Meet the EP Ministry Staff

Rev. James L. Harvey III

Senior Pastor

Pastor HarveyIn May of 2005 EPC called Pastor Harvey to serve as Senior Pastor of EPC Newark. As the Senior Pastor at EPC Pastor Harvey is the primary teaching pastor, the head of staff and the moderator of the Session (governing board of elders). Prior to serving at EPC, he was a campus minister at his alma mater, Princeton University (B.A. 1995, History and Russian Studies). Pastor Harvey completed his seminary education at Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, MS (M.Div. 2002). He has done additional graduate coursework at Princeton Theological Seminary in Early Church History and New Testament Studies (2002-2004).

Pastor Harvey came to faith in Christ as a teenager in Columbia, SC. He married Melody Johnson—the second most significant event in his life!—on December 20, 1996. In 1998 after spending four years in the marketplace, Jay was called to vocational ministry. The burden to spend more time in ministry and the encouragement of their local church led the family to leave an otherwise fruitful and enjoyable life in Charlotte, NC. Following his seminary work, the Harveys went to Princeton, NJ with a view toward ministering to the University, first with Princeton Presbyterian Church and later with the Christian Union.

Jay and Melody have four children and live in Newark.

Rev. Joshua M. Knott

Assistant Pastor

Pastor KnottIn Feb of 2006, the session of EPC called Pastor Knott to serve as Assistant Pastor. He presently has oversight of Jr. & Sr. High Youth Groups, in addition to providing overight & guidance in Outreach, Missions and participating in regular teaching & preaching. Other current joys & responsibilities include EP webmaster, and practicing guitar with EP's contemporary Evening Worship Team.

Prior to serving at EPC, Joshua developed and co-taught a course called "Internet Evangelism" at Belhaven College with Dr. Paul Long Jr., wrestling with the application of apologetics & kingdom witness to (and through) the means of electronic media. During his time at Reformed Theological Seminary (M. Div., 2005) he served as Christian Education Intern Director at Providence Presbyterian Church in Clinton, MS., as well as a Zondervan contributing author (Mounce's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words), research assistant to Dr. Allen Curry, and freelance computer technician.

Joshua & his wife Erin both came to know the Lord at an early age, and praise God for their Christian families. Joshua felt the call to gospel ministry in junior high school, and was blessed to be mentored and discipled by godly men throughout Jr. & Sr. High. The path to gospel ministry took him to Grove City College, PA (B.A. Christian Thought & Ministries Auxilliary, 2002). Prior to his Senior year, he married his high school sweetheart, Erin (B.A. Linguistics, William & Mary, 2001).

Mr. Tom Lewis

Coordinator of Congregational Care and Interim Director of Children's Ministries

Tom LewisTom Lewis graduated from Shelton College with a degree in History/Political Science. During the summer prior to his junior year Tom was called to faith. The Lord has continued to amaze him, with his love, kindness, and grace through the most difficult and bountiful times. He has had the priveledge to work as a teacher and principal in several christian schools. He worked in industry for a number of years before God called him back into full time Christian Ministry.

He has enjoyed working and mentoring the youth and watching them grow in Christ. Tom met his wife, Mary Beth at E.P. at a missions conference. Mary Beth works full time as a pediatric nurse in a school for chronically ill children. They are blessed with 5 grown children. Their last to leave the nest is Katie who is attending Lancaster Bible College. They have six beautiful grandchildren. They look forward to serving the Lord each day sharing the gospel,mentoring and praying for their neighbors,friends and aquaintences.

Ms. Dot Griffin

Church Secretary

Dot Griffin

Dot

Mr. Jim Thomas

Graduate Student & International Fellowship

Jim ThomasJim & his wife Ande met in Denver, Colorado, on a blind date, Nov, 1963 while we were attending school at the US Air Force Academy and the University of Colorado. They were married at Ande’s hometown of Springfield, Illinois, on January 29, 1966, while Jim was attending graduate school at Purdue University. They then moved to Laredo, Texas where Jim received his flight training and then served as a Flight Instructor in T-38s. Their two children, Kirsti and William, were born in Laredo in 1968 and 1969, while Jim & Ande were informally adopted by the pastor’s family at First Presbyterian Church.

Soon after, Ande went to stay with her Mom in Springfield while Jim served in Vietnam as a Forward Air Controller in OV-10s and on staff with Headquarters 7th Air Force in Saigon. Upon returning to the US, they were stationed at Arnold Air Station, Tennessee, then the Air Force Academy, Colorado, and finally Dover AFB, Delaware, where Jim flew C-5s and they helped with the establishment of Grace PCA. Their children graduated from the University of Delaware while Jim attended Westminster Theological Seminary after retiring from the Air Force in 1985.

They now have a granddaughter Eleanor who lives with her mom & dad in Tacoma, WA, while their son Will lives with his wife in Nashville, TN.

Jim is still a student, taking a master’s degree in Teaching English as a Second Language at UD. Ande oversees our house and all the students who stay or have stayed with us (over 60 by now) as well as her Mom, Grandma Bee, now nearing 100.

In 1990, Jim and Ande were invited by Will Metzger to join InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at UD in ministry to International Students. Grace PCA in Dover sent us as missionaries to UD for this purpose. We transferred our membership to Newark EPC in 1990 and Jim has served on Session as a Ruling Elder and with Heritage Presbytery as Moderator, while Ande has helped establish Community Bible Study in the area and has remained as an Area Director. Jim also serves as Chairman of the EPC Outreach Committee and has oversight of the EPC International Ministry. In 2006, Jim left InterVarsity Christian Fellowship to establish the Graduate & International Student Fellowship, a recognized graduate student organization of UD and a ministry of EPC.

Mr. Rob Ellis

Interim Director of Music & Composer in Residence

Rob Ellis Rob has had a passion for choral and piano music since childhood. For over 36 years he has been active in vocal ensembles ranging in size from 4 to 120 singers. At 13, Rob’s first musical contribution to a worship service was playing a 4-hand piano duet with his Dad during a Christmastime evening service. Later he became the primary accompanist and arranger for his Dad’s tenor solos, and has been an active participant, accompanist, and conductor in vocal ensembles, college choirs, and church choirs ever since. Though formally trained in engineering, Rob has studied composition and conducting at Eastern College and the University of Delaware.

His love for creating and experimenting has resulted in publication of numerous original compositions, including works for chorus, vocal solo, instrumental solo, and piano. His commissioned anthem “Freedom Is Not Free?#65533; has been performed by professional groups (like the Air Force Singing Sergeants & Concert Band at the dedication services for the Korean War Memorial in Washington, D.C.), as well as volunteer choirs (at Martin Luther King Celebrations on the Waterfront in Wilmington, DE.)

More recently Rob has composed several scripture-based, congregational songs for EPC Missions Conferences. He enjoys conducting as well as composing and arranging for Messenger and Chancel Choir. Rob has served as conductor of Messenger since 2003, as Assistant EPC Chancel Choir Director since 1995, and as Ruling Elder since 2002. Rob loves worship, and he loves using worship music as a vehicle to bring our most excellent praise to the Great Triune God, who alone is worthy of our devotion and adoration. If you desire to serve the Lord through music, talk with Rob about how your gifts might be employed here at EPC.

Mrs. Cynthia Sawaya

Interim Director of Chancel Choir and Bells

Cynthia has a music degree from the Crane School of Music, State University of New York, Potsdam. She has performed in the Crane Chorus under the direction of Brock McElheran and special guest conductor Aaron Copeland. As newlyweds she and husband John moved to New Jersey where she auditioned and was accepted into Music Inc. under the direction of Garyth Nair conductor of the NJ Chamber Symphony. When John was relocated to Philadelphia she auditioned and was accepted into the Philadelphia Festival Chorus. A highlight of this experience was singing at the Academy of Music with the Philly Pops under the direction of Peter Nero. She also performed extensively around the city of Philadelphia in a Cole Porter Jazz Choir under the direction of Mary Woodmansee Green.

Some of the concert venues included Cabrini College, Boat House Row, a Phillies Baseball game, and a concert at Penn’s Landing where Cynthia played clarinet in a small pit orchestra including the four trombonists of the Philadelphia Orchestra. She also sang in the chancel choir and a women’s quartet at the Great Valley Presbyterian Church in Valley Forge.

After her 2 girls were born Cynthia taught music at Bethany Christian School, and Avon Grove, Oxford, Solanco, and Octorara School Districts. She taught both choral and instrumental music. Cynthia also became Assistant Music director at the Oxford Presbyterian Church where she sang in the chancel choir, played in the adult bell choir, conducted 2 youth choirs and 2 bell choirs, and conducted in the absence of the director. She took summer classes and attended work-shops in hand bell ringing at West Chester University.

In 1998 she and John started attending EP where Cynthia has conducted the Junior Choir and handbell choirs, has sung in Messenger and with Chancel Choir for special programs, has rung handbells, and has played clarinet in EP Winds and special programs.

Mrs. Debbie Freer

Interim Director of EP Winds

Debbie grew up here at EP and attended Wilmington Christian School from K-12. She served as high school band director and accompanist for choirs and ensembles while at WCS. Debbie graduated from Gordon College in 1994, as an AJ Scholar, with a B.S. in Music Education. She received double certification in both elementary and secondary education with an emphasis in piano and voice. While in college, Debbie was the music department’s librarian, student conductor of the college choir, student accompanist, member of the college choir and madrigal group and taught piano lessons in a community program. She was a guest soloist at Park Street Church in Boston, and helped run “Super Music Saturday?#65533; which was a Saturday morning music camp for the community children. In her sophomore year Debbie started teaching at a church music school in Candia, NH. After college Debbie moved to NH.

She continued working in Candia while taking on the larger role as administrator for the music school. Later, she had the privilege of teaching high school music appreciation and history, high school choir, flute choir, a flute/string ensemble(where she met Kevin), an elementary home school music class, and even a fife march for the high school camp, and chimes for children as young as 3! Debbie also had a studio of over 45 students taking piano, flute, and voice lessons both at this school and another Christian school in Bedford, NH.

After moving to Delaware, Deb began subbing as a music teacher at area schools. She has been involved with EP’s girl’s ensemble, seasonal events with solos and choir, was the evening service pianist for 6 years, accompanying special music, directing the wind ensemble, and now sings in Messenger. She is now in her 16th year of teaching private piano and flute lessons.

Mrs. Virginia Vaalburg

Organist in Residence

Virginia Vaalburg began piano at the age of 6 and classical organ at 12. She began playing for her church at 14 and became the organist of Fuller Avenue Christian Reformed Church, (1200 members) at 17, advancing to the position of assistant director of the Chancel Choir at age 20. Virginia graduated from Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI in 1965 with two music majors, one in history, theory, and organ, and a second major in music education.

She has graduate credits in choral conducting from Rowan University and Westminster Choir College. While at Calvin College, she was the organist for four years for the Back to God Hour, an international religious broadcast of the Christian Reformed Church. She also was the organist for the Calvin College Oratorio Society, a choir of 300 members which performed two major concerts a year featuring Handel’s “Messiah?#65533;, Haydn’s “Creation?#65533;, Mendelssohn’s “Elijah?#65533; and similar major works.

Virginia taught Music Education in both public schools and Christian Schools in Grand Rapids, Michigan. After marrying Larry and giving birth to three children, she continued working in community music, and church music. She founded several community choirs in the South Jersey area and directed the Madrigal Singers of Wilmington, DE for five years. She also was the founder of “Home School Praise?#65533; a children’s choir for home-schooled children.

Her career in church music has spanned 50 years of organ playing and 44 years of conducting choirs of all ages. She hopes to continue her career with more concentration on organ performance. Virginia has dedicated her career to the Lord Jesus Christ whom she dearly loves. She has always used music, not as an end in itself, but as a means of praising God and reaching out in ministry to people.