John Willingham was born in Greensboro, North Carolina. The son of a Presbyterian minister, he graduated from Davidson College in 1980 with a B.A. in economics. For the next three years, he worked as a manager for the telephone company now known as Bell South until the fall of 2008 when he left to study at Princeton Theological Seminary. He earned a Masters of Divinity degree in 1987 with a concentration in preaching.
He was ordained in and served the First Presbyterian Church of Mount Sterling, Kentucky for five years until becoming pastor of the Matthews Presbyterian Church of Matthews, North Carolina, in October of 1992. During those years, John earned his Doctor of Ministry degree from Chicago's McCormick Theological Seminary with a concentration in church re-development. He has served as pastor of the Doylestown Church since July of 2003.
In addition to his work in those congregations, John has been active beyond church walls. He helped organize a Habitat for Humanity affiliate in Kentucky, served as a commissioner to Synod and General Assembly meetings and as moderator of the Presbytery of Charlotte. Currently, he is a member of the General Assembly Nominating Committee and is moderator of the Executive Presbyter Nominating Committee for the Presbytery of Philadelphia.
In his life away from church, he enjoys quiet nights at home and planning the next family trip, tending to the lawn and reading good books. A life-long admirer of Abraham Lincoln, he has cheered for and fretted over the Atlanta Braves since childhood.
He has been married to Lori, a native of Fillmore, New York, since 1987. She is a Certified School Nurse who works primarily in a local middle school. Their son Michael is a CPA with Deloitte in Philadelphia and their daughter Emsley is a senior nutrition major at West Chester University in West Chester, Pennsylvania.
A native of Appleton, Wisconsin, Keith is the seventh of eight children born to a middle-school math teacher and a homemaker. He was nurtured in a strong youth program at Memorial Presbyterian Church. He holds a bachelor's degree in philosophy and religion from Coe College in Iowa, and a Master of Divinity degree from Princeton Theological Seminary.
In a summer Hebrew class Keith met his future wife, Marilyn Crawford. In 1984 they moved to the edge of the plains, Winnebago, Minnesota where they served as Co-Pastors at the Winnebago Presbyterian church. Daughters Mary and Ann were born there. After six years, in 1991, Keith was called to the Presbyterian Church of Deep Run located in Bedminster, PA. This church was founded in 1725 and it was once linked to the Doylestown Presbyterian Church. The 17 years at Deep Run were a time of growth and stability. Church programs were expanded and mission outreach deepened, while members built a new fellowship hall, library, and class rooms. Deep Run also hired its first full-time associate pastor.
Keith joined the staff at DPC in 2008. In 2012, he was a commissioner from the Presbytery of Philadelphia to the General Assembly meeting in Pittsburgh. In his free time Keith enjoys biographies, biking, chocolate, and the Green Bay Packers.
