Leadership

Staff

  • Executive Director

    Dietrich Hartzog is the Executive Director of the Wesley Center for 2023-2024. They were born in San Diego, California and have traveled extensively throughout North America. They have been a professional violinist performing at notable concert halls such as Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, Christel De Haan Fine Arts Center, and Hilbert Circle Theatre; they recently recorded their first solo violin album Seven Solos. Having grown up in a pastoral family, they have been active in Christian ministry including pastoral leadership, worship arts, and social outreach initiatives. They were a member of the original group which envisioned the Wesley Center in 2017. They began their undergraduate studies at Indiana University-Bloomington accepting, concurrently, the senior pastorate of a United Methodist Church in eastern Indiana. Subsequently, they have served as the Director of Youth Ministries at a United Methodist Church in the St. Louis region and, also, worked in emergency medicine in that City. Additionally, they have served with the U.S. National Park Service in the Washington D.C. metro area working in emergency medicine, technical rescue, and fire suppression. They are known for their creative culinary skills and artistry serving at notable restaurants in St. Louis and hosting other public and private events.

Board Members

  • Chairman of WLLC Board

    George Hartzog is an ordained United Methodist clergy and, currently in retirement, serves as pastor of the Fairview United Methodist Church. He has pastored churches in Los Angeles and Chicago and has been active with several United Methodist boards and agencies as well as other non-profit, academic, student and civic organizations. While living in Los Angeles, he volunteered with Big Brothers of America and Friends Outside (prison visitation). Prior to his call to the ministry, he worked as a teacher, a counseling psychologist, and as a Ranger with the U.S. National Park Service. For several years, he served as a legislative aide with the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington, D.C. Later, he was the President of the Navajo Methodist Mission School. In conjunction with the United Nation’s Conference on the Environment and Development, he was invited to be a visiting faculty member of Indiana University to help inaugurate an interdisciplinary program of environmental ethics.

  • Board Member

    Randy McFarland, a businessman, has served in managerial positions of major grocery stores, a service industry in which he began when he was fifteen years of age. He was encouraged by his father as a youth, “Son, one of the best ways to serve others is to provide them good food. People always need to eat.” Born and raised In Linton, Indiana, Randy has been a member of the ecumenical Church all his life: Baptist, Christian and United Methodist. He has held major leadership positions at Fairview United Methodist Church for more than twenty years serving as Chair of Finance and Staff-Parish Relations as well as the Board of Trustees and the Church Council. He was one of the Founding Directors of the Wesley Center guiding its initial design, financing and construction. His wife, Kim, is a chef specializing in Indiana cuisine and canning fruits, vegetables and making seasonal jellies and jams. They share four children and have seven grandchildren. Having a unique gift as a “team-builder,” Randy has been successful in business, church and among his family.

  • Board Member

    Darlene Harbuck was born and lived in New Albany, Indiana and was a member of the DePauw Methodist Church. At age fifteen, Darlene left home to care for her father’s sister who was severely stricken with rheumatoid arthritis. What was to be for two weeks became nine years. After completing high school, she enrolled in Indiana University to become a teacher. For more than three decades, Darlene served as an elementary and junior high school teacher. She met her future husband who was the Director of Music at her church and they had two children, a son and daughter. Her husband died tragically at an early age and Darlene raised their two children as a single mother. Among the many activities as a single mother the family became fans of IU basketball and she still has season tickets for the team. During her childhood, her grandmother started an interdenominational mission in New Albany Her grandmother’s testimony, “God will provide.” was not only the bedrock of her successful mission program, but was the inspiration which has guided Darlene throughout her life. Darlene is a long-time member of the interdenominational Bible Study Fellowship and has been an active leader at Fairview United Methodist Church, serving as Lay Leader, parish visitor, frequent preacher and representative to the Indiana United Methodist Annual Conference. Noted for her study of the scriptures and daily intercessory prayer, she also has championed the role of women in church leadership and the community.

  • Board Member

    Debbie Shields is a lifetime member of Fairview United Methodist Church. She was an elementary school teacher for more than thirty-seven years and has been active with teaching children in church and leading children’s choirs. As a youth, she served on the United Methodist District Youth Council and was a counselor with children’s and youth summer camps. Playing the guitar and singing have been special talents and she has been a member of several chorales and is still active with the Bloomington “Music Makers.” One of her most enjoyable and noted ministries has been as a member of the United Methodist Lay Witness Mission in which she traveled throughout Indiana. Currently, she is the Secretary of the Church Council of Fairview United Methodist Church and the Secretary for the Church’s Annual Charge Conference.