborn
Associate in Pastoral Care, Stephen Ministry, and Small Group Formation
Pam Richardson Colborn serves in the area of pastoral care and Stephen Ministry. Pam earned her undergraduate degree in Music Therapy and Music Education from SUNY at Fredonia in 1985. Throughout the past 25 years, Pam has worked with children and young adults in the field of Special Education.
In 1988, Pam moved from her hometown of Williamsville, NY to Maryland, and became a member of Damascus United Methodist Church. Pam has been involved in many areas of the church, including Missions, Worship, Disciple, Damascus Outreach Players, Emmaus, Covenant Group, Sunday School, choir, and the folk group “The Companions.” In 2005, Pam attended the Leadership Training Course for Stephen Ministry to become a Stephen Leader and to begin Stephen Ministry at DUMC. Currently, Pam is completing her masters studies in Pastoral Counseling at Loyola University in Maryland. Along with her work at DUMC, she also works at Vital Sources, Inc., a professional Christian counseling group practice. Pam lives in New Market with her two children, Carly and Tommy, who are also active participants in the life of the church. It is through these Christian ministries that Pam delights in serving God by serving others.
Crystal Rice, Church School Coordinator
Crystal Rice began working as the Church School Coordinator in the summer of 2010. She is working on her Master of Divinity at Wesley Theological Seminary with the goal of becoming an Ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church. She is also involved with the puppet ministry and enjoyed helping with the Vacation Bible School program. She joined Damascus United Methodist in 2009.