Rev. John Bletsch

Senior Pastor

Pastor John Bletsch is a lifelong United Methodist who grew up in Youngstown, OH. He was a religion and psychology major at Mount Union College in Alliance, OH before going to Duke Divinity School for seminary.

For 20 years, Pastor John served as a pastor in the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church. He spent 4 years in Charlotte and then 16 years in Greensboro.

Pastor John and his wife, Rhonda, moved their family to Pennsylvania in 2014. Rhonda is the chair of the Theology Department at Eastern University, and Old Testament scholar, a university professor, and an author of a textbook on the Old Testament. She has also written numerous articles in the area of biblical studies.

Pastor John and Rhonda met while pursuing graduate studies at Duke University. They have been married for more than 20 years and have 3 sons: Jonah, Ethan, and Daniel.

Pastor John fully believes that our United Methodist heritage is one of the best ways to walk the path of discipleship as a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. He loves teaching the Bible, as well as running, playing the guitar, and cooking. He also enjoys the same things as his 3 boys, which includes Legos, video games, comic books, superheroes, and science fiction stories.

If you have a pastoral emergency, please call 610.533.9367.

Vica Jones

Director of Children and Family Ministries

Vica Jones has always believed in chasing after God’s incredible story for her life. Her chase began in Carlisle, Pennsylvania before it led her to King University (formally King College) in Bristol, Tennessee. There, she earned B.A.s in Youth Ministry and Bible/Religion.

As an avid NASCAR fan, she interned at Bristol Motor Speedway as a chaplain, as well as serving alongside other local Tri-Cities ministries. Graduating in 2007, Vica moved to Bristol full-time on nothing more than a penny and a prayer. From there, she followed God’s call to Greensboro, North Carolina where she was Director of Student Ministry at Pleasant Ridge Christian Church for 2 years.

Feeling a nudge which went against everything she ever thought for herself, she chased God’s calling to Palmer Theological Seminary in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania where she earned her Master’s in Theological Studies (MTS) in Christian Faith and Public Policy (2011). She also earned her Mrs. when she met her husband, Kyle, on the first day of new student orientation. During her time in seminary, Vica served as Director of Children and Family Ministry at The Baptist Church of West Chester in West Chester, Pennsylvania and as a Sider Scholar under Dr. Ronald J. Sider. She also has experience working in Early Childhood Education.

Vica joined the staff at St. Matthew’s in September 2015. She is passionate about leading children, youth, and their families towards discovering God’s immense and amazing love for them. Vica enjoys cooking, coffee, cupcakes, politics, and the University of Tennessee Volunteers. Along with their two cats, Quincy and Sass, Vica is the proud mom to Ellie.

Mary Sugar

Director of Music Ministries

Mary has been a Music Minister and Church Musician for 46 years, playing organ and piano at churches in Central New York, New York City, Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. She uses her background in Musical Theatre to enhance worship services and to write, direct, produce, and conduct liturgical dramas using contemporary music to get across a timeless message.

Mary spent 11 years as a musical director, pianist, and teacher in New York City, where she worked on and off- Broadway, at Lincoln Center, and in many other venues. She went around the world as conductor/pianist for Leslie Uggams, and played a concert-tour in Italy with Amanda McBroom & amp; George Ball. Mary has worked with Vanessa Williams, Jennifer Holliday, Clay Aiken, Connie Francis, James Naughton, Larry Gatlin, Charles Strouse, John Kander & amp; Fred Ebb, Sheldon Harnick, Harvey Schmidt & amp; Tom Jones, Debbie Allen, David Friedman, Craig Carnelia, Marni Nixon, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Barbara Cook, Lonny Price, Shirley Jones, Martin Vidnovic, Sandy Duncan, Bruce Vilanche, the Diamonds, Lillias White, Adrian Zmed, Charo, Suzanne Kiechle, Cathy Rigby, the Irish Tenors, the Syracuse Symphony, and many, many others.

Mary has taught at New York University, Mannes College of Music, Fordham University, Pace University, Musical Theater Works Conservatory, Syracuse University, SUNY Cortland, Colgate University, Circle in the Square Conservatory, Montgomery College and many other places; teaching classes in musical theater performance, scene study, and audition technique.

She also played keyboards for the national tours of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, the Full Monty, Hairspray, Mamma Mia, the King and I, the Producers, Peter Pan, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Sweet Charity, Annie, Monty Python’s Spamalot, the Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber, the Sound of Music, Cinderella, and Elton John’s Aida.

Mary also spent 7 years in the Washington, D.C. area, where she worked for the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Arena Stage, Signature Theatre, Ford’s Theatre, Studio Theatre, the D.C. Cabaret Network, Washington Savoyards, American Century Theater, and other venues. She also played for the Kennedy Center’s productions of Broadway: Three Generations and The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber, Studio Theatre’s production of Adding Machine, and Arena Stage’s production of Oklahoma, as well as the NationalTheatre’s pre-Broadway production of If/Then.

She is also an orchestral pianist, having spent 9 years as principal Pops pianist with the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra, as well as playing for the Utica and Binghamton Symphony Orchestras, Symphoria, and the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra.

Laura Bonstingl

Office manager

Laura is a member of St. Matthew’s. She joined our staff as the office administrator in June 2006. In addition to being the office manager, Laura serves as the administrative assistant to Pastor John Bletsch.

Laura graduated from Penn State with a background in business and advertising. She has 2 adult children and enjoys bringing her love of people and her creative ideas to St. Matthew’s.

Marielena Barnes

Financial Adminsitrator

Marielena joined our staff in November 2019 as the financial administrator. Her long friendship with a church member and involvement in some St. Matthew's events led her to the position.

Marielena graduated from Widener University with a background in Finance and Management Information Systems. After graduating, she worked for The Vanguard Group of Investment Companies for six years and then Wm. M. Mercer, Inc. in Deerfield, IL for four years. Marielena returned to Pennsylvania to begin raising her children amongst family and friends. While raising her three children, Marielena was also an active board member in school parent associations.

Marielena considers herself blessed to be part of the St. Matthew's community and is excited to share her skills and talents. Feel free to contact Marielena at any time at fin@stmatthewsvf.org.