The Basics:

I grew up in Des Moines, Iowa and spent my entire life (until 4 years ago) in the Midwest. I received my undergraduate degree in Bible and Pastoral Ministry from Central Bible College in Springfield, Missouri. My career path detoured into healthcare, where I’ve managed billing departments and clinics, consulted, and taught in a variety of settings. Along the way, I earned a master’s degree in Health Care Administration from Des Moines University and an MBA from the University of Iowa. I just finished a textbook entitled, “Ethics in Medical Coding: Theory and Practice,” and hope to promote that across the country.
I am blessed with my wife Mary Lou (with whom I work) and my daughters Katelyn and Emily. Our family is completed by our two dachshunds, Cookie and Sommer (or as I call them affectionately, “Whiny” and “Stupid.”)

Interesting facts and favorites:

Favorite Music: I have eclectic preferences in music, but my favorite categories are Contemporary Christian and Worship and Classical. My tastes range from Casting Crowns and Mercy Me to Vivaldi to Taylor Swift and Adele. For TV, don’t call me when The Amazing Race or Person of Interest is on.

Hobbies: I love to read and teach and watch sports. I play enough golf to be dangerous to those around me.

Favorite Quote: “’Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.” – Mr. Beaver, responding to Lucy’s question about the safety of Aslan (Jesus) in C.S. Lewis’ The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.

The Basics:

I was born in New York City, but grew up in South Orange, NJ. My previous professional experiences include work in publishing and crisis intervention. I became a member of TLCC in the spring of 2010 and joined the Staff Team in 2011. I am currently working towards a bachelors degree in Public Service at Rutgers University – Newark.

Interesting facts and favorites:

Favorite Music: I enjoy almost any kind of music! A few of my favorites include The Rolling Stones, Gypsy Kings, U2, REM and The Roots.

Hobbies: I really like to travel! I also like spending time with family and close friends.

Favorite Quote: “Cautious, careful people, always casting about to preserve their reputations… can never effect a reform.” – Susan B. Anthony

The Basics:

I am married to my beautiful wife Beatrice. We have three children – Carina who is 21, Amber who is 14 and Richard who is 12 as well as our dog Bishop. I have a BA from Rutgers and joined the TLCC Staff Team in 2011.

Interesting facts and favorites:

Favorite Music:I listen to Christian hip hop, folksy blues, classical and country.

Hobbies: I love hiking, playing basketball and board games with my family.

Favorite Scripture Verse: “What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ. . .” – Phil 3:8-9

The Basics:

(Bart) – I grew up in the central Ohio and ended up here in NJ after travelling all over the states and parts of Europe, singing and leading worship in various churches and other venues. I have a Bachelor of Theology degree from Kent Christian College, where I was also very active in the music program. I’ve been married to my beautiful and talented wife, Tricia for almost 20 years (!) – who helps me lead worship every weekend – and we have two awesome sons –Seth and Hayden.

(Tricia) – I was born in Atlantic City and raised in Dover, DE with 4 older sisters and one younger brother.  This is also where I attended Kent Christian College, graduated with a Bachelor of Music Studies degree and met, fell in love and married my college sweetheart, Bart.  We moved straight to Houston and led a youth group there for almost four years before moving to and settling in Columbus, OH where we lived for nearly 13 years.  In Columbus we expanded our family by two with birth of our two wonderfully talented boys, Seth and Hayden.  I am blessed and honored to be able to sing, serve and lead every weekend along-side my family (Seth plays the guitar in many of the weekend celebrations each week) and a fantastic group of volunteer singers and musicians.

Interesting facts and favorites:

Favorite Music: Our musical tastes are so eclectic! We love country, rock, Christian, indy, classical, jazz, r&b – even a little dub step here and there, thanks to our two teenage boys. Anything beautiful, inspiring, uplifting and positive – turn it up!

Hobbies: We love spending time together as a family, hanging out in Times Square or hiking the Appalachian Trail about 20 minutes north of our home in Sparta. We also love living close to NYC because we have more of our friends and family come visit us then ever before!

Favorite Quote: “Good habits formed at youth make all the difference.” - Aristotle

The Basics:

I was born in upstate New York but spent my early childhood in Brazil, where my family is from.  I returned to the United States at the age of 7 and grew up in the Ironbound section of Newark.  I have a BS in Public Health from Rutgers University-New Brunswick. Before working at TLCC, I served children and families through a non-profit organization as a prevention educator and later as director of programs at a Family Success Center.

Interesting facts and favorites:

Favorite Music: I listen to a little of everything but I tend to gravitate towards Latin Jazz, Bossa Nova, Contemporary Christian Music and Spanish praise & worship…I LOVE Marcos Witt!

Hobbies: I love to read and usually find myself reading at least 3 books at once. I enjoy being outdoors, reading, walking or bike riding. I have a passion for the Romance Languages; I am fluent in Spanish, Portuguese and I am currently learning French. I also love people and enjoy the company family & friends.

Favorite Quote: “God, grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, and Wisdom to know the difference.”  - Reinhold Niebuhr

The Basics:

I am married to Lisa Joy and have three beautiful grandchildren – Adianna, Sofia, and Autum Rose.

Interesting facts and favorites:

Favorite Music: Blues

Hobbies: I enjoy playing the guitar and travelling.

Favorite Scripture Verse: Mark 5:1-20

The Basics:

As an army brat, I lived in six different states before the age of six and have lived in a variety of states since then. I have lived in New Jersey with my wife Lori and son Michael since 2002. I have a BA in Sociology from Harvard University and an MBA from New York University.

Interesting facts and favorites:

Favorite Music: I grew loving Motown. These days my tastes have expanded to include jazz, hip hop, classic rock, and classical music.

Hobbies: Whatever my son and wife are doing. I also enjoy camping with my son’s cub scout pack.

Favorite Quote: “If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.” – Henry David Thoreau

The Basics:

I grew up in the central Ohio and ended up here in NJ after travelling all over the states and parts of Europe, singing and leading worship in various churches and other venues. I have a Bachelor of Theology degree from Kent Christian College, where I was also very active in the music program. I’ve been married to my beautiful and talented wife, Tricia for almost 20 years (!) – who helps me lead worship every weekend – and we have two awesome sons –Seth and Hayden.

Interesting facts and favorites:

Favorite Music: Here’s a quick sample of what’s on my iPod…Adele, Andae Crouch, The Avett Brothers, Building 429, Cartel, Chris Tomlin, Christy Nockels, Coldplay, Deluge, Fee, Five For Fighting, Freddy Rodriguez, Gateway, Gungor, Hillsong United, Israel Houghton, Jesus Culture, Jon Mayer, Jon McLaughlin, Jonny Lang, Keith Urban, Kings of Leon, Lady Antebellum, Maroon 5, Michael Buble, Miranda Lambert, Needtobreathe, Pocket Full of Rocks, Rob Thomas, Royal Taylor, Russ Taff, Sons of Sylvia, Sugarland, Switchfoot, Trent Cory, Zac Brown Band

Hobbies: I’m a pretty serious family-man, so in my down time I enjoy doing anything with my family!

Favorite Quote: “May you truly LIVE all the days of your life” – Jonathan Swift

The Basics:

I was born and raised in Oregon and after graduating from Oregon State University (go Beavs!) I moved to New Jersey to work as a nanny and pursued a master’s degree in Organizational Management. Shortly after moving here I volunteered as an EMT for a local rescue squad and met my husband. I joined the TLCC Staff Team in 2010 and I love the fact that no two days are ever the same!

Interesting facts and favorites:

Favorite Music: I like almost anything! Guster, Paul Simon, Harry Connick Jr., FM Static, Dashboard Confessional, Jack Johnson, Allison Kraus, Five Iron Frenzy, and The Refreshments are just a few of my favorites.

Hobbies: I enjoy camping and hiking with friends and family when I get the chance.

Favorite Quote: “We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams.” – Arthur O’Shaughnessy/Willie Wonka

The Basics:

I was born in Brazil in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul. I moved to Flushing Queens at the age of 6, where I was first introduced to Christ and made the decision at the age of 7 to become a believer. I am married to my beautiful wife Leyka and we have a talented and beautiful 4-year-old daughter, Isabella. My experience with Facilities Management has been with the city of New York, where I worked for 12 years before joining the TLCC staff. I assisted in the day-to-day operations of an 800,000 square-foot city hospital. My professional background is in administrative support and engineering operations. By God’s grace, through hard work and perseverance, I climbed up the corporate ladder without any formal education. The desire to live a better life (John 10:10) came four years ago where I decided to take up night classes to further my education. I am currently one class away from obtaining a Liberal Arts Degree. I have also completed a course in Urban Youth Leadership (ACTS) through the American Bible Society.

Interesting facts and favorites:

Favorite Music: Casting Crowns, MercyMe, Tenth Avenue North, Building 429, Third Day, Phillips Craig and Dean, Big Daddy Weave, Group 1 Crew,  Chris Tomlin, Hillsong United, Jesus Culture, Royal Taylor, Tobymac, Corey Red and Precise, Da’ T.R.U.T.H., Flame, and Lecrae. These are just a few of my favorite artists.

Hobbies: I enjoy going on road trips with the family. I love to drive down the highway and just see new places. I also love books on apologetics.  My favorite author is Norman Geisler. I am also a big movie person, I love a good movie.

Favorite Quote: “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”  C. S. Lewis

The Basics:

I have been married to my husband Brad, who I met at Central Bible College, for 24 years. We have two daughters – Katelyn who is 17 and Emily who is almost 15. We moved to New Jersey in 2007 after living in Iowa for over 20 years! We have really come to love living in this interesting and exciting area of the country!

Interesting facts and favorites:

Favorite Music:: I pretty much listen to whatever we are learning to sing on the Worship Team! Some of my favorites are Hillsong, Casting Crowns, Chris Tomlin and Jesus Culture. I also like to listen to pop music that my girls may have on in the car, such as Taylor Swift and Owl City.

Hobbies: I love singing and reading. I really enjoy shopping with my girls or doing anything with my family.

Favorite Quote: “Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.” – C. S. Lewis

The Basics:

I am Sharon Chilaka, 24, and fabulous! I was born in India and moved to the U.S at the age of seven with my parents, an older sister and a younger sister. I graduated with honors from Seton Hall University with a B.A in Social and Behavioral Sciences and I am currently working on my master’s degree in Psychological Studies.  I happen to love working at a desk and I love, and I mean LOVE office supplies. Nobody can ever have enough post-its, markers, or staplers!

Interesting facts and favorites:

Places: The most magical place I’ve ever been to is Ireland. Between the castles, rolling green hills, and lack of pollution, it was quite a memorable place.

Favorite Music: I am a music enthusiast – some artists/genre’s I enjoy are: John Mayer/ John Mayer Trio (pop/blues), Arctic Monkies, The Temper Trap, Kings of Leon (indie rock), A Tribe Called Quest, Lupe Fiasco,  (90′s/ hip hop), Bonobo, RJD2 (Downtemp/trip hop), Ella Fitzgerald, Sara Vaughn (jazz), Bobby Darin, Michael Buble, Dave Brubeck Quartet (jazz/swing), Tiesto (electronic/dance music), DC talk, Pax 217, Earthsuit,  Newsboys, Grits, Skillet (Christian rock/hip hop), Mutemath, Incubus (alternative rock), Johanne Brahms, George Gershwin (classical), Punjabi MC (Indian)….the list could go on forever.

Books:The Inheritence Cycle, Jane Austen novels, The Bronte sister’s novels, Greek plays.

Hobbies:I love to throw dinner parties for my close family and friends.

Favorite Quote: ”The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” (James 5:16 b, NIV)