Conference Administration

Within the Free Methodist Church the conference superintendent provides vision alignment and implementation, leadership development, and guidance for the administration and growth of the church. In Southern California we are also served by field superintendents who provide specialized leadership and administrative support to our churches and members.

Superintendent | Ministry Staff | Field Superintendents | Operational Staff | Finance Staff

Jonathan Sato

Conference Superintendent

Rev. Jonathan Sato was born and raised in the Free Methodist Church, his father a Free Methodist Minister in the Pacific Coast Japanese Conference (PCJC) who met his mother during a mission’s trip to Japan where his mother was serving as the local Free Methodist translator. Jonathan attended Azusa Pacific University for both his undergraduate and graduate (M.Div) degrees and it was there that he met his wife, Jenn. They are blessed to parent three wonderful daughters; Adeline, Charlotte, and Eleanor.

Ministry Staff

Refugio Sanchez

Assistant Superintendent

Pastor Refugio has been faithfully serving alongside his wife, Pastor Maria E. Gonzalez and their 4 children at Santa Ana FMC since 2008 as Senior Pastor. Originally from Oaxaca Mexico, he immigrated to the United States in 1985 at the age of 18. He accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior in 1996. Pastor Refugio currently serves as MEG Chair, MAC Member, director of Hispanic Ministry and he serves as president of La Conexion Latina FMCUSA.

Mike Chong Perkinson

Director of Multiplication

Mike Chong Perkinson has a passion for developing leaders. This passion has led him to plant churches, create church networks, lead various churches, and co-create the Praxis Center for Leadership Development. Currently, Mike is the lead pastor of Lamb’s Fellowship Lake Elsinore and is partnering with the Free Methodist Church in Southern California to create a multiplication culture. He has been married to Teresa since 1983 and has two daughters.

Kristy Hinds

Director of Ministry and People Development

Kristy Hinds, a UCLA graduate furthering her studies at Pepperdine University, leverages diverse experiences to inspire growth in and beyond the church. With a decade at Light and Life North and a role as Assistant Superintendent of the Free Methodist Church in Southern California, her influence also reached national levels in FMCUSA. For ten years, she resonated on-air with CBS Radio. The birth of her company Launch It Coaching underlines her commitment to guiding entrepreneurs. Now, she continues to enhance the FMCSC, combining innovative coaching to champion professional, personal, and spiritual growth.

Kevin Mannoia

Pastoral Coach

Dr. Kevin Mannoia serves as Pastoral Coach for the FMCSC. Formerly, he was University Chaplain of Azusa Pacific University overseeing the spiritual care of the faculty, staff, and graduate students. He served as Dean of Theology at APU and before that, President of the National Association of Evangelicals. From his experience as a pastor, superintendent, bishop of the Free Methodist Church and President of the NAE, Mannoia brings his understanding of the church at a congregational, organizational, denominational, and national level to his ministry.

Field Superintendents

With a population of over 23 million over 56 thousand square miles, Southern California is both geographically and culturally diverse. To ensure that our congregations and ministry points have the support and resources they need to thrive, we have implemented a Field Superintendent model. Each Field Superintendent oversees the growth and development of leadership at the ministry points under their care.

Soo Ji Alvarez

  • Escondido, The Foundry
  • Lake Elsinore, The Dream Center
  • Los Angeles, Orphan City Church CPP
  • Pasadena, Rose City Church
  • Westminster, Free Life Community Church, CPP

Kevin Boyce

  • Azusa, Foothill Community Church
  • Isla Vista, Light And Life Isla Vista
  • Long Beach, Light & Life Christian Fellowship – West
  • Los Angeles, Verdugo Community Church

Colleen Hurley-Bates

  • Lake Elsinore, The Lamb’s Fellowship
  • Los Angeles, Los Angeles Community Church
  • Murrieta, Living Stones Church, a FM Ministry
  • Pasadena, The Bridge Christian Fellowship

Kevin Robertson

  • Barstow, River of Life, CPP
  • El Cajon, Arabic Free Methodist Church, EMP
  • Garden Grove, Living Spring Church
  • Los Angeles, Verdugo Arabic CPP
  • Sylmar, Light & Life Christian Fellowship

Jon Sato

  • Downey, Light and Life Church
  • Los Angeles, Marina Christina Fellowship
  • Murrieta, Centerpoint Church
  • Paramount, Chapel of Change
  • Rancho Cucamonga, Cucamonga Christian Fellowship
  • Riverside, California Avenue Christian Fellowship
  • Santa Ana, FM Church
  • Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara FM Church

Refugio Sanchez

  • Azusa, Iglesia Confraternidad Cristiana
  • Bell Gardens, La Promesa
  • Bellflower, Camino de Gracia
  • Corona, Corona Del Rey
  • Los Angeles, Ministerio Cristiano Monte Hermon
  • Los Angeles, Ministerios Cristiano Jerusalem
  • Los Angeles, Palabra De Vida Community Church
  • Los Angeles, Transformados En Cristo
  • National City, Iglesia Methodist Libre- Emmanuel de National City
  • Palmdale, The Passion
  • San Bernardino, Centro Nueva Esperanza de San Bernardino
  • San Diego, Iglesia Metodista Libre Latino Americana Sinai

Operational Staff

Carol Hart

Executive Assistant – Denominational Compliance, MEG / MAC

Carol Hart has been an essential member of the Free Methodist Church in Southern California administrative team for 25 years, providing institutional consistency and structure while also being an encouragement to our staff and church leaders. Her current work is focused on helping churches navigate the conference and legal requirements of incorporation. Additionally, she provides guidance to ministerial candidates as they navigate the steps of ordination within the Free Methodist Church. In her free time she helps her husband Greg in the administration of the cross-country team he coaches.

Lori Kestle

Executive Team Assistant / Bookkeeping

Lori Kestle came to the conference office after serving one of our local churches for many years as the office manager. While that was her official title, she was lovingly dubbed, “Captain Everything”. There isn’t a task or system that Lori cannot figure out quickly. If the conference has a file or document somewhere, Lori can find it. She assists the executive team, making sure that the entire team is working at full capacity at all times. In her free time, Lori loves creating art, craft projects, and singing.

Brian Scott

Operations Manager

Leveraging a 10-year career in operations, Brian Scott now serves as the Operations Manager for the Free Methodist Church in Southern California. He holds a BA from the University of Georgia and an MA from Fuller Theological Seminary. In his role, Brian works to refine existing processes and procedures at FMCSC. He also seeks to enhance communication and interaction, making the organization more welcoming and efficient for its churches, elders, staff, and members.

Maggie Underwood

Events Administration, Finance Operations Administration

Maggie has worked with the conference since 2012. She primarily handles all events administration and assists in finance operations as well as assisting the executive team with communication and daily operations. She has been married to her husband Bret for over 30 years and together they are the proud parents of Nathan and Hannah.

Christopher and Amy Frazier

Communications, Design, and Technology

For over 17 years, Christopher and Amy Frazier have worked with the Free Methodist Church in Southern California, helping us to tell our story. With a deep love for working with nonprofits – their clients have included USC, the Motion Picture & Television Fund, Parkinson’s Institute, and churches around the world – Christopher and Amy work with our churches and leaders throughout the Free Methodist Church to produce media, training, and live events that center our unique values and approach to faith.

Finance Staff

Lori Russey

Lead Bookkeeper

Lori has been with FMCSC since 2016 and has been part of the The Management Group team since its inception. She loves helping churches understand their finances so that they are better equipped for Ministry. Lori has been married to her husband, Dave, since 1981 and together they have 3 beautiful daughters, 3 wonderful sons-in-law, and 5 amazing grandchildren. Lori loves family, friends, the beach and all other things outdoors.

Hannah Kneebusch

Assistant Bookkeeper

Hannah has been working with FMCSC since December 2019, assisting with bookkeeping. She and her husband, Zach, have been married for 9 years, and just welcomed their first baby. When not busy with work, she enjoys time with her family and friends, spending time at the beach, hiking, or learning about a holistic lifestyle.

Karen Trafford

Assistant Bookkeeper

Karen has been working for FMCSC as an Accounting Assistant since 2018 and enjoys it very much.  She also works for Centerpoint Church in the Finance and Payroll Department. She has attended Centerpoint Church for over 30 years since the beginning of Lambs Fellowship. Karen has been married for 34 years and has two grown daughters, two sons in laws and their first grandson, Judah. Karen loves her family, friends, exercise, the beach and traveling to see new places and things.

Karen Ortiz

Assistant Bookkeeper