Pastor Minner grew up in Philadelphia Pa.   At the ripe old age of eight he met his life long soulmate, Evelyn.   After graduating from High School, Pastor Minner started his own trucking company.   Within a short period of running his business, Minner ran into his cute neighbor who was attending LaSalle University.

Minner and Evelyn married in 1986.  Their first child was born in 1988 in Philadelphia, Pa.  It was after the birth of their first child that a chain reaction of supernatural events led Minner to the Lord he now loves and preaches.  His call to ministry was revealed in a dream where Minner heard the Lord call him to preach the gospel to the world.  Their second child was born in 1992 in Collegedale, Tn.  After graduating from Southern Adventist University the Labrador family moved to Andrews University where Minner finished his MDiv degree.

Pastor Minner and Evelyn have served in, North Miami, Belleview, Bushnell, Marion Oaks, and Clearwater.   Minner has served on different committees of the conference and division, and has also served as the Men's Ministries Director in the Florida Conference.  For three years he was a Radio Talk show host of "Divine Direction Live Radio" dealing with men's issues.  He is president and founder of Media Gospel Ministries. To learn more visit http://www.minnerlabrador.com/

Pastor David Graham was born on July 22, 1969 in Guadalajara, Mexico where his father was completing medical school. David has one brother, Daniel Graham, who is a pastor in the Florida Conference. David spent his early years in Mexico, Canada, Texas, Georgia and Michigan.

David's conviction to follow the Lord began at a young age. During his senior year in high school the testimony of Peter Marshall, the chaplain of the U.S. Senate, made a deep impression upon him. Through this and several divine interventions, David's conviction became a lifelong commitment to ministry in God's service.

David and Balinda met at a Bible conference in 1988 at Little Creek Academy. They were married on September 23, 1990. David served as a youth pastor at Blue Mt. Academy and at the Baltimore Korean Seventh-day Adventist church.

David graduated from Southern University in 1993 with a BA in Theology. He graduated from Andrews University in 1995 with a Master of Divinity degree. He has served as a minister in the Florida conference for the past 12 years pastoring the Tampa First Church, Palm Coast/St. Augustine District, Seminole Meadows/Orange City District and the Winter Springs Church. David is currently finishing his Doctor of Ministry degree through Fuller Theological Seminary.

David and Balinda have traveled to many countries including Mexico, Canada, Russia, Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, Jamaica, Peru and Germany. They are blessed with three wonderful chidren: Sarah Ashley, Alyssa Beth and David Nathaniel.

Thorn has been pastoring the Cambodian and Hmong members of the Sharon church for the past ten years. During that time he has completed his B.A. degree in theology from Southwestern Adventist University in Keene, Texas. Thorn miraculously escaped from Cambodia in his youth and, as a result, dedicated his life to God.

He and Phalla came to Charlotte in 1995 and began ministering to a very small group of Cambodians. That ministry has grown to include not only Cambodians but the Hmong folks as well. Now 50-100 people meet in the ACA gym each Sabbath - the Hmong group meets in the morning and the Cambodian group meets in the afternoon. Thorn also has an extended ministry in Lexington, NC where they are praying for a place to meet.

Pastor Thorn and Phalla have two children, Saminta and Emmanuel.

Pastor Thorn and Phalla extend a warm welcome to you and invite you to visit the Hmong or Cambodian group on Sabbath morning and recommend it to your Cambodian or Hmong friends or work associates. They ask for your prayers as they continue this important ministry that is part of the Sharon church.

Thorn Hean, Cambodian/Hmong Pastor and Phalla Hean, Ministry Partner

Ellie, an RN, spent 18 years as an author and speaker for the Mosby Book Company. She is the co-author of 3 books, published over 300 articles and served as an editor for several professional journals.

After retirement, Ellie completed the Lay Pastor Assistant training offered by the Southern Union. To date, that training has enabled her to conduct eleven prophecy series in the Sharon church.

Additionally, through the Carolina Conference ShareHim program, she has conducted evangelistic campaigns in Costa Rica, Kenya, Bulgaria, the Philippines and Puerto Rico.

Lloyd, a mathematician, is retired after 38 years with NASA as the data systems manager on a series of meteorological and research satellites. He supports Ellie by giving Christ-centered scientific lectures on creation and astronomy as part of her overseas evangelistic campaigns. Ellie and Lloyd have two children and three grandchildren.

Mark and Susan Rumsey have been members of the Sharon church since coming to Charlotte in 1989.  They have three children, Matthew and Michael (twins born in 1986) and David (born in 1992).  He graduated from Southern Adventist University with a B.A. degree in Communications and has studied at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Charlotte.  Mark is News Director and afternoon announcer for WFAE-FM, a National Public Radio station in Charlotte. 

Susan also holds a B.A. degree in Communications from Southern Adventist University.  She works at WSOC-TV in Charlotte where she schedules commercials and other programming for broadcast.