Our Proposed New Barn Elders:

Paul Stock, Carol Righter, D.R. Barton, and Sarah Lang

At The Barn, we have made it a practice to ask for confirmation from our members when we propose new elders to serve in leadership. Our elders are servant-leaders. This means that while we are charged with making governing decisions about church life and ministry, the primary call of elders is to shepherd God’s flock with care from a posture of prayer, love, gentle guidance, and directive encouragement. Please read over the summaries below of each proposed elder’s past spiritual training and their areas of service before and at The Barn. The currently serving elders find the candidates’ characters above reproach, and we affirm them to be qualified to be set in as new elders.  If you have strong hesitation about the suitability of any proposed elder to serve on the eldership team, please send your concern to Bruce@thebarnvineyard.com by the end of this coming week. Thanks. 

Paul Stock 

Paul has been married for 39 years to his wife, Joan. Their kids are Uriah and Eva.  

Soon after their marriage, Paul and Joan attended Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, with Paul receiving an Master of Divinity degree in 1985 and a Masters of Systematic Theology in 1986. They also attended the Rio Grande Bible Institute, earning a degree in Spanish. They served as missionary candidates in Southern Florida and engaged in door-to-door evangelism and open-air preaching. Paul also led worship at Corona Evangelical Free Church and led a home group that served the Hispanic community there. Paul and Joan have lived in several states and led home groups, taught Sunday school, and preached occasionally. After moving to southern Chester County, PA, in 1997, Paul served as an elder at Church in the Vineyard and then as a men’s ministry team leader at Cornerstone Presbyterian Church, where his son is in ministry. His daughter, Eva, attends The Barn and is married to Cheshire May. Paul has developed a deep passion for the Spirit-led life and has attended Global Awakening conferences and seminars on healing the sick, using the Vineyard 5-step model of healing prayer. From 2004-2011, Paul served as Executive Director for the MidAtlantic Region for Prison Fellowship Ministries and developed prison ministries in several states. 

Since joining The Barn, Paul has ministered prophetically at the mic on Sunday mornings, within the congregation and on ministry trips, and has taught the church on Sunday morning. He also serves regularly with our healing and prophetic teams during Sunday after-meeting ministry times. Paul is currently providing envisioning and administrative guidance as a member of the Ignite Equipping School planning team. 

Carol Righter

I have been attending The Barn Vineyard for nearly 5 years. I have been married to Michael, my husband, for 36 years. In 1984, we purchased our first home in Wilmington, DE, and now reside in New Castle. Together we have 4 children, Vameika, Mike Jr., Janea, and Jeriel, 9 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren. Shortly after I was saved 40 years ago, I enrolled in the New Community Church School of Ministry and Biblical Training through Church of God. I have taken equipping seminars such as Women in Leadership, Leadership Training, Leading in Worship, and Advocating for Youth. I was trained for evangelism, personal growth development, discipleship, ministering the word of God, church protocol, and ceremonial duties within the church. 

At the Barn, I have taken classes such as Leadership 101, the Discovery Class, and The Gifts of the Godhead: Father’s, Son’s, and Spirit’s Gifts. Before coming to The Barn, I served for many years as a singer my previous church’s choir, then as co-director of it and of the church’s children’s choir. Then I served as choir director for nearly 7 years. I also started a church-based mentoring program for girls within the local community. Since becoming a Barn member, I have been privileged to serve as a Worship Leader, prophetic team member, and part of the photography team. I am excited to share any gift God gives me! 

D.R. Barton

I have had little formal Christian ministry training. My spiritual formation (so far) has come from growing up under the wing of godly parents and under the gentle but persistent guidance of the Body of Christ. I have been inspired and spurred on to intimacy with Jesus through the devotional works of the Christian mystics, especially my favorite, Brother Lawrence. I was inspired to read through the Bible when I was 14 and have continued my love of scripture study and meditation ever since. I have received training as a Certified Lay Speaker (now re-titled Lay Servant) in the United Methodist Church. I have served in the interdenominational Delmarva Walk to Emmaus community since 1991 and in various leadership roles with Sunday schools and youth ministries at several UMC and community churches in the area. I continue to serve as a guest speaker on Sunday mornings at various churches in the region. Currently I work every year with summer campers at Camp Pecometh in Maryland, and I serve on the board of directors at Urban Promise Wilmington and Haven Community Church (as an outside director). I am also a frequent fill-in drummer for the praise band at Trinity UMC, Maryland, where my wife is the praise band leader. 

At the Barn, I have lead Sunday school for middle schoolers and assisted with youth group. I serve in prayer and prophetic ministry, have co-taught with Bruce equipping classes on How to Hear God’s Voice and Gifts of the Spirit. I am blessed to teach my Barn family on Sunday mornings when asked. I live in Newark, DE, with Cathie, my wife of 35 years; we have two adult children, Meg and Josh.  

Sarah Lang

Sarah has been married to her husband, Mike, for 28 years and has lived in Wilmington, DE, for almost 10 years. Her kids are Patrick, Jacqueline, Jacob, and Isaac. Sarah completed a Master of Divinity degree from Palmer Theological Seminary in 2015. She finished her residency program with Vineyard Institute and ended the course work with The School of Kingdom Ministry in 2019. She has received much equipping through The Barn and other training sources. 

Sarah has served churches in the area in many ways: as a youth group leader at Elkton United Methodist Church from 2004-2008; as director of Life Groups and Prayer Ministry at The Journey Church from 2008-2012, and as student pastor at RiverCross Church from 2012-2014, then as Director of Ministries at RiverCross from 2016-2018. She co-led Alpha at the Blue Route Vineyard in 2019. Sarah has served as a Campus Staff Pastor with Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship to student athletes at the UD from 2019 to the present. Since joining The Barn, Sarah has served on the prophetic team, regularly ministers at our Sunday after-service ministry, has taught the church, and ministers in personal prayer, inner healing, and deliverance ministry among us on a regular basis. She is also part of the Barn team that is working to establish our new Ignite Equipping School.