July 29, 2021

With relief and joy, Galilee is welcoming worshippers back to church each Sunday for in-person services. One special person that we’ve welcomed back is a friend we haven’t seen in a long time. Sally Lyberger was a mainstay at Galilee who was called away for a season of ministry elsewhere. During Covid, Sally reconnected with us through our livestream service and has returned to worship in the sanctuary each Sunday.

We’re so happy to say “Welcome back, Sally!”

And happy to hear her story, too.

Sally Lyberger first came to Galilee in 1987

“I grew up in Arlington and Virginia Beach. When Dad retired from the Navy, we moved to Atlanta, which was a change. The Deep South in the 1960s is where I learned about racism first-hand. Though I rarely share that part of my faith story, it’s huge. I have spent much of my life looking for a faith that accepts everyone.”

“I was a little lost when we moved back and I went to middle school and Woodson High School in Fairfax. I was a loner who floated in and out of groups, but never clung to more than a couple of friends. I dated a boy when I was 16 who I ended up marrying. By the time I went to college in East Tennessee and then the University of Maryland, I was well on my way to being a hippy, marching in antiwar demonstrations and civil rights marches. The funny thing is I was smart enough to stay on the periphery and melt away into the crowd before things got rough. I believed we actually got rid of racism in the 60’s.”

“I taught my children to love everyone. When my mom asked me once why I was passionate about that, I reminded her of the lyrics of a hymn she had taught me: “Red and Yellow, Black and White, all are precious in His sight.”

The Galilee choir when it was led by Ron Dyer. Sally is partially hidden, seated next to Tim Lyberger in the second row

“I first came to Galilee in 1987 when Ron Dyer was choir director. He and I were active in the Blue Ridge Alliance of the Performing Arts, as my daughters performed in wonderful Broadway shows with local actors throughout school. Ron told me I would love his church, so I came to Galilee and did love it!”

“I needed the church, too. When my parents passed away and my two daughters went off to college, things got tough. My husband and I divorced. Galilee’s pastor Tim Gerde did my dad’s funeral and when I had my mom’s funeral at her church in Ashburn, Pastor Tim, the choir, and other friends from Galilee were there. I was overwhelmed. The choir is also where I met Tim Lyberger.”

“We were friends at first, with a strong bond through church, choir, and volunteering with youth. People at Galilee might have thought we were already married, because at potlucks when families sat together, neither of us had anyone else…so we sat together, too.”

Galilee photo directory, circa we won’t say

“At that time, Tim worked for Fairfax County Park Authority and I worked for the federal government. I remember there was a meeting on the future of youth ministry but I was in San Francisco traveling with my job, so I asked Tim to sign us up for something. When he called me that evening I asked, “What did you sign us up to do?” He said, “Sunday nights.” I said, “Doing what?” He said, “Leading!” Tim had never been in a youth group, but I had. Yet it was Tim who told me, “Don’t worry.” We led Galilee Youth for 9 years.”

“As the youth program transitioned to a more regular program, Pastor Wayne Snead told us if we wanted to lead youth, we would need to be married. So we got married at Galilee on July 26, 1997 and invited the entire church!”

Pastor Wayne Snead was no space cadet. He knew good youth leaders when he saw them

“We had a youth led service on Tuesday evenings, playing praise music with youth on guitars and all the youth participating in various ways. We went on great trips – to Sneedville in Tennessee, to the mountains for camping, and once to Pontiac, Michigan on a 12 hour bus ride to a National Youth Festival in the Silver Dome. During this period, Tim was inspired to go back to college and major in Youth Ministry at Regent University.”

“Of course, it wasn’t all happy all the time. We lost one of our youth, Eric VanNederynen, who was shot on a street corner in Countryside, walking to the shopping center. We held grief gatherings for most of the kids at Broad Run and Potomac Falls schools. It was such a sad time.”

“Tim had about finished his degree when he was offered a youth ministry job at Pender UMC in Fairfax. We prayed hard about that because we loved all of our youth at Galilee and didn’t want to leave them. But the new job would allow Tim to lead youth full time and he really wanted to follow where the Lord was leading. The scripture that he kept hearing in his head was, “Here I am, Lord. Send me.” So we joined Pender and right away became involved with a youth group of 30 or so members. It was a wonderful youth group that we led for twelve years.”

Tim and Sally at Pender UMC

“Tim passed away in 2017 after 8 1/2 years of fighting cancer. The Celebration of Life we held was a rocking praise service with wonderful youth and former youth speaking from the heart about what Tim’s leadership and mentoring meant to them. So many people said Tim always made them feel like they were the most important person in the world, and always taught them like Jesus. He worked until October 2017 and passed on November 2nd. Tim was a fighter. He said I should never tell anyone he lost the battle with cancer: he went to be with God and make a place for me.”

“After Tim passed, the youth group went through several leaders, including me and my daughter and some others. The church also went through several leaders and, to be honest, several fights. I began longing for a place to worship where people were not always fighting about what God wanted.”

“During Covid, I had fun worshipping with many churches online. I listened to Pastor Brian Ayers in North Carolina—Brian is a former Galilee Youth! I listened to Pastor Ruston Seamon in Philippi, West VA, (where we did many mission trips). And then, of course, Pastor Jason, Pastor Geitra, and Pastor Steve at Galilee. That worship felt special. I was being drawn back to Galilee, my home church.”

I was definitely nervous about returning, because I didn’t know if being here after all these years would feel the same. I waited until the church began meeting in person for the first time, and as soon as I walked in, people greeted me like it hadn’t been 15 years! I looked up and saw the beautiful stained glass cross under which Tim and I were married, and I knew I was back home.”