Who We Are
We are Aldersgate - a vibrant, inclusive Christian community growing in faith, love, health, and service located in Bellevue, WA.
Aldersgate United Methodist Church resides on the unceded land of the Duwamish Tribe - the People of the Inside, dxʷdəw?abš - what many know as King County. To learn more about and advocate for the federal recognition of the Duwamish Tribe’s people, culture, heritage, and land, please visit https://www.duwamishtribe.org/.
We believe that God transforms.
We believe that God interacts with us best when we open ourselves to the Spirit. We believe God moves in and through all things, including us, always for the greater good. We believe in the expansiveness of God. Where language falls short, we believe the Spirit will guide us toward inclusivity and justice.
We believe Jesus Christ is the one we are to follow and model our lives upon. We believe that we are called to emulate the love of Jesus Christ in the world. We believe that we must offer the same hope, grace, and acceptance during Jesus’ life and ministry. We are called to worship, pray, teach, heal, and gather all members of Creation as we live into the vision of a reconciled, just world.
Our collective actions, meditations, and prayers guide us toward living in the image of God which we all uniquely bear. Together, we more clearly see, hear and feel the loving presence of our Divine Parent. We commit ourselves to live a life that emulates that of Jesus Christ and follow the movement of the Spirit wherever She may lead us.
We must recognize and confront those actions which harm our fellow members of Creation. We flip the tables of injustice by seeking change in our communities. We continue to discern how to respond to the underlying causes of hunger, homelessness, and injustices that surround us.
We believe in the belovedness, dignity, and sacred worth of all people. As a Reconciling Congregation, we fully affirm and warmly embrace the diverse expressions and experiences of our LGBTQ+ siblings. All are welcome here - and all means all.
We are a vibrant, inclusive Christian community and we respond to this call in many ways. Aldersgate continues to grow in faith, love, health, and service every day. We offer our full selves - mind, heart, body, and spirit - in service to God and all members of Creation.
Reconciling Congregation
As a member of Reconciling Ministries Network, we fully affirm the dignity and sacred worth of all people. We embrace the diverse expressions and experiences of our beloved LGBTQ+ siblings. All are welcome here - and all means all! Learn more about Reconciling Ministries Network and the movement towards the full inclusion of LGBTQ+ individuals in the United Methodist Church: www.rmnetwork.org
Meet Our Staff!
Rev. Mele Taumoepeau Aho
Senior Pastor
The Rev. Mele Taumoepeau 'Aho, was appointed as the 15th Pastor at Aldersgate United Methodist Church in July 2024. Her unwavering commitment to reshaping Aldersgate's priorities, with a strong emphasis on inclusivity and warm hospitality, ensures that all worshippers and community members feel welcomed and valued.
Rev. Mele is firmly committed to the conviction that each individual deserves dignity and respect as a beloved child of God. Her principal objective at Aldersgate, as articulated in her inaugural sermon from the Aldersgate Pulpit, is for the community to heed King David's purpose in 2nd Samuel to "offer blessings and support human social and spiritual needs" as they engage in their daily lives alongside the people of God.
Throughout her tenure, Reverend Mele will foster a spirit of collaboration with the Staff Parish Relations Committee (SPRC) and the Administrative Council (Ad Council). This approach ensures that everyone feels involved and part of the community as we pursue our strategic objectives.
From 2019 to 2020, Rev. Mele held the campus pastor position at the Wesley Campus of the National United Methodist Church in Washington, D.C. Following this role, she assumed the part-time position of Donor Relations Coordinator at the Development Office of Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C., from 2021 to 2024. Furthermore, in 2022 and 2023, Rev. Mele took on the responsibilities of Strategic Consultant for Discipleship and, subsequently, the role of Foundation Director at Epworth UMC in Gaithersburg, Maryland. She then served as a solo pastor at Mt. Olive UMC in Mount Airy, Maryland, from 2023 to 2024.
Rev. Mele, a loving wife to Langiloloa and a proud mother of one daughter, embodies the values of family and community. The 'Ahos, a warm and welcoming family, reside in West Seattle, ready to embrace and connect with our Aldersgate family.
Rev. Mele was raised in Tonga within the Free Wesleyan community, akin to the United Methodist denomination in the United States. Since her relocation to the US in the 1980s, she has actively participated in the United Methodist Church.
CJ Ingalls (They/Them)
Office Manager & Youth/CYF Admin
CJ Ingalls has been a part of the Aldersgate community since they were two years old! Having attended Aldersgate Christian Preschool, Sunday School, VBS, Confirmation, and countless Youth Group events over the years, CJ is deeply knowledgeable about the programs and the community here at Aldersgate. If they don't have the answer to your question, they know who will.
As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, CJ is dedicated to making Aldersgate an inclusive and safe place for people of all genders, identities, and sexualities.
During their off time, CJ enjoys reading, playing music, and many types of crafting.
Worship Leader
Roger has been singing and playing guitar with the Contemporary Worship Band for nearly 20 years, and has been the Worship Leader and music director since 2016. He’s been a pop/rock/country/folk/dance band member, playing guitar and singing since his teens, playing in living rooms, basements, parties, campfires, bars, hotels, coffeehouses, and now, in service to a community of like-minded Christians. He gives credit to God, his wife Kate, and his 4 wonderful kids for leading him here, as well as all of the musicians and leaders who came before him.
The Praise Band plays contemporary Christian artists such as Matt Maher, Chris Tomlin, Sara Groves, Casting Crowns, Lauren Daigle, Newsboys, Mercy Me, Audrey Assad, and Matthew West as well as countless hidden gems unearthed from B sides and home-made YouTube recordings. Roger has written and performed several originals, and updated traditional hymns to modern music styles, He also tweaks modern songs to fit the message of the church. The band welcomes new players and singers, as long as you can clap on 2 and 4, and not frighten children or dogs when you sing.
When not playing music at Aldersgate UMC and with his other band, Inner Voices, Roger enjoys spending time with his family, helping people with home loans, substitute teaching, talking to random strangers about nearly everything, and getting out in the glorious outdoors in the Puget Sound area.
Jim Peterson
Choir Director
Bio coming soon!
Debbie Daugherty
Finance Secretary
Finance Secretary
Debbie Daugherty retired from the Pacific Northwest Environment Stewardship Council in October 2022 as Finance and Compliance Administrator tracking grants and ensuring compliance. Debbie brings more than 25 years of grant, accounting and administrative non-profit experience to Aldersgate UMC. Before the Stewardship Council, she worked for College Success Foundation based in Bellevue, WA as Quality Improvement Manager, Grants and Contracts. Before that she was Accounting Grants Manager for Hopelink in Redmond, Washington. Other organizations include Northwest AIDS Foundation, The Seattle
Children’s Museum and Hopelink.