Meet the Deacons

David Edwards: Chair

For as long as I can remember I have had a passion for meeting the needs of the the poor and disadvantaged. This led me to work with Indochinese refugees in Thailand for 5 years as well as becoming a Hoboken Shelter Board member several years ago. My hope in joining the Diaconate is to continue to live out my calling as well as to provide opportunities for others to express their spiritual gifts so the Redeemer Hoboken "light of the world" will shine brightly in our community.

Mike Moody

I grew up on the Jersey shore and have lived most of the last 13 years in Hoboken.  Nancy and I were married on October 3, 2009.  We are expecting a baby girl on July 4th.  It was on Independence Day in 1988 that I became a Christian after hearing the gospel probably hundreds of times from faithful and persistent believers (Gal. 6:9).   This Redeemer Hoboken church is among my richest of blessings and in response I feel a strong calling from God to give back and contribute to her mission.  That is why I serve as a Deacon.   

 

Bennett Feld

Originally from northern CA, I came to NY/NJ by way of Boston after a year
and a half stint studying dance and language in Eastern Europe.  It was my
then-girlfriend Janet Saia who brought me to the East Coast, as she pursued
her dream of being in musical theater.  In Boston I worked as a software
engineer for four years before getting an MBA at Babson College.  Janet and
I moved to Hoboken in 1995, where she continues to work in theater on
Broadway, while I work in telecommunications sales.  I became a Christian in
2003, having been led by my closest friend, who I've known since the early
1980's.  Janet and I have been part of Redeemer the whole time, and know we
couldn't have picked a better place to be, with its solid grounding in the
Bible (old and new), it's growth and vitality, and it's focus on the home
fellowship groups as source of learning about God, each other, and service.

I am looking forward to being part of the Diaconate for the opportunities I
believe it will give me to serve the church and the community, which I've
done in small ways over the years at the Homeless Shelter, with our HFG
running Alpha courses and a book discussion group, and in New Orleans.  I've
heard the essence of the Bible stated as "love God, love each other" - I
hope this will be a way to do both.

 

Nathan Sinclair

I'm originally from Vancouver Canada but have been located in Hoboken for the past 2 and a half years. I work as a graphic designer for a small finance publication in the city. I heard about Hoboken Redeemer through my friends Yeshwant and Bhawna Paul. 

I'm excited to be joining the deaconate as I feel it's a great way to serve Christ and be part of his kingdom.

 

Nancy Moody: Secretary

I have been a part of Redeemer Hoboken since I moved here in 2004. My company, whom I still work for, moved me here from the Princeton area.  Working in Manhattan and living in Hoboken has been an urban dream I never thought I'd experience. Like many who have been transplanted for whatever reason, finding our church has been such a blessing.  The recent training for the Diaconate really highlighted to me the vital role that the church plays in caring for the body and I am excited to be a part of this team who lends support to our community.  I became a Christian when I was a teenager and after many years of personal growth, I have watched God working through the church to bring change and life and beauty to his people. I am excited to join in this work.

Marcy Gupta

I have lived in and around Hoboken since the spring of 2000.  Shortly after I arrived, I found a home in Redeemer Hoboken.  There have been many changes throughout the years, but my desire to serve our congregation and the community where I live, and connect people in our congregation with opportunities to “love our neighbors” have remained.  This is Christ’s example and our call as part of His body.  I love to see one person’s gift meet another person’s need.  It may surprise us but it doesn’t surprise God- He’s all about divine appointments.  They happen everyday and that is why this work never gets boring.  Now with my husband and a young one in tow, I have constant reminders of God’s rich blessings and want to continue to share them with others.

Lori Lawrence

I grew up as the oldest of 5 children in western New York.  We lived on the frontier between the newly built suburbs and the country, so enjoyed the best of both--friends and school nearby, sledding and skating on real hills and ponds, catching tadpoles in the spring and pretty much wrecking our bikes off road.  I even got to skip school on Opening Day (that's trout fishing in western New York ).

I am a physical therapist, working in recent years in home care and various geriatric settings.  I came to New York reluctantly for a clinical internship and found that I like urban life so much I've never gone back.

I met my husband Gary at our church in New York.  We married and raised our three girls in San Francisco, Hong Kong and Hoboken.  It has been our great pleasure to be involved with church and school communities made up of people who take seriously the call to be the body of Christ in the challenging professional New York world and the equally challenging, diverse world of Hudson County, New Jersey.

What I love about our diaconate is that we are a bunch of people with different spiritual gifts, very different life experiences, prepared as a group to serve the needs that present to us.  It is also great that we have been able to partner with other groups in the community who are already doing the things we would love to be involved with.

Sara Peterson

I came to Hoboken 10 years ago from upstate NY when I began working in Manhattan. I found Redeemer Hoboken almost immediately, and have been blessed to be here ever since. I joined a home fellowship group, met many wonderful friends, and even met my husband, Joel, at Redeemer.  

God has given me a desire to serve people and care for their most basic needs, especially through meals and food. Through the Diaconate and the Meals Ministry, I’ve had the privilege of doing that alongside many wonderful people. I have learned so much and been truly blessed by serving and being a part of this Redeemer Hoboken community.