Meet Charter Member Sherri Fyffe

Sherri Fyffe is a person who listens for God’s voice—and then has the courage to follow it.

For more than 30 years, Sherri was a faithful member of Oak Creek United Church of Christ.
When Oak Creek entered a season of profound challenge, she stepped forward to serve as
Moderator at a time when leadership required both strength and deep trust in God. The church
was struggling financially under the weight of an aging building, and conversations about a
possible merger with Cross Creek UCC stirred strong emotions. Though both congregations
were Open and Affirming, the process of discernment was painful and costly. It was a season
marked by loss, uncertainty, and grief for many.

Amid that difficult time, Sherri felt pulled in different directions. Some urged the congregation to
sell the building and continue on its own. But Sherri sensed God calling the church toward
something new—something that required letting go to become something more. Trusting that
guidance, she helped lead Oak Creek through the merger that would become Harmony Creek
UCC, working alongside leaders from Cross Creek to sell the building and find a shared future.
Leaving Oak Creek was deeply personal for Sherri. That sanctuary had been holy ground in her
life, a place where she raised her children, worked side by side with her mother Frances in the
church kitchen, and sought solitude and prayer during moments when she needed spiritual
comfort and strength. Letting go of the beloved music ministry, the organ and piano, and the
space that had held so many sacred memories was not easy. Yet Sherri believed that faith
sometimes asks us to release what we love in order to follow where God is leading.

Sherri’s faith has always been shaped by diversity and grace. Raised among Presbyterian,
Baptist, and Lutheran traditions, she learned early to honor people without judgment and to treat
all with dignity and respect. That grounding was tested early in life when she lost her father in a
tragic accident at the age of four. Through hardship and loss, faith became not just something she
believed, but something she lived.

Though Sherri describes herself as conservative, her commitment to loving others draws her to
Harmony Creek. She acknowledges that progressive Christianity can sometimes feel
uncomfortable, yet it is the compassion, care, and genuine welcome of this community that keeps
her rooted here. She has embraced worship in the fellowship hall and finds deep meaning in the
sacred space created week after week.

Sherri believes deeply in congregational life and faithful leadership. She speaks with gratitude
for Pastor Michelle Wilkey, whose sermons she finds relevant, honest, and filled with grace. In
recent years, Sherri stepped away from active leadership to care for her husband, Doug, after a
devastating accident in 2020 left her as his full-time caregiver. Drawing on her background as a
rehabilitation nurse, she walked with him through a long and difficult recovery—an act of love
that reshaped their lives.

​

When Sherri looks at Harmony Creek, she sees hope. She sees a church that cares for its people,
reaches beyond itself, and continues to listen for God’s call. She believes in tending volunteers
with care, strengthening communication, building long-term sustainability, and nurturing
children and youth as the future of the church.

Sherri’s story is one of faithful listening, courageous letting go, and steady love. She
reminds us that hope is not passive, it is something we practice together.

“While optimism is the belief that the future will be better, hope is the belief that we have the
power to make it so.”