Co-pastors

Greg and Patti Simon

Greg and Patti Simon are the pastors of Valley Fellowship Church. They meet during their time at Oral Roberts University (ORU) in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and married in 1987. Joining the staff of VFC in 1988, they served as associate pastors, teachers, worship leaders, and children’s pastors before stepping into the role of senior pastors in 1993. Greg loves his beautiful wife Patti, and together they have two beautiful daughters. Rosalyn is a VFCA graduate and a current ORU education student. Kimberlyn is in high school at VFCA. Greg and Patti appreciate old movies on television and vacations to Orange Beach. They are passionate about what the Lord is doing at VFC but they also regularly speak, pray, and direct worship at gatherings across the area, in various states, and around the world.

Born in New Orleans as a son of Southern Baptist missionary parents, Greg traveled the world, living for years in Uganda, Kenya, and Taiwan. He graduated from a rural public high school in Gilbert, Louisiana, completed an ORU English Bible B.A. degree in 1988, and finished an ORU master’s degree in practical theology in 2003. When asked as a child where his home was, Greg answered, “On the road!” Since 1984, Greg has called Huntsville “home” but he and Patti regularly travel on short-term missions.

Patti grew up in Boise, Idaho, where her parents were faithful members of Central Assembly of God led by Pastor Roland Buck and later, Pastor Ted Buck. Patti still enjoys Idaho outdoor sports like snow-skiing, boating, snowmobiling, 4-wheeling, and riding motorcycles. As the VFC Missions Pastor, Patti prepares and enthusiastically participates in trips to the nations. As the VFCA Administrator, Patti contends for Christian education. Patti. One of her favorite verses is Matthew 19:6, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Patti earned an ORU B.A. in elementary education in 1986. She was honored as the “Most Outstanding Masters Candidate from the ORU School of Education” with her M.A. in school administration in 2006. She also teaches 11^th and 12^th Grade Bible, is a site chair for ICAA accreditation, and is currently the President of Huntsville Madison Private School Association. Patti has been awarded the Profession Women of Northern Alabama’s “Leader of Excellence in Religious Service” and the 2009 ORUEF/ICAA Administrator of the Year. 

As torchbearer for the Greater Huntsville Pastors Prayer Summit movement (prayersummit.org) and as an officer on the board of Mission Huntsville (missionhuntsville.org), Greg seeks spiritual awakening and Christian renewal in the Tennessee Valley area. He speaks into ministry directed toward the Spanish world as Chairman of the Board of Vino Nuevo Ministry (vnministry.org). He is a member of the Greater Huntsville Interdenominational Ministers Fellowship (ghimf.org) and a member of the ORU Ministers Network (oru.edu). Greg is also a long-time New Orleans Saints football fan (neworleanssaints.com) and he reveled in their January 2010 Super Bowl victory. “Who dat say dey gonna beat dem Saints?”

Carol Simon serves as co-pastor at Valley Fellowship Church. She is a graduate of Clarke Memorial College and Blue Mountain College with work on her MRE at New Orleans Baptist Seminary. She married Jerry Simon in 1965, and they served in pastorates in the southeastern United States before becoming missionaries in Uganda, East Africa and Taiwan. They came to Valley in 1984. Carol founded VFCA and continued a daily radio ministry for over 12 years. She has been in full-time ministry for over 46 years. At Jerry's death in 1993, she became co-pastor with her son, Greg and his wife, Patti.

Carol has three children: Pastor Greg Simon, Dr. Barry Simon, and Kim Henderson. She has seven grandchildren. Family is very important to her and gives praise to God that all her children serve Jesus.

Carol continues to do mission work in various countries. God has given her the opportunity to travel in more than 30 countries. Africa remains significant in her spiritual experiences, since she received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit in Uganda in 1971. She was hungry for God; and supernaturally, God visited her and her life was greatly changed. Dreams, visions, and encounters with God have impacted her tremendously, while prayer and intercession take priority in her life.

Proverbs 3:5-6 are verses that have fed, healed, and guided Carol. At the time of Jerry's death and the months to follow, Carol meditated over and over these verses. "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding; in all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths."