MEET OUR STAFF
Rev. Jana Creighton
Senior Pastor
Jana Light Creighton grew up right here in Columbia, South Carolina. A child of die-hard Gamecock fans, she spent her childhood years singing the Carolina fight song. However after graduating from Richland Northeast High School, she discovered that her true colors ran orange. In 1999 she graduated as a Clemson University Tiger with a Bachelors Degree in Nursing.
As a Registered Nurse, she lived in Savannah, Georgia for two years caring for patients at Memorial Health Hospital serving in both the Oncology and Step Down units. In 2001 she married her college beau, Rusty Creighton and they moved to Denver, Colorado. Two years later, Jana found herself drawn back to Columbia to be near her grandparents and further her nursing experience at Providence Hospital serving in critical care for six years.
Jana and Rusty are proud parents of two sons, Finnegan born in 2005 and Sawyer born in 2007. Jana has a love for her family, prayer, and pursues justice for God’s people. She has a passion for music, exercise, and a deep belief in lifelong education. She spends her time away from work sharing Sawyer’s love for sports and reading, Finn’s interest in science and math, and gardening and cooking with Rusty and friends.
In 2007, Jana received a call to pursue ministry and attended Union Presbyterian Seminary in Charlotte where she received her Masters of Divinity. Jana remained busy throughout seminary serving as a steering team member, ruling elder, parish nurse and part time youth director at New Kirk Presbyterian Church as well as a parish associate at Eastminster Presbyterian Church.
In 2014, Jana was blessed to lead at Saluda Presbyterian Church where she served four years preaching and striving to building bonds between the different denominations and ethnic groups within the community. The opportunities and the support of the people of Saluda Presbyterian provided the growth and experience that have led her to her current role as here at Seven Oaks Presbyterian where she was installed February of 2018.
Jana is dedicated to the mission of the PC(USA). She maintains an active role with Trinity Presbytery. She is currently serving as the moderator for the Committee on Preparation for Ministry in Trinity Presbytery where she leads a team guiding seminary students who desire ordination into formal ministry in the church. Jana has a love for mission and personal relationships expressed in her sermons and ministry as she strives to live into the Shema; ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’
While also striving to embody the gospel of Matthew, The second great commandment is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.’
Rev. Alice Odell
Parish Associate
Alice was born in Beaver Falls, PA, and moved to Bonita Springs, FL, when she was 12 years of age. She graduated from high school in Fort Myers, FL, and attended Edison Junior College and then went on to Florida Technological University, now known as the University of Central Florida. She graduated with a B.S. degree in Biology and a certification in Respiratory Care. Alice worked as a Children’s Respiratory Care Practitioner at Orlando Regional Medical Center, Orlando, FL. Alice moved to Columbia in 1985 where she took a job at Richland Memorial Hospital as director of the Children’s Respiratory Department until 2000, when she felt a call to the ministry. She did her first year at Lutheran Theological Seminary in Columbia and then moved to Richmond, VA, and graduated from Union Presbytery Seminary in 2004.
Alice was interim pastor at Trinity Presbyterian Church for thirteen months and then Parish Associate at Eastminster for two and a half years before coming to Seven Oaks.
Alice serves on two ministries of the Presbytery. One is the committee on Preparation for Ministry and the other is TADD, the ministry for developmentally disadvantaged children of aging parents. She also serves on the board for His Promise Ministries and will be serving this ministry in Namibia, South Africa, in the coming months.
Alice is married to David Odell and they have two adult daughters, Jane, a graphic designer and instructor at Trident Community College, and Emily, a registered nurse. She and David enjoy camping and Alice enjoys reading for pleasure.
Dr. Lloyd R. Pilkington
Director of Music Ministry
Lloyd and his family joined Seven Oaks in December 1998. In August 2011 he became our Director of Music Ministry. His education includes a Bachelor of Sacred Music from Nyack College, an M.Ed. in Community Counseling from Winthrop University, and a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Georgia State University. In addition to his work at Seven Oaks, he is currently a full-time Instructor in Psychology at Midlands Technical College. He has worked in private practice as a Counseling Psychologist, and has provided counseling services in both university and hospital settings.
Dr. Pilkington and his wife are also the founders of Words-4-Life, a ministry dedicated to bringing God’s Word to God’s people through weekly email devotionals. Lloyd is married to Tina and they have two children, Mark and Nicole.
“It is a joy and privilege to serve as a worship leader with the dedicated and loving people of Seven Oaks. Together we ring and sing for joy!”
Michaela Ashley Craven
Director of Children and Youth
We welcome Michalea to Seven Oaks Presbyterian Church. She is a 2017 graduate of the University of South Carolina here in Columbia. She is was a Religious Studies major with a minor in Psychology. Prior to her college years she worked alongside the Ministery and Education Committee at First Presbyterian Church of Logan, West Vriginia. Michalea is happy to get to know our wonderful children here at SOPC. She enjoys shopping and going to concerts as well as spending time with her family.
Mr. Karl Thompson
Building Superintendent
803-772-1761 Ext.6
Ms. Amy Schwartz
Childcare Coordinator
803-772-1761