Staff
Rodney Barton
Pastor
Rodney Barton went to Jacksonville State University in Alabama and received his MDiv at Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, Florida. He served on staff with Campus Outreach college ministry for 9 years, first in New Zealand and then in Florida. He pastored a church in East Tennessee and was Assistant Pastor in Winter Haven, FL.
Rodney and his wife, Jennifer have been married for 21 years. They have 5 children: Abbie, Caleb, Joshua, Ansleigh, and Audrey.
“Come as you are. We are not perfect people, but we are a community seeking to be faithful, and to know and walk with God.”
-Pastor Rodney
Christy Fung
Interim Worship Leader
Christy grew up in the Winter Haven area and has been playing piano in churches since a young age. She received a Bachelor’s of Music in Piano Performance from UCF and then did graduate studies in piano pedagogy at Texas Christian University while teaching in the TCU Preparatory Institute.
After moving back to Florida and teaching in the Rollins College Community School of Music, Christy began teaching piano at Lakeland Christian School (LCS) in 2009. She is currently the head of the piano department at Lakeland Christian School, which has about 200 piano students (kindergarten through 12th grade).
She treasures the special relationships she develops teaching students as they grow year to year. Christy also accompanies for the LCS band and choral programs and serves in the local Ridge Music Teachers Association as treasurer and Student Day chairman.
She and her husband Brandon were married in 2005 and have 2 teenage girls and 1 adorable dog who is the baby of the family.
“I have a heart for worship because it touches my soul. Sacred music is like praying with song.”
-Christy
Bob Wood
Director of Discipleship & Visitation
Bob was born in Lima, Ohio, the second son in a family with five children. The family was void of any understanding of the Gospel until they began to attend church services so Mr. Wood could play on the church's softball team. At the age of 12, Bob attended the boys Sunday School class where his teacher led him to faith in Christ as his personal Savior.
After high school graduation, Bob attended Bluffton College in Bluffton, Ohio and then the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. Since Moody, Bob has served as the pastor of several rural Ohio churches, served as the Director of Youth for Christ in Lima, Ohio, and was ultimately led to plant a new church and serve as its Senior Pastor for over 40 years, retiring in 2016 and moving to Winter Haven, Florida. Among the thrills of his life was to see his parents and other members of his family also come to Christ for salvation.
Bob serves at Cypress Ridge Presbyterian Church as a Ruling Elder and is currently on staff as the Director of Discipleship and Visitation.
Bob has been married to his wife, Gloria, for over 55 years and has three adult sons and five grandchildren. He loves to share the Gospel with people who have a desire to know Christ, and help people who already know Christ to have Biblical assurance of their salvation.
“Our aim is to make a permanent difference in the lives of people God brings across our path. Our purpose is not only to reach people for Christ but to equip them so they, in turn, can help fulfill Christ’s commission to ‘go and make disciples of all nations’.”
-Bob
Anna Smith
Office Administrator & Children's Ministry Director
Anna was born in Detroit, Michigan and raised in Winter Haven, Florida. She is blessed to have grown up in the church and always knew about Jesus Christ, but didn't come to fully know and trust Him as her Savior until she was a teenager.
Anna attended Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, GA majoring in Community Development and serving as an RUF student leader. After her graduation, she returned home and worked in various capacities such as a librarian assistant, dance teacher, and secretary at the local pregnancy center.
Anna loves working with children and teenagers and was called to serve as the Children's Ministry Director at Cypress Ridge after she graduated college. She volunteered in this role until late 2016 when she was hired as full time staff maintaining her role in children and youth ministry and adding on her role as Office Administrator.
Anna and her husband, Matt, were happily married in February 2023 and are delighted to be raising a beautiful baby girl.
“I love seeing and hearing how God is working through each person in our congregation. I am especially encouraged when I see people worship on Sundays despite the hardships they are going through.”
-Anna
Sunday Service
Join us on Sundays at 10:30 AM