Meet Our Staff
Our Zoar Staff is happy to support you on your faith journey.
Standing left to right:
Paul Cannon (Custodian), Jacob Henry (Director of Music), Jodi Calkins (Church Secretary), Patty Slupecki (Director of Marketing & Communications), Kelley Allred (Administrative Manager)
Seated left to right:
Pastor Melanie Forrey, Pastor Paul Reichert, Corryn Short (Director of Youth Ministries)
Pastor Melanie Forrey
Pastor Melanie graduated from Luther Seminary and has been serving at Zoar since December 2023. She and her family moved from Montana to Perrysburg in 2022 to finish up her candidacy process and participate in a chaplain residency at Mercy Health St. Vincent Hospital. Pastor Melanie celebrated her ordination at Zoar Lutheran Church in January 2024 and is enjoying her first call as a Pastor at Zoar! Pastor Melanie and her husband Daniel are the parents of four wonderful children! Pastor Melanie enjoys spending time with her family, cuddling with Penny (her beloved basset hound), reading, meeting new people, visiting with friends, traveling and taking walks in our incredible area parks. Pastor Melanie loves to work in ministry with others and is dedicated to advocating for justice and inclusion!
Jacob Henry
Director of Music
After several years in non-profit administration, Jacob is glad to be joining the staff at Zoar as the Director of Music. He is passionate about leading and encouraging congregational singing, and deepening connections through music. He resides near Swanton with his boyfriend – they enjoy hiking, cycling, kayaking, and camping in the Upper Peninsula.
Kelley Allred
Administrative Manager
We are very excited to have Kelley on the Zoar team! Stay tuned to learn more about Kelley and her commitment to our ministry!
Paul Cannon
Custodian
Paul graduated from DeVilbiss High School in 1967. While attending the University of Toledo he was drafted into the US Army in 1971. He spent his time in the Army stationed in Alaska while serving as a Meteorologist. Paul has worked for several churches and schools during his many years Maintenance/Custodian. Paul has received several certificates including Hazmat and Boiler. He enjoys his position at Zoar, where he has been Facilities Manager going on 16 years. Paul is married to his wife Lois, who works for the City of Toledo, Law Department. He has six grandchildren and three great grandchildren. He enjoys bowling, swimming in his backyard pool and having a glass of wine and a good cigar. Paul hopes to work at Zoar for many years to follow.
Pastor Paul Reichert
Pastor Paul graduated from the University of Toledo and Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus, Ohio. He has been serving at Zoar since May 2021. He and his wife Beth are the parents of three children: Moriah in graduate school at IU, Erin who is attending Wittenberg University, and Isaac who attends Capital University. The Reicherts enjoy getting away to Devils Lake in Michigan. Pastor Paul enjoys playing guitar, astronomy, genealogy, and spending time with his family.
Corryn Short
Director of Youth Ministries
Corryn graduated from Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, Indiana with an English and Secondary Education degree. Right after college she taught high school English for ten years, starting her career in in Ridgeway, Ohio and finishing in Syracuse, Indiana. In 2017 she decided to take a break from public education and move closer to home. She worked as a safety manager in the trucking industry for the next several years, but her true passion has always been working with youth. When the opportunity came up to serve as the Director of Youth Ministries at Zoar, she knew she had found the perfect role! Corryn currently lives in Toledo, but she grew up in Wauseon, Ohio where she was baptized and confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church. Her parents are both enjoying their retirement, and her younger brother Evan is an electrical engineer in Pittsburgh, PA. In her spare time, Corryn enjoys performing in local community theatre productions, reading and relaxing at home, and traveling around the country to visit her friends.
Jodi Calkins
Church Secretary
Jodi joined Zoar as church secretary in 2023. She has more than 27 years of administrative experience throughout various fields. Her and her husband, Bob, currently reside in Toledo. She is the mother of two adult daughters and a five fur babies (2 dogs, 1 cat, and 2 birds). In her free time, Jodi enjoys thrifting, karaoke, hiking, and shopping.
Patty brings a unique blend of creativity, strategy, and heart to her role at Zoar. With a career that spans Fortune 100 companies, nonprofit organizations, and her own marketing consulting business, she’s worn a lot of hats—and loved them all. Along the way, she’s developed a strong background in marketing, communications, and customer experience, always with a focus on connecting people and building community. She’s also a lifelong writer, editor, and storyteller. Patty published her first book, Suddenly Widowed: A Memoir of Survival, in 2018—a deeply personal journey she felt called to share. Patty earned her bachelor’s degree in education from The University of Toledo and holds several certifications, including MBTI (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator), NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming), Life and Business Coaching, and Health and Nutrition Coaching. She's passionate about personal growth and is always learning something new—usually with a podcast or audiobook playing in the background! A long-term area resident, Patty lives in Sylvania Township and is the mom of two grown children. She’s excited to be part of the Zoar community and looks forward to using her experience to help share the church’s mission in meaningful ways.