Executive Director
John Rivas joined ENCORE Ministry in 2023 as executive director. Previously he served as senior donor legacy planning advisor at The Gideons International, where he helped individuals and families navigate legacy and philanthropic decisions through their wills, trusts, and estates. Rivas collaborated with estate planning attorneys, financial advisors, and other professionals to raise more than $20 million in current and legacy gifts for The Gideons International since 2020.
Prior to his Gideons International work, Rivas was executive director of New Mexico activities for the Texas Methodist Foundation, vice president of advancement for the Florida United Methodist Children’s Home, and director of family philanthropy at Discipleship Ministries/The United Methodist Foundation.
Rivas has held the Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) designation since 2001. He earned master’s degrees in philanthropy and development from LaGrange College and in religious education from Nazarene Theological Seminary after receiving a bachelor’s degree from Southern Nazarene University.
Currently, Rivas is in the process of becoming a Heritage Design Professional through The Heritage Institute.
Director
In 2015, the Rev. Dr. Richard H. Gentzler, Jr. (Rick) was a co-founder of ENCORE Ministry. Presently, Gentzler serves as the Director of Older Adult Ministry and provides consultation, training and support, resources, and networking opportunities for church leaders in the Tennessee-Western Kentucky Conference of The United Methodist Church for implementing and expanding intentional ministry by, with, and for older adults.
Gentzler, a sought-after speaker, teacher, and writer, is an internationally recognized leader in the field of aging and older adult ministries. Highlights of his ministry include:
Gentzler, a sought-after speaker, teacher, and writer, is an internationally recognized leader in the field of aging and older adult ministries. Highlights of his ministry include:
Gentzler is the author and co-author of numerous books and hundreds of articles on aging and older adult ministry including
He served as content editor and wrote the Foreword for The Church Responds to Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation by Joy Thornton Melton. Gentzler also produced an award-winning video on older adult ministry, New Beginnings: The Gifts of Aging.
Having been in ministry for over 50 years, Gentzler pastored churches in Pennsylvania and Maryland and served as a chaplain in long-term care settings. In 1991, he joined the staff at the General Board of Discipleship of The United Methodist Church, serving as director of the Center on Aging and Older Adult Ministries. In 2013, he retired from both the Susquehanna Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church and the General Board of Discipleship. Over the years, Dr. Gentzler has taught classes and workshops on aging and older adult ministries at Martin Methodist College (now UT Southern) and Lipscomb University (both in Tennessee); Lycoming College in Williamsport, Pennsylvania; Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC; Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky; and Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond, Virginia. He has also led countless seminars and workshops at various annual conferences, districts, and local churches throughout the U.S.
Dr. Gentzler holds the following degrees: Bachelor of Science in Education from Shippensburg (Pennsylvania) University, Master of Divinity from Wesley Theological Seminary (Washington, DC), Doctor of Ministry from Boston University School of Theology (Boston, Massachusetts), and a Professional Certificate in Aging Studies from Boston University Institute for Geriatric Social Work. He is married to the former Marilyn Ann Hozyash. They have two adult children and two grandchildren.
Operations Director
Prior to serving first as communications director and now as operations director for ENCORE Ministry, Solomon worked for a plethora of United Methodist boards and agencies in a variety of sales, marketing, and project management roles as a consultant. Recent projects included helping launch the ENCORE Ministry website and serving as journal editor for the legacy Tennessee Conference and Guide Team project manager for the Nashville Episcopal Area of The United Methodist Church.
Solomon started her career in Nashville as an advertising copywriter at The United Methodist Publishing House (UMPH) after graduating from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, with a BS in Communications/Public Relations. During her time at UMPH, Solomon worked as Internal Communications coordinator, Retail Store Marketing associate, Subscriptions Marketing associate, Direct Mail manager, Gifts/Recorded Music/Greeting Cards project manager, Laity Books project manager, DISCIPLE sales manager, and Direct Sales marketing manager.
Solomon left UMPH in 1997 to start a marketing consulting business. Her clients include United Methodist Communications, The Pilgrim Press, Spring Arbor/Ingram, Discipleship Ministries, the legacy Tennessee Conference Office, and Nashville Episcopal Area of The United Methodist Church.
Her connections at and experiences with United Methodist boards and agencies prepared Solomon for her roles of ENCORE Ministry operations director and communications director. She is excited to share the wonderful work being done by ENCORE Ministry Executive Director John Rivas and Director Rick Gentzler to equip church leaders in the TWK Conference for intentional ministry by, with, and for older adults.
Solomon lives in Franklin, Tennessee, with her husband, two dogs, and a cat. Their grown son has flown the nest and is happily employed (and off the parental dole) in Chattanooga, Tennessee. In her spare time she is an avid gardener, hiker, and cyclist.
The ENCORE Ministry Foundation provided a grant to First United Methodist in Columbia, Tennessee, to help fund their feeding ministry, the People’s Table. Since 2004, the People’s Table ministry serves meals to neighbors in need every Tuesday evening and Friday afternoon, providing nourishment, love, and hope to the homeless, elderly, families, and individuals struggling to make ends meet. However, the need in the community is growing. With the closure of a local battery plant and reductions in SNAP benefits, more families are facing food insecurity.
Together, we can be the hands and feet of Jesus, feeding the hungry, caring for the vulnerable, and showing love to those who need it most. Every dollar you give to the Kent and Ellen McNish Fund for Older Adult Food Security helps feeding ministries stretch resources and serve more meals to those in need. Donate today and help support life-changing feeding ministries like the People’s Table.
