The Congregation at Duke University Chapel

Lynn Holmes

Lynn Holmes is a native of Memphis, Tennessee and currently serves as the Interim Senior Pastor for the Congregation. She is an Associate Minister at First Baptist Church-Wilmington Street in Raleigh where she was licensed and ordained.

After graduating from Mount Holyoke College and Georgetown Law Center, her professional career has included a range of leadership roles both in the private and public sectors in Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Georgia, and Raleigh, North Carolina.

In order to follow God’s call and prepare for additional ministry training, she enrolled and completed a Master of Divinity degree magna cum laude and a Certificate in Baptist Studies at Duke Divinity School. Her field experiences allowed her to serve with the Congregation at Duke Chapel and at Newton Park Methodist Church in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. She continues her affiliation with Duke University as an adjunct professor at the Sanford School of Public Policy and serves at the Divinity School as a member of the Board of Visitors.

Lynn is happily married to Louie Ross, a retired behavioral researcher and professor of sociology. Their blended family includes a son and daughter-in-law and two grandchildren.

Phyllis Snyder

Phyllis Snyder serves as the Children’s Pastor for the Congregation. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Zoology from UNC-Chapel Hill and a Master of Church Ministries from Duke University Divinity School. Prior to pursuing ministry, Phyllis worked in medical research for 20 years —16 of which were at Duke Medical Center. After assisting with Children’s Ministry for the Congregation as a parent volunteer beginning in 1994, Phyllis joined the staff as Director of Children’s Ministry from August 2001-June 2007. From 2007-2010, she served as volunteer Godly Play coordinator. She was honored to join the staff again in August 2012 as Children’s Pastor. Phyllis is passionate about Godly Play, a spiritual formation method created by The Rev. Dr. Jerome Berryman, as an approach to help children learn the Christian language and explore their faith through story, wonder, and play. She is a trainer for the Godly Play Foundation.

Phyllis and her husband, Mel, were married in Duke University Chapel in 1985. They are the proud parents of two grown sons who live in Arlington, VA and Charleston, SC. In addition to working with children and families, Phyllis enjoys reading, traveling, and needlework.

The Reverend Kenneth D Moland

Kenneth Moland holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota and a Master of Divinity degree from the Free Lutheran Theological Seminary in Minneapolis, MN. He is an ordained Pastor in the Lutheran Church and has served congregations in Minnesota, North Dakota and the state of Washington. He has also served in teaching and administration at the Free Lutheran Bible College in Minneapolis, MN.

Ken is married to Barbara, an early childhood educator and piano teacher, who now sings in the Duke Chapel Choir. They are the parents of six adult children, Lydia, Luke, Naomi, Hannah, Joseph and Rachel. They moved to North Carolina in 2018 and connected with Duke Chapel and the Congregation in worship that fall.

Ken and Barbara love the outdoors and enjoy hiking, camping and gardening. They also enjoy traveling and exploring God’s amazing world.

Evan Billie

Evan Bille grew up in Upstate New York and came to North Carolina by way of Davidson College. Evan’s fiancée, Emily, is a first-year student at Duke Divinity, and Evan is currently a third year at Union Presbyterian Seminary - Charlotte. Before coming to Durham, Evan worked for Roof Above in Charlotte, a homelessness and housing non-profit.

Evan is passionate about housing, disc golf, and the outdoors.

Morgan Dynes

Morgan Dynes just completed her Master of Divinity from Duke Divinity School where she studied for her future as a United Methodist pastor. She prioritized learning about community formation both inside and outside of the church building through the Thriving Community Fellowship. From this community passion, she’s received internships at Jonesboro UMC in Sanford, NC; Central UMC in Canton, NC; and Resurrection Church in Kansas City, MO, which all had a focus on community formation and outreach. This passion for church ministry began in Baton Rouge, LA where Morgan grew up and went to Louisiana State University (LSU), majoring in Communication and minoring in Business. During this time, she helped start a church plant with First UMC (Baton Rouge). Currently, she’s enjoying time off from studying by adventuring outdoors, whipping up new recipes, and finding tv shows to watch - oftentimes with her fiancé! She’s excited to have the chance to work with The Congregation at Duke Chapel by meeting with everyone and forming community whether in small groups or large events.

Alexander Jones

Alexander is born and raised here in North Carolina, from the town of Gibsonville. He attended North Carolina Central University in Durham North Carolina, where he met his best friend at the time, Neka. Alexander joined the United States Marine Corps his junior year of undergrad. After getting married, Neka and Alexander traveled the country together while he experienced an executive hospitality career in the military and she became an accountant. Alexander’s career brought them to Washington DC, where he worked in the Pentagon for several years under The Secretary of the Navy’s Executive Dining Staff, as well as the Commandant and Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps.

Alexander completed his bachelor’s degree from Southern New Hampshire University majoring in Society & Social Problems. After graduating, with the support of so many along the way, he then chose to follow his calling from God and become a Chaplain in the United States Navy.

Alexander’s notable career includes awards and nominations such as: the Navy Commendation Medal and a Presidential Food Service team nomination. 

Along with being a student here at Duke Divinity School, he is also in the Navy as a Chaplain Candidate Program Officer. 

Alexander has a deep passion for inspiring the youth and his continuous positive demeanor keeps him as a constant source of motivation for everyone around him. His strong faith in Christ was structured in him through his Grandmother who raised him in the church his family attended, Faith Baptist Church of Gibsonville. 

Neka and Alexander are blessed to have welcomed their first child. A beautiful baby girl, Cora Jane, to whom they lovingly call “Coco”.

He is ecstatic to make a positive impact on the youth and young adults here at The Congregation at Duke Chapel.

John Murphy

John Murphy (He/Him/His) is a student at Duke University Divinity School pursuing his Masters in Divinity. He is a Fellow in the Thriving Rural Communities Initiative, a Duke Endowment initiative to support future and current United Methodist Pastors in and with Rural communities and the Rural Church. John’s passion for the Rural Church is rooted in his rural upbringing, growing up in Highlands, North Carolina. He attended Appalachian State University (Go Mountaineers!) for his undergraduate degrees in Communication Public Relations, with minors in Religious Studies and Non-profit Management. Through John’s passion for the Rural Church, relationships and discipleship are the main focus in his ministries. He is excited to join the Congregation at Duke Chapel staff and serve in ministry with a wide diversity of people, thoughts, and ideas. When he’s not studying, John enjoys fellowship with friends, family, and his dog, Lt. Dan.