Meet the Team
Rev. Dr. Otto Harris, III
SENIOR PASTOR
The Reverend Otto D. Harris III Ph.D. understands and accepts his call to lead disciples in making disciples of Jesus Christ. He has been doing while serving as a pastor in The United Methodist Church since 2004.
Otto serves on several local, regional, national, and global committees, boards, and agencies. He is a veteran of the Unites States Marine Corps. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the North Carolina A&T State University, a Master of Divinity degree from the Hood Theological Seminary, and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Educational Studies with a concentration in Cultural Foundations from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He teaches courses in pastoral ministry and directs United Methodist Studies at Hood Theological Seminary.
Otto is a devoted husband to Stephanie (who is a school counselor) and a proud father to three adult children – Otto IV, Alanah, and Gabriel. He enjoys playing racquetball and playing chess. He considers it a great privilege to be a servant in God's kingdom and is comforted in knowing that his, "...help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth" (Psalm 121:2).
Rev. Jeremy Benton
ASSOCIATE PASTOR
The Reverend Jeremy Benton has served as the Associate Pastor at West Market Street United Methodist Church since July of 2022. He is a native of Oxford, Michigan. He completed his undergraduate work at Albion College, Albion, MI in 2005 and obtained his Master of Divinity degree from Duke University Divinity School, Durham, NC, in 2008. During his time at Duke, Jeremy served in a variety of ministry settings including a hospital chaplaincy in Honolulu, a rural parish in North Carolina, and a large congregation in South Carolina. Prior to coming to West Market Street UMC, he served as the Campus Minister at Greenville Wesley, the United Methodist campus ministry at East Carolina University as well as the pastor of four different churches in Michigan.
Jeremy is married to Rachel, and has two children, Eliza Jane and Wyatt. In his free time Jeremy enjoys road cycling, growing bonsai, cooking, eating, and all things Duke basketball.
Rachel D. Benton
DIR. OF CHILDREN & FAMILY MINISTRIES
A native of Winston-Salem and a life-long United Methodist, Rachel is a graduate of Wofford College (BA in Religion & History) and Duke Divinity School (Master of Divinity with a Certificate in Christian Education) with over 15 years of professional experience in Children’s Ministry and Family Faith Formation. Rachel believes that children are present-day disciples (not just future or preparatory ones!) whose full participation in the life of a congregation draws all of the body of Christ into deeper faithfulness.
Rachel is married to Rev. Jeremy Benton, an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church who is currently serving as the Associate Pastor at West Market Street UMC. Rachel and Jeremy have two children, who constantly remind them (and teach them) of God’s grace and expansive love!
Paul Collins
DIR. OF YOUTH MINISTRIES & ADULT DISCIPLESHIP
Paul was born in Durban, South Africa. He was raised in the Roman Catholic Church and attended Catholic schools for his primary and secondary education. After immigrating to the U.S.A. as a young adult, he came to love and appreciate the Episcopal Church and became a member. He has spent much of his adult life studying and working in ecumenical settings. He is joyful to see the Episcopal and United Methodist Churches moving toward full communion.
Paul graduated with a B.A. in Political Science from Gordon College and received his Master of Divinity (M.Div.) from Wake Forest University School of Divinity. He is currently pursuing a Master of Counseling in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at North Carolina A&T State University. He discovered his love of journeying with middle and high school students while serving as a teacher, school chaplain, youth minister, and campus minister in several contexts.
Paul is the father of three children: Zion, Phoenix, and Leilani. In his free time, he enjoys hiking, practicing yoga, and playing tennis. He also enjoys listening to jazz and reading historical fiction. Paul is a huge fútbol fan and loves following his favorite team, Arsenal F.C. #COYG.
Dreama Lovitt
DIR. OF TRADITIONAL MUSIC & ORGANIST
As Director of Worship Ministries and Organist, Dreama Lovitt leads the Chancel Choir and MarketBell Ringers and oversees music ministry at West Market Street UMC. She is passionate about helping people experience and share the joy of faith through music and the arts.
Dreama enjoys a wide range of musical styles and working with musicians of all experience levels. A private piano and organ instructor, she holds a Master’s Degree from the Eastman School of Music and has additional training in Dalcroze Eurhythmics in the U.S. and Geneva, Switzerland.
Passionate about sharing the pipe organ with the community, Dreama has helped lead numerous organ concerts, workshops, camps, and educational programs throughout the Piedmont Triad. She also serves as Visiting Director of Choral Activities at Salem College, where she directs the Salem College Chorale.
Beyond music, Dreama enjoys visual art and serves as staff liaison to West Market’s Visual Art Team. She is also a wood block printmaker and enjoys spending time in her gardens—usually accompanied by her cats.
Meredith Kasten
DIR. OF EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER (ECC)
Meredith Kasten is the Director of The Early Childhood Center at West Market Street United Methodist Church, where she leads a dedicated team focused on providing high-quality early childhood education and care for young children and their families. With a strong commitment to early learning and child development, Meredith has worked to ensure that children have access to safe, nurturing environments that support their growth and school readiness since 2019. She has over 20 years in the field of early childhood both in the classroom and in leadership. Through her work in the child care field, Meredith collaborates with families, educators, and community partners to strengthen early childhood systems and expand opportunities for children in the community. Meredith is honored to serve in this role and looks forward to continuing relationships with children, families, and church members for years to come.
Addie Elliott
OFFICE, COMMUNICATIONS, & MEMBERSHIP COORDINATOR
Adelaide “Addie” Elliott joined West Market Street United Methodist Church in January 2026. In her role, she combines her passion for storytelling with a heart for service, supporting the life of the church through clear communication and organizational leadership.
Before joining the church staff, Addie worked as an associate editor for business-to-business publications in the gift, home, and interior design industries. She also has experience in internal communications, local news reporting, and more than five years of administrative work with her family’s commercial plumbing business.
A 2019 graduate of Greensboro College, Addie earned a Bachelor of Arts in English and communications studies with minors in religion, philosophy, history, and creative writing.
Anna Brown
FINANCIAL COORDINATOR
Anna is a Greensboro native who grew up in the United Methodist Church. She graduated from NC State University with a degree in Business Administration: Human Resources and a minor in Spanish. Anna has worked in both human resources and office management, where she gained experience in financial coordination. She loves to travel and has led and participated in mission trips to Bolivia, Dominican Republic, and Guatemala. She has two children and a cat that like to keep her busy.
Jah Gilmore
FACILITIES DIRECTOR
James “Jah” Gilmore grew up in Brooklyn, New York where his love of tools and fixing and building things was cultivated. He had access to a wide variety of tools from a young age and even started his first business at nine years old building, selling, and painting bikes. Jah played tennis at Pratt University from the ages of 10 thru 12, winning both doubles and singles tournaments.
Jah also enjoys performing; he rapped and performed spoken word poetry in clubs all over New York in his teenage years. One of Jah’s true passions is dancing. He once performed in a duo with his cousin Dorian anywhere there was music and still dances as much as he can to this day. Another of Jah’s passions is cooking and he have something on the smoker almost every weekend, from brisket to pork shoulders and vegetables to smoked mac and cheese.
Jah says that working here at West Market Street UMC has been a joy and that he hopes to be here for a very long time. Having worked in maintenance almost the entirety of his adult life, he loves reaching into his bag of tricks to solve the maintenance needs of the church.
MJ Johnson
DIR. OF MODERN SERVICE MUSIC
MJ joined the Modern Worship Service in 2017 and serves as Music Director for Rising West and Modern Worship Team Leader, overseeing all aspects of Modern Worship @ The Corner. Raised in a musical Methodist family, his passion for worship music grew through summers at Lake Junaluska’s Music Week and a lifelong involvement in music ministry.
MJ holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from UNCG and a Master’s Degree in Choral Conducting from Ohio State University. A longtime K-12 music educator, he has earned National Board Certification, the Grimsley High School Excellence in Teaching Award, and other honors.
An accomplished vocalist, MJ has performed in world-class venues and sang with the internationally acclaimed ensemble Chanticleer, earning a Grammy nomination for the 2002 release Our American Journey. He continues to lead the Grimsley High School Vocal Music Department and enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter and performing locally with his band, Bandemic.
Nursery Staff
Kyla Harris
