Staff

Since 1990, David have been blessed to serve in ministry in a variety of Covenant churches, churches both large and small, from brand new churches to congregations with over a century of history.

With a background in teaching, music, and drama, it has always been his passion to communicate the unchanging good news of Jesus in fresh and creative ways that bridge all of our cultural, social, and generational diversity. He is excited to walk with this congregation during this season of their ministry because there is a renewed hunger and enthusiasm to reach out to a changing and hurting community with the transforming love of Jesus.

Merrie is an ordained pastor in the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC) and has served in 3 churches. She loves to talk with people about their relationships with God and what He is doing in their lives, His church, and the world. She is married to Ron, and has 4 children, 4 grandchildren (and one on the way!), and two cats. Her hobbies are gardening, family history research, music, reading theology, and watercolor painting.

Merrie received a MCS in Applied Theology (adult spiritual formation focus) from Regent College (Vancouver BC) and a DMin in Leadership and Spiritual Formation (congregational discernment and decision making focus) from George Fox Evangelical Seminary (Portland, OR). She also received a Certificate in Spiritual Direction from the Seattle School of Theology and Psychology. She is a member of the ECC’s network of spiritual directors, and is associated with the Selah Center (Woodway, WA).

Royale has worked in education for over 20 years, during that time she has served in a variety of child care and elementary school settings. She has worked as an infant and toddler caregiver, preschool teacher, kindergarten teacher, elementary school art camp coordinator, preschool play and learn facilitator, and child care center director.

Royale's beliefs and goals for Children’s Ministry:
Belief: Parents are our children’s first teachers. (Ephesians 6:4)
Goals: To build a strong partnership between parents and the children’s ministry team.
To provide resources and support to come along side families in the challenging roll of raising children
Belief: Each child is different with unique gifts and challenges. (Genesis 1:27)
Goal: To create a developmentally appropriate learning environment and program that will encourage a love of learning about all that God has created.
Belief: We need to provide children with the tools they will need to be successful in life. (Proverbs 22:6)
Goal: To provide learning opportunities that help children develop critical thinking and problem solving with a biblical foundation.

Drawing on a wealth of experience in every style of worship, from high church to building worship bands for cutting-edge and/or multi-cultural church planting, Cherlyn is able to build bridges between people and styles of worship. Emphasizing worship from the heart, she interweaves scripture and stories with fresh arrangements of hymns for today and the best of today’s worship music, bringing a congregation or group together to the heart of God. She has been asked to to lead worship for international events and more, as well as teach on worship for churches, and provide coaching for worship bands.

Cherlyn received her Master of Music from the Saint Louis Conservatory of Music, and her Bachelor of Music from North Park University in Chicago. Since then, she has taught at some of the largest community music schools in the country, founded and taught Chamber Music programs and orchestras in the midwest and the Pacific Northwest, and has served as the Strings Clinician for the Christian Musician Summit. Her students have gone on to be performers, teachers, recording engineers, worship leaders, and above all, people who enjoy making music!