Thrasher names Pedigo as new Director of Music Ministry

Doug Pedigo has been named as the new Director of Music Ministry at Thrasher Memorial UMC
in Vinton. He has over 30 years of experience serving churches in Virginia, Tennessee, and
North Carolina.

Pedigo is a native of Vinton and Roanoke. He has relocated back to the Vinton area to be closer
to his family. His parents are Bob and Loretta Pedigo of Vinton.

He earned his Bachelor of Music degree from Carson-Newman University in Tennessee in May
1981 and his Master of Church Music degree from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in
Louisville, Kentucky, in 1990. He was ordinated at Vinton Baptist in June 1990.

He served as Associate Pastor/Music and Senior Adults for Cumberland Baptist in Knoxville
from 1998-2008; as Minister of Music and Spiritual Formation at Aversboro Baptist in Garner,
North Carolina from 2008-2019; and as Contemporary Worship Pastor/Tech Manager,
Pianist/Organist at Holland’s Methodist Church in Raleigh.

Prior to 1998 he served churches full-time in Virginia and North Carolina. During seminary and
prior to his calling into full-time vocational ministry, Pedigo served churches bi-vocationally for
13 years as organist, handbell director, and associate minister of music. He has also served as an
interim pastor.

“My goal is to fulfill God’s calling on my life by serving as worship pastor in a growing church
that is progressive and creative in its approach to worship and ministry,” Pedigo says. “My
ministry objectives include, among other things, a strong calling to assist lay people in achieving
growth in their own personal call to ministry. I believe Ephesians 4 calls me to use my spiritual
gifts to ‘prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.’ It
is my obligation, therefore, to illuminate, motivate, facilitate, and activate God’s people to fulfill
their calling with music as the vehicle.”

~Vinton Messenger staff report