ASUMC Leadership

Our church leaders and team members deeply care about our congregation and surrounding community. Learn more about each ASUMC team member and find their contact info below.

Pastor & Deaconess

Meet our Arch Street United Methodist Church leaders.

ASUMC Pastor

Robin  Hynicka

Robin is appointed as the  lead pastor of the Arch Street United Methodist (ASUMC). For 17 years, Robin has served the congregation and has engaged the community at large in justice-seeking action. Prior to coming to ASUMC, Robin served as the executive director of the Frankford Group Ministry, a cooperative ministry in the Frankford neighborhood. His very first appointment was to the United Methodist Mid Town Parish in North Philadelphia as a Global Mission Fellow – US2 which became a fulltime appointment.

In service to the community at large, he is on the Board of Trustees at Albright College, on the board of Center City Organized for Responsible Development and a founding member of POWER, an interfaith network of communities of faith and conscience. Robin is a graduate of Albright College and Duke Divinity School. 

Contact Robin robin@archstreetumc.org

ASUMC Deaconess

Darlene DiDomineck

Darlene serves as the executive director of the Center-Philadelphia. Darlene began her service with Arch Street United Methodist Church in 2014 as the director of the Grace Cafe Sunday evening meal serve and helped to develop the nonprofit organization now known as the Center- Philadelphia before becoming its first executive director.

Darlene is a Deaconess and earned a Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York, a Bachelor of Arts in Women’s Studies from The University of South Florida. She previously served as the executive director of the Methodist Federation for Social Action, the Eastern Pennsylvania Annual Conference, Memorial United Methodist Church in White Plains, NY, the General Board of Global Ministries of The United Methodist Church as a missionary and Frankford Group Ministry as its director of Emergency Assistance.

Contact Darlene
Darlene@archstreetumc.org

The ASUMC Ministry Team

Meet our Arch Street United Methodist Church team members.
Building Manager

Frank Jones

I enjoy being part of a team that cares for people like Arch Street and when I am not in the building making sure everything is in order I might be on a basketball court someplace around town.
Cathy-Simpson
ASUMC Team Member

Cathy Simpson

Director of Operations

Erica Lipton

After completing my field education in the spring of 2021, I am excited to continue my service at Arch Street UMC and the Center in a new capacity. I especially enjoy engaging members of the congregation in reflecting matters of faith in pursuit of a more just world.
 
Sexton

Leon Harden

Sexton

John Buzby

It brings me great joy in greeting our guests as they arrive and an even greater kick when they leave with a smile under their masks. When I’m not on duty, I enjoy reading and sharing the joy of reading with others.

Lead Sexton

Greg Cumberbatch

 

Accompanist 

James Dell’Orefice

Intern

Justin Seward

Justin is a junior at the University of Pennsylvania majoring in Sociology and Religious Studies. At 20 years old, Justin is a lifelong Methodist who grew up on a small farm in rural, mountainous Pennsylvania. Justin has been examining different theological traditions, and the Methodist tradition in particular, in his studies. He is very interested in public theology at the intersection of faith, politics, and society, and intends to pursue theology in grad school. His interests focus on social structures, analyzing how they affect individuals’ theologies and how theologies affect greater society. He has volunteered with The Center – Philadelphia for over a year in the Grace Café cooking on Sundays. In the summer of 2023, he ran the People’s Garden in North Philly and helped with Serenity House and daytime services at the Grace Café.
 
Music Director

Samantha DiPompeo

Samantha graduated from Temple University with her B.A. in music education in 2015. After teaching music in Philadelphia charter schools for 4 years, she switched careers and now works for Penn Medicine as a Change Management Consultant. She recently earned her masters from St. Joe’s in Org Development and Leadership. Despite her career change, she keeps her love of music alive by teaching in-home music lessons to beginner piano students, and of course, her work as Music Director for ASUMC. 
 
Samantha’s love of music is life long, and she had been singing in her home church, a United Methodist congregation in Media, PA, since she was a little girl.  Samantha started her career with ASUMC as an Alto Section Leader in 2013 and has grown into her new position as Music Director over the last 10 years. While planning all music for services and leading the choir is now a part of her job, her favorite thing to do is still sing during services to help people worship through music. A good gospel song is her favorite way to move the congregation. 
Sexton

Simon Griffin

Sexton

Devon Goodwin

Reception & Hospitality Coordinator

Savina Echeverria

I am excited to be part of the Arch Street UMC and The Center-Philadelphia community! After graduating from Temple University, I found a love for servicing and being hospitable towards communities. Outside of Arch Street UMC you can catch me tending to my plants or painting.

Join Our Next Event

Join the next ASUMC worship or volunteer by checking out our events page!

Worship and Fellowship

Join us for worship, bible study and small groups. All are welcome.

Organizational

Schedule of the administrative and organizational meetings at ASUMC.

The Center

Volunteer with our partner organization, The Center Philadelphia, and support our local community.

Discover ASUMC Events