Pastor Chris Yount - Senior Pastor

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Before being called to New Life United Methodist, the Yount family called Warwick, New York their home, and from 2002 until 2012, Chris was the pastor of the Warwick United Methodist Church.  Chris, who grew up in Columbus, Ohio gave his heart to Jesus at the age of 15, and found soon after that he had a calling on his life to bring other people to Jesus.  In 1981 Chris transferred from Ohio State University (still an avid OSU fan, some would call it a “sickness”) to attend Nyack College in Rockland County, NY where he played basketball for three years. Chris met Liz at Nyack and they fell in love, “I first saw this beautiful blonde at the cafeteria salad bar, and I knew she was the gal for me”. They were married in 1983. After graduation and starting a family, Chris struggled with the calling to ministry that he had received back in 1980 at a youth conference in Estes Park, Colorado. 1986 brought the Yount family to Rock Hill NY where Chris and Liz both worked professionally and volunteered in the local Methodist church.

In 1989 Chris pursued the pastoral ministry in the United Methodist Church and was appointed as a part time pastor at a small Methodist church in Modena, NY in July of 1990. While serving the good people in Modena, Chris also attended Drew Theological Seminary where he received his Masters of Divinity. About the time he was done with seminary the church had grown to a full time parish so the Yount’s were able to stay there a few more years.

In 1997 Chris was appointed to Christ Church in Beacon, NY and it was here that he was involved with radio ministry. After a number of years, his one minute spots, “Good News with Pastor Chris” on a small AM station had grown to a weekly music and inspirational program, “Wake Up with Pastor Chris” on AM and FM stations, small and large from upstate all the way to Long Island. While serving in Beacon, Chris also started a new church in the little hamlet of Chelsea, bringing back to life a small but beautiful old Methodist church along the Hudson River.

From around 1991 until 2005 Chris led the Snow Camp ministry (while serving as a pastor) which was a youth ministry that led retreats around the region. Hundreds of young people and adults were touched mightily by God through this exciting ministry. It was through Snow Camp that Chris developed many of his gifts in leading worship, singing and innovative methods to draw people closer to God.
To stay sane PC lifts weights, hikes/backpacks, plays golf poorly, reads, fishes, hunts, camps and spends time with his beautiful wife Elizabeth, his great kids and granddaughter!

Rev. Dr. Peola Hicks - Pastor of Christian Education and Discipleship

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Known to our church members as “Reverend Hicks,” has been our Pastor of Special Ministries since early 2004. She has been ordained since 1992 and has served in many capacities as a gifted equipping pastor, teacher and anointed preacher.

She is the founder and president of Firm Foundation Ministries--a teaching, preaching and counseling ministry helping to equip the body of Christ for works of service. Pastor Hicks has an MBA in Finance, a Master of Divinity degree and recently completed her doctorate at Samuel Dewitt Proctor School of Theology. She is married with two daughters.

Rev. John Parille - Pastor of Outreach & Evaganlism and REACH Youth Pastoral Advisor

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Pastor John is our Pastor of Outreach & Evangalism and Youth Advisory Pastor.  Pastor John comes to us with years of promotion, sales and marketing experience. This experience coupled with his depth of spirituality, passion for bringing Christ to the world and his love for people, offers a major contribution to our pastoral team.

In addition to assisting with the pastoral duties of preaching, teaching and visitation— Pastor John helps our church by putting a face of our church out in the community. He developes strategies to help fulfill the segment of our new vision statement of “being relevant in our community.”

This includes reaching local families who are unchurched, developing evangelism teams, working closely with our Pastoral Team  to provide our members with instruction on evangelism, follow-up of visitors and developing marketing strategies to make our ministry known in the Greater Danbury area.

Pastor John is also the founder and president of Brotherhood of Christ - a non-denominational Christian mens prayer, mentoring and fellowship group. Brotherhood of Christ was created to help men with struggles that they face in their marriages, jobs, relationships and their walk with God.  Meetings are held at New Life as well as other location in the greater Danbury Area.

Pastor John is married to his wife Maria and they have four daughters. 

M.J. is a musician on a mission. On fire for God and looking to build New life United Methodist 
Church into a Mecca for Music Ministry in Southwestern Connecticut. In addition to his 
responsibilities at New Life, Mj is a piano instructor, as well as a professional musician performing 
in and around the greater New York area. He also Co-Owns an internet based writing company- 
The MusicCrafters.
Married to his lovely wife Lisa, they have five children between them. On his days off you'll find 
him fishing or riding his motorcycle.

Fred Seaboldt is brother who is on fire for Christ. Fred is a long time member of the church and has been working with our youth ministry for over 10 years now. He has taught High School, Middle School and 4/5Grade Sunday school. Fred has a lovely wife, Annie, and has seven beautiful children. Fred has personally known Christ for 30+ years. Other places where you can always find Fred are; In the Sound Booth as the Sound Engineer on Sundays and in the Church Offices as the Office Manager during the week. Fred Thanks God for allowing him to serve and for the doors AND windows God has opened for him in his life, and for the members of this church for believing in him!

Janet started working for the church as Bookkeeper in April, 2007. She grew up in Montpelier, Vermont and graduated from Vermont College of Norwich University. After graduation Janet was employed by IBM in Burlington, Vermont for four years where she met her husband, Marc. The couple soon transfered to Cranbury, New Jersey. In 1990 they moved to New Fairfield with their three children Zander (22), Chelsea (19) and Lucas (10).

Janet is a member of the New Fairfield Community Service Club where she was a secretary and then later became the vice president. She enjoys scrabble, quilting, cooking and shopping.