Pastor & Leaders

Rev. Tony Hayworth, Pastor

Every believer has a personal story to share about their unique journey to God’s loving arms. My journey began in the Friedland congregation, where I was born, baptized, confirmed and married. At Friedland I was involved in Sunday School, Youth Fellowship and Boy Scouts and eventually became an Eagle Scout. I had the privilege of marrying my high school sweetheart (who happened to be the preacher’s daughter!) and we moved to Greensboro where we attended First Church for a short time before buying a house in Kernersville. After our daughter, Elizabeth, was born, we joined Good Shepherd and became very active in that congregation. There, in small groups like Gemeinschaft and Sunday School, I experienced God in profound ways. In 2005, after working in the chemical industry for 21 years as an engineering manager and plant manager, I answered God’s persistent call and entered Moravian Theological Seminary. After graduating in 2008, I served as pastor at Grace Moravian Church from July 2008 until Feb 2014. This August I completed six months of Provincial service. My wife Laura and I live in Kernersville with our friend Bob, three dogs and one grumpy cat. Our daughter, Elizabeth, lives in Charlotte and works for Carolinas Healthcare Systems. Laura and I look forward to our journey with this loving and welcoming Christian community. With excitement and anticipation we are looking forward to meeting you, sharing in service to Christ, and hearing your unique stories about your faith journey.

Meredith Cohoon, Director of Christian Education

Meredith loves the diversity that accompanies working with children's, youth, and adult ministries at FMC. A life-long Moravian and advocate of camping ministry, she was raised in the Raleigh Moravian congregation and has family ties to the Fairview (Winston-Salem) congregation. Meredith holds a BA in Psychology from NC State University and earned her MACP magna cum laude from Duke Divinity School. While attending seminary, she completed her ministry internship at Kernersville Moravian.

Since her high-school days as a counselor at Laurel Ridge Moravian Camp, Conference & Retreat Center, Meredith has worked with children, youth, and adults in a variety of Moravian and Methodist ministry contexts. She enjoys learning to play new instruments, participating in both the brass band and praise band at FMC, and has a passion for incorporating visual and dramatic arts into worship. She lives with husband Greg and daughter Rorie in a nearly hundred-year-old house which––much like her spiritual life––offers endless opportunity for renovation.