I’ve worked with refugees and immigrants in Oakland for nearly 20 years.  I was one of the first to join New Hope and am currently its lead pastor.  Besides pastoring the church, I am also involved in community organizing, community gardening and programs for families and youth in the neighborhood.  I am married to Jan and have a creative, energetic six year old son named Peter.

I tell my kids, "Say it proudly--'I'm from OAKLAND!'" (They are fifth generation Oaklanders.) And here it is that I love to help create settings in which true and beautiful things can happen in worship. Meanwhile I can sometimes be spotted excitedly telling stories about New Hope when teaching seminary classes at Fuller Northern California and elsewhere. We (my wife, Lisa, and those kids, Julia and Erica) live in the Glenview neighborhood, not too far from New Hope.

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We are so proud to be a part of New Hope. We have two beautiful daughters. Jasmine is eight years old, and is very cool and fun to be with. Samuelella is three, and has very strong opinions! We love them both dearly and are trying our best. Praise God for helping us out, or we would be in big trouble!

 

"We love New Hope so much because we feel that we can be ourselves and not worry about what others think. I love the flavor of the people, they are very genuine and kind."



 

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Hello! After growing up in San Diego, I went to college at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. Two months after graduating, I moved across the country to Baltimore, Maryland to work with families in an urban, African American church, and in affordable housing research. I've now moved to Oakland to join the staff at New Hope and to start a Masters of Divinity seminary program at Fuller Northern California. I'm thankful for this opportunity to work with children at New Hope and our neighborhood--they are such gifts and teachers of God's grace and joy.