Meet the Team
John Fogle, Seven Bends Church
John grew up on a tree farm in the Shenandoah Valley in a tiny community called Fort Valley. He became a Christian while attending JMU as he pursued his business management degree. Upon graduation, he married his high school sweetheart, Kara, and they settled in Woodstock, VA. For six years, John then ran the retail portion of his family’s business. As he grew in his walk with the Lord, John sensed a deep call on his life to pursue full-time ministry. In 2010, John and Kara moved to Lexington, SC, to start seminary at Columbia International University and Seminary. While at CIU, he obtained a Master’s degree in Ministry Leadership. In 2012, John and his wife moved back to Virginia to accept the pastorate at an e4 church, Riverside, in Orange County, VA. During that time, John and Kara’s family grew to include 2 children, Samuel and Lydia. In 2017, John and Kara sensed God calling them back to their hometown to pastor New Hope Church, where they began in January 2018 and pastored until 2021. While at New Hope, their family grew again to include a third child, Carter. In 2022, John and Kara sensed a call to plant a creative, new church in Woodstock, VA. Out of that calling, Seven Bends Church was planted at Woodstock Gardens in September of 2022.
Geoffrey Maurer, Christ Community Church
When Geoffrey came to UVA in the mid-90s he got more than he expected: an incredible wife Kelly, the sweet and renewing experience of discipleship, and a call to vocational ministry. Leading up to his pastoral call, Geoffrey served two years in campus ministry, received his M.Div. (Gordon-Conwell), and led for six years as Dean, teacher, coach and chaplain at two private Christian schools. During this process, the Maurers were in Massachusetts for seven years. After feeling drawn back to Virginia, they helped come alongside the planting of another e4 church, Rivanna Community Church (Earlysville, VA) before beginning with Christ Community Church in 2011.
Geoff and Kelly live in Charlottesville and are delighted and honored to be raising their three children in that city. They love the Church, including this partnership of churches, and long for Jesus’ name to be exalted above all.