Elders and staff – The Church at Whistling Pines

Our Leadership

Shawn McCracken, Lead Pastor

Shawn is the Lead Pastor and Elder of The Church at Whistling Pines. Shawn heads up the vision of Whistling Pines, and does much of our Sunday morning teaching. He also has a passion for discipleship, leadership development, counseling, and team ministry; so he spends a lot of his time meeting with people.

His Clifton StrengthsFinder strengths include:

Achiever Strategic Focus Communication Maximizer

Shawn has been married to Maranda for more than 20 years; they have two adult children, Michael and Joy and a young daughter, Lia and he is a grandpa of Evelyn. He loves meetings (he’s sick isn’t he?!), classic monster movies, Elvis Presley, The Beatles and NBA basketball.

You can connect with him: Twitter @shawnmccracken or Facebook Email: Shawn

Hear what some of our members have to say about our two pastors during Pastors Appreciation: https://youtu.be/2o3E39aDh8M

Robert Williams, Assisting Pastor

Robert serves as Assisting Pastor and Elder of Whistling Pines. He has oversight responsibility for deacons’ ministries, including facilities, benevolence, and CARE team. His primary operational responsibilities are finance and administration, but is also involved in mentoring the worship and technical ministries. A bi-vocational minister, he is a school bus ninja for Lake County, FL schools.

His Clifton StrengthsFinder strengths include:

Relator Intellection Self-Assurance Input Responsibility

Robert is somewhat of a geek, who tinkers with computers (hardware and software), plays keyboards, and reads ingredient labels on food jars. An accomplished musician, he also enjoys cooking, fitness activities, camping, fishing, and scuba diving. He is married to Brenda Williams for almost 40 years. They have two grown daughters and four grandchildren.

You can connect with him: Twitter @Rewjr or Facebook Email: Robert

Brenda Williams

Brenda is one of our Elders, responsible for the Women’s Ministry, Benevolence Team, CARE Team, and the Response and Prayer Ministry for the Church. Her passion is to minister to hurting people, see them restored, and reaching their full potential in the Lord. She also is on staff as the Administrative Assistant/Office Manager.

Her Clifton StrengthsFinder signature themes include:

Communication Harmony Consistency Adaptability Developer

Brenda and Pastor Robert have served in leadership of various churches for most of those years they’ve been married. When she is not busy with ministry activities, she loves to read and be involved with social media. She is a doting grandmother who tries to spend quality time with her two beautiful daughters and four wonderful grandchildren.

You can connect with her: Twitter @tweetmama or Facebook Email: Brenda Phone: (352) 406-5722

Robb Elmatti

Robb is an ordained minister with an emphasis on Missional life. He brings his gifts of organization, evangelism, and discipleship to our Elder team.

His Signature Clifton Strength finders include:

Achiever Learner Deliberative Analytical Belief

Robb also serves as Director for Empower School of Discipleship, a sister ministry located on our adjacent property. He is married to Heather and has three children, Faith Ann, Hopeful, and Ian. They enjoy the outdoors, hiking, camping, kayaking, and spelunking (cave exploring).

You can connect with him: Facebook Email: Robb

Lyn Smith

Lyn not only serves as one of our elders but also as our worship team director. She has a passion for worship, missions, education, mentoring, and team ministry. Lyn is always busy and has her eggs in many baskets!

Her Signature Clifton Strength finders include:

Achiever Belief Responsibility Competition Maximizer

Lyn is married to William (AKA “Turtle”). Their blended family includes two adult children, Jordan and Jason, a young son, Abram and two grandchildren. Lyn loves to travel and meet new people. Other hobbies include singing (duh), volleyball, water sports and relaxing. She is not sure when relaxing officially became a hobby but believes it was shortly after the birth of Abram! She hopes to elevate it to an art form in the near future.

You can connect with her: Facebook Email: Lyn

Obed Acevedo

Obed is an elder and also serves with his wife, Emily, as Children Church leaders. He is passionate about family, discipleship, worship, and relationships! He is a young man with a passion for God that adds a lot to our Elder team.

His Signature Clifton Strength finders include:

Strategic Ideation Relator Developer Individualization

Obed has a beautiful young family and is a paramedic for Lake EMS.

You can connect with him: Facebook Email: Obed

Emily Acevedo

Emily, along with her husband Obed, is our children’s director and oversees an amazing group of volunteers that lead nursery up to 5th grade in a gospel-centered program called, RoOts. Emily has a passion for kids and seeing adults utilize their gifts in teaching, playing, bonding, and modeling who Jesus is with them.

Her Clifton StrengthsFinder strengths include:

Learner Input Intellection Stategic Ideation

Emily and Obed have 2 young daughters, Leila and Alice and a son, Oliver. They are a young family with a tremendously bright future. They enjoy family ministry, Civil War re-enactments, and occasionally playing Bluegrass music at festivals and events with other family members.