Our Staff

The Reverend Elaine Coburn Watskey

Pastor Elaine officially began her pastorate at Mount Cross on April 8, 2003. She is a native of Kansas and graduated from Kansas State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in education. After living in Japan for three years and teaching in the U.S. Military Schools in Japan, she returned to the midwest and settled in Missouri. After completing real estate and appraisal courses at East Central College, she worked as a real estate broker for twenty years and was a partner in a sales and development firm in Rolla, Missouri.

God’s unexpected call to public ministry took her to Chicago in 1998 where she began three years of advanced academic study at The Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago. As part of her study, Pastor Elaine served one year of internship at First English Lutheran Church in Austin, Texas. In 2002, she graduated from The Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago with a Master of Divinity and was assigned to the Grand Canyon Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Pastor Elaine’s family includes husband, Joe, who is a dentist and their daughter, Jill, who is an attorney in Kansas City, Missouri.

Pastor Elaine feels a deep sense of call to the ministry at Mount Cross. She believes that joy-filled worship is at the heart of our ministry, and from there springs our mission to serve all of God’s people. She invites you to come to Sunday morning services and experience the joy of worshipping our Lord with our family of faith.

J, Michael Brown officially began his position as Children, Youth, and Family Ministry Coordinator at Mount Cross in September of 2005. He received his credentials as a Certified Youth Minister from The Center for Youth Ministries at Wartburg Theological Seminary. The road that led to this ultimate destination provided a wide range of knowledge. This path started off with earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Classics and a Master of Arts degree in Music. Michael taught Middle and High School music, Drama, Latin, and Ancient History for 30 years. He was also a church choir director and tenor soloist with various secular groups.

Michael has attained the rank of Eagle Scout with Bronze Palm. His two sons, Jonathan and Timothy, have followed in his footsteps by also earning the rank of Eagle.

Michael was consecrated a deacon in 1990 and has served churches in New York and Florida before moving to Payson in 2005.

Dr. Victoria Barnett Harris was Professor of Music and Director of the Preparatory Division at Mount Union College in Alliance, Ohio from 1986 to 2004. She was Chair of the Music Department and Director of the Preparatory-Community Music Program at Mount Union College and taught piano and organ, piano pedagogy, and music theory and history. Prior to teaching at Mount Union College, Dr. Harris taught at Hiram College, Hiram, Ohio from 1980 to 1986.

Dr. Harris holds the Associate of Arts degree in piano from Christian College, Columbia, Missouri; the Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from the Eastman School of Music; the Master of Arts degree in piano and music history from The Ohio State University; and the Master of Fine Arts and the Doctor of Musical Arts degrees in Organ Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Iowa. Dr. Harris has served as Director of Music, Organist-Choir Director and Handbell Choir Director at First Presbyterian Church, Warren, Ohio; Middle Sandy Presbyterian Church, Homeworth, Ohio; and Grace Lutheran Church, Dover, Ohio.

Neil and Victoria Harris moved to Payson, Arizona in the fall of 2004. They have a combined family of ten grown children, eleven grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

Wes was literally 'born' into Church music. The Hathaways have been involved in church music and music evangelism for over 50 years. His earliest childhood memories revolve around the Christian music ministry.

As a young adult, Wes traveled with "The Masters'" and "The Kings' Men" gospel quartets as piano accompanist. He was staff organist at St. Paul's Cathedral in Boston from 1978 to 1982.

He has been in Payson since 1992, and operates Payson Music Center and The Payson Academy of Music which offers private music instruction on all keyboards, guitars, and orchestra strings. Wes joined the staff at Mount Cross in March of 2002.

Lenore White - Administrative Assistant

Lenore is a native of Arizona. She was born in Phoenix and moved to Payson in 1977. She met her first husband through his mother (her co-worker at Safeway). During their 7 years of marriage, they had 4 beautiful children: Heather, Zachary, Joshua, and Seth. She was a single mother of the 4 for about 4 years, until she renewed a past friendship with the man who is currently her husband. They have added two little girls to the family, Elizabeth and April. Lenore is kept busy dealing with her Brady Bunch and is enjoying her position with Mount Cross.