Forest Hill Staff

Although John Lentz grew up in the Washington, DC, area, he became familiar with Ohio when he attended Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, where he graduated with a degree in history. He received his Master of Divinity degree from Yale University Divinity School. His educational journey then took him to Scotland where he entered the Divinity School of the University of Edinburgh and attained his Ph.D. While there, he met and married his wife Deanne, a native of Minnesota.

Upon returning to the U.S., John served as co-pastor at a church in Winchester, Virginia, for five years before being called in 1994 as senior pastor to Forest Hill Church. John and Deanne reside in Cleveland Heights and raised their three now-adult children in the Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District.

While John’s predecessors had built a foundation of social action at Forest Hill Church, under John’s pastoral leadership the church has more fully embraced its role as a progressive church, actively speaking out against injustice wherever it exists and striving to build a beloved community that recognizes and affirms the image of God in every person. In John’s words, “When people enjoy their faith and their life, they celebrate and take risks. Then we can work together with energy and joy for each other and our community.”

As our Director of Music, Dr. Qin “Ying” Tan has endeared us with her vast expertise in the areas of music history, direction, keyboard technique, and church-music repertoire - whether classical, gospel, or contemporary. She finds ways to engage all kinds of talent in honoring the intent of each piece sung by the Chancel Choir or played by the Voices in Bronze bell choir.

Ying has been lauded by Cleveland Classical as "an excellent soloist” and a “compelling performer.” Her particular harpsichord expertise, highly praised in her home country of Singapore, has led her to be a part of the Baldwin Wallace University Conservatory of Music faculty as their instructor in harpsichord study.

Though a “transplant,” Ying is deeply in love with culturally and racially diverse Cleveland. She feels privileged to serve Forest Hill Church as it pursues ways to make racial and social equity a reality. And she strongly supports this specific church vision with her diverse selection of music for worship services, gatherings, and concerts.

When not at work, Ying loves exploring and hiking around beautiful Cleveland with her family. She welcomes conversations about culture, history or how music can be a vehicle for social change and a tool to bring communities together.

Amy says that she "fell into" ministry when she began coordinating the Sunday School program at First United Methodist Church in downtown Cleveland, where her family belonged. She soon realized that this work was a natural fit for her experience in education, her enthusiasm for creating engaging learning opportunities, and her commitment to social justice and community building.

Amy served as Director of Education at First Church Cleveland, and then University Circle United Methodist Church, for over a decade. She also worked at Old Stone Church in Cleveland to help that congregation build a children’s program. Amy was drawn to Forest Hill Church by the opportunity to nurture children, youth, and families in a diverse, inclusive, progressive family of faith.

A native of Cleveland, Amy received her A.B. from Kenyon College and her Ph.D. in Education from the University of Michigan. Her early career included research, teaching, and staff development in the field of early childhood/special education, and she traveled extensively as a consultant to schools, hospitals and other non-profit agencies serving young people and their families.

Amy and her husband Karl are the parents of two terrific young adults. She enjoys playing board games and exploring nature with her family, and she often stays up way too late reading a good book. After church on Sundays Amy can always be found at home in a comfy chair, drinking coffee, and working diligently on the NYTimes crossword.

Born and raised near Seattle, WA, Carol earned a BA in Music from Whitworth College in Spokane before attending Princeton Theological Seminary. Following her graduation in 1982 and a year of hospital chaplaincy training, Carol accepted a call to be the first clergywoman to join the five pastors of First Presbyterian Church in Fort Wayne, IN (a church of 1,800 members).

In 2000, Carol assumed a half-time role at Fairmount Presbyterian in Cleveland Hts., and in 2005 was called to be pastor of Church of the Western Reserve located in Pepper Pike, where she served until 2011.

Now officially retired, she is glad to formalize her role as Parish Associate at Forest Hill Church, which she and her husband, Mark, have attended since 2013. They live in Willoughby, have three adult children and view Forest Hill as a dynamic, socially-engaged faith community.

Lisa Richardson is a dedicated individual with a strong connection to the Cleveland Heights community. Currently residing in Cleveland Heights and an alumnus of the local schools, Lisa has deep roots in the area and a genuine love for her hometown.

With an impressive 35 years of cleaning experience, Lisa brings a wealth of expertise and a keen eye for detail to her work. She currently serves in the Cleveland Public Schools, where she not only ensures cleanliness and hygiene but also shares her passion for working with children.

Lisa's involvement in the Cleveland Heights community extends beyond her work in the schools. She is an active member and worker of the Cleveland Heights Community Center, and among her favorite places in Cleveland Heights is Cumberland Pool, where she finds joy and relaxation while working.