Pastoral Staff
Rev. Tom Are, Jr.
Senior Pastor
Prior to coming to Village in 2004, Tom Are, Jr. spent most of his life in the Southeast. He loves Royals’ baseball, stories that make you laugh, a book that makes you think and enough snowfall to close things down for a day or so. When he can’t be in Kansas City, his favorite spot is to be canoe/camping in Quetico, Canada.
Tom finds the Village Church family to be honest about faith, serious about mission and growing in our commitment to be shaped by the life of Jesus Christ. He sees significant changes in our culture regarding faith these days, and that gives him great energy and a deep sense of joy in his call to ministry.
Tom is a graduate of Presbyterian College in South Carolina, Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond, Virginia and Yale Divinity School. Previously, Tom has served Westminster Church in Charleston, South Carolina, Seven Oaks Church in Columbia, South Carolina and Riverside Church in Jacksonville, Florida. Tom and his wife, Carol, have been married since 1987, and they have two adult children, Sarah and Nathan. Carol is a registered nurse and Tom is a sixth generation Presbyterian pastor (that’s a lot!).
Tom's book, “Joy Even on Your Worst Days: Wisdom from Philippians” is available on our online bookstore.
913-671-2341
tom@villagepres.org
Tom finds the Village Church family to be honest about faith, serious about mission and growing in our commitment to be shaped by the life of Jesus Christ. He sees significant changes in our culture regarding faith these days, and that gives him great energy and a deep sense of joy in his call to ministry.
Tom is a graduate of Presbyterian College in South Carolina, Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond, Virginia and Yale Divinity School. Previously, Tom has served Westminster Church in Charleston, South Carolina, Seven Oaks Church in Columbia, South Carolina and Riverside Church in Jacksonville, Florida. Tom and his wife, Carol, have been married since 1987, and they have two adult children, Sarah and Nathan. Carol is a registered nurse and Tom is a sixth generation Presbyterian pastor (that’s a lot!).
Tom's book, “Joy Even on Your Worst Days: Wisdom from Philippians” is available on our online bookstore.
913-671-2341
tom@villagepres.org
Rev. Dr. Rodger Nishioka
Senior Associate Pastor & Director of Adult Faith Formation
Rev. Dr. Rodger Nishioka serves as the senior associate pastor and director of Adult Faith Formation. He joined the staff in March 2016. Born in Honolulu and raised in Seattle at the Japanese Presbyterian Church, prior to coming to Village, Rodger taught at Columbia Theological Seminary in Atlanta for 15 years as the Benton Family professor of Christian Education. Before serving on the faculty of Columbia Seminary, he was director of youth and young adult ministries for the Presbyterian Church (USA). Rodger is a graduate of Seattle Pacific University (BA), McCormick Theological Seminary (MATS), and Georgia State University (PhD). Rodger is most at home in the classroom both as a teacher and as a learner. The son of Rev. Richard and Alice Nishioka, he is evidence that you can be a pastor’s kid and still love Jesus and the church.
913-671-2323
rodger.nishioka@villagepres.org
913-671-2323
rodger.nishioka@villagepres.org
Rev. Melanie Hardison
Pastor of Pastoral Care
Rev. Melanie Hardison comes from a long line of Presbyterians and has been ordained as a minister of word and sacrament as well as an elder and a deacon. She describes Village as “a place of warm hospitality, thoughtful engagement and hopeful authenticity.”
A graduate of Agnes Scott College and Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Melanie earned a dual degree in seminary: the Master of Divinity and the Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy. Prior to graduate school, she served as a program manager at the national level of the Presbyterian Church (USA) for 15 years. With experience as a therapist and hospital chaplain, Melanie is passionate about end of life care, grief and bereavement work, and spiritual practices.
Some of her favorite time is spent twirling around a dance floor doing the two-step, west coast swing, ballroom or country line dance. When she can't be on the dance floor, Melanie enjoys deep conversation, growing vegetables, fruits, and flowers, hiking, traveling, and any opportunity to laugh so hard she cries.
913-671-2367
melanie.hardison@villagepres.org
A graduate of Agnes Scott College and Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Melanie earned a dual degree in seminary: the Master of Divinity and the Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy. Prior to graduate school, she served as a program manager at the national level of the Presbyterian Church (USA) for 15 years. With experience as a therapist and hospital chaplain, Melanie is passionate about end of life care, grief and bereavement work, and spiritual practices.
Some of her favorite time is spent twirling around a dance floor doing the two-step, west coast swing, ballroom or country line dance. When she can't be on the dance floor, Melanie enjoys deep conversation, growing vegetables, fruits, and flowers, hiking, traveling, and any opportunity to laugh so hard she cries.
913-671-2367
melanie.hardison@villagepres.org
Rev. Hallie Hottle
Pastor of Young Adults
Hallie came to Village for her second call in January of 2016. A Midwest native, Hallie spent her seminary years at Princeton Theological, and her first five years of ministry in Miami, Florida, which means she’s glad to be “home,” but really missing Cuban coffee and endless summers. Hallie’s passion for ministry lies within her job title, connecting Young Adults with all that it means to be Church. She calls her generation “strange and beautiful,” and despite those who see young people turning away from religion, she insists that they are simply leaning into their faith in new ways. She’s super glad to be at Village, a church that is big enough to explore these “new ways,” and a people who live into her desire to “love ferociously” together.
Hallie is married to Nick Dorn, and they enjoy their newborn son Charlie, three dogs, and changing the world over good beer.
913-671-2334
hallie.hottle@villagepres.org
Hallie is married to Nick Dorn, and they enjoy their newborn son Charlie, three dogs, and changing the world over good beer.
913-671-2334
hallie.hottle@villagepres.org
Rev. Zach Walker
Pastor of Youth Ministries
Rev. Zach Walker has lived in seven different states but considers Kansas City to be home. In addition to graduating from Shawnee Mission East High School in 1997 he has lived in Kansas City at different times for over 10 years. With undergraduate degrees in psychology and gender studies he also graduated from Princeton Theological Seminary in 2007 with a Masters of Divinity degree.
Prior to his ordination at VPC, he served as a high school director in the Seattle area at Sammamish Presbyterian Church as well as the director of youth ministries at Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church in Lafayette, California (San Francisco area).
Zach has served in youth ministry for over 10 years and couldn’t be more excited to be at Village Pres. Zach enjoys pretty much anything outdoors, loves to run and bike, and reads as much as possible. He and his incredibly awesome and intelligent wife, Meredith, welcomed baby Silas to the family in July 2017 and baby Sawyer in December 2020!
913-671-2306
zach.walker@villagepres.org
Prior to his ordination at VPC, he served as a high school director in the Seattle area at Sammamish Presbyterian Church as well as the director of youth ministries at Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church in Lafayette, California (San Francisco area).
Zach has served in youth ministry for over 10 years and couldn’t be more excited to be at Village Pres. Zach enjoys pretty much anything outdoors, loves to run and bike, and reads as much as possible. He and his incredibly awesome and intelligent wife, Meredith, welcomed baby Silas to the family in July 2017 and baby Sawyer in December 2020!
913-671-2306
zach.walker@villagepres.org
Rev. Sally S. Wright
Pastor of Pastoral Care
Rev. Sally Wright joins Village Church with deep experience in hospital chaplaincy and broad experience at the presbytery and national church levels. She brings gifts and skills from both these areas to serve as associate pastor. A native of College Station, Texas, she worked in Washington, D.C. before attending Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary. She and her wife have lived for the past seven years in the Kansas City area. Her wife, Karen, is the associate pastor at Southminster Presbyterian Church. When not working, they are chasing her twins and Yorkshire Terrier around the back yard.
913-671-2347
sally.wright@villagepres.org
913-671-2347
sally.wright@villagepres.org
