Some call me Dr. Ashley Goad, but most simply know me as Ashley. Raised in High Point, North Carolina, I grew up attending Springfield Friends Meeting, the Quaker church my great-great-great-great grandparents planted in 1773. If you spend more than 5 minutes with me, I’ll likely work three things into the conversation: Jesus, Mission, and Quakers!
I graduated from Appalachian State University in 2001 with a BS in Political Science, and then went on to Liberty Theological Seminary to earn a Masters of Divinity. In 2016, with a dissertation entitled, “Mind the Gap: Navigating the Pitfalls of Cross-Cultural Partnership,” I completed a Doctor of Ministry in Leadership and Global Perspective at George Fox Evangelical Seminary. While I was recorded (“ordained”) as a Quaker pastor in North Carolina, I am now officially “on loan” to the Louisiana Conference of the United Methodist Church. In church lingo, this designation is “Other Fellowship. My theology is sometimes very confused, though, as I have served at Pine Hill Friends Meeting (NC), ChristChurch Presbyterian (TX), and Herndon UMC (VA)!
Haiti is my second home, and mission is where my heart is. Since 2009, I have logged over 40 trips to Haiti, most in service with Living Waters for the World and Solar Under the Sun, partnering ministries who seek to bring solar-powered clean water systems to communities in need. While in the Port-Au-Prince, Haiti airport in 2013, I met the team from First United Methodist Church in Shreveport. The church had begun to vision what a global mission ministry would look like, and for me, this was a dream job. I joined the FUMC staff on August 1, 2013, and have not stopped traveling the world since. With guidance and prayer from the Global Mission ministry leadership team, First UMC has created partnerships in Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Romania, Czech Republic, Uganda, and Costa Rica, while continuing their work in my beloved Haiti.
The biggest celebration in my life came on January 31, 2020, when I married Christopher Harbuck! We have a sweet black lab named Molly. I am also “mom” to Mackenson, who lives in Haiti, and Chris has two children, Palmer & Kit.
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Music by: Irene & the Sleepers
Logo by: Jill Ellis
Website: brokenbanquetpodcast.com
Contact Us: brokenbanquetpodcast@gmail.com
Need a good laugh? This is an ooooold video Ashley did the first year at First United Methodist Church Shreveport...when the missions team was just figuring out what partnership is, and how to best abide with companions around the world.