Staff Directory
Rev. James L. Harvey III
Senior Pastor
In 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 has written articles for Tabletalk Magazine and Reformation21. He contributed a chapter on the doctrine of justification in the recently released Don’t Call It A Comeback: The Old Faith for a New Day.
Jay and Melody have four children and live in Newark.
- Contact Info: E-mail Pastor Harvey
- Contact Info: Read Pastor Harvey’s Welcome Letter
Rev. Joshua M. Knott
Assistant Pastor
In Feb of 2006, the session of EPC called Pastor Knott to serve as Assistant Pastor. His current responsibilities include oversight of the Youth Ministry, Adult Sunday School, and Christianity Explored.
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 & evangelism 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), then Reformed Theological Seminary, Jackson, MS (M.Div., 2005). Prior to his Senior year at Grove City, he married his high school sweetheart, Erin (B.A. Linguistics, William & Mary, 2001).
Joshua Knott and Erin have two children and live in Wilmington.
- Contact Info: E-mail Pastor Knott
Mrs. Debbie Freer
Children’s Ministry Director
Debbie was born and raised in Wilmington, DE. She has been blessed with wonderful Christian parents and has attended EP since she was 2 years old. Debbie attended K-12 at Wilmington Christian School. She graduated from Gordon College in 1994, as an AJ Gordon Scholar, with a B.S. in Music Education. She earned double certification in both elementary and secondary education. Her instrumental emphasis was in both piano and voice. Debbie has had a vast array of experience and leadership from an early age. Her experience began as a church accompanist at 12 years old, Junior High & HS accompanist, and HS band director while in High School. After college, Debbie moved to NH to continue teaching at the Jesse Remington School of Fine Arts. In addition to her 20 years of teaching experience in private lessons, ensembles, and group lessons, Debbie has been a College Librarian, Student Conductor, Soloist at Park Street Church in Boston, organizer of a community music camp in MA, and librarian at the Tanglewood Music Festival with the BSO.
In NH, Debbie met her husband, Kevin. They moved back to DE in 1996. Debbie started working part time at EP leading VBS, pianist for the evening service, music ensemble leader, and nursery director. She came on full time as the Director of Children’s Ministry and Children’s Music in August 2008. She has had the privilege of leading VBS for 14 years and has seen the children’s department grow to now include three summer camps, a vibrant SS and mid-week program, Junior Church, and a spectrum of special and community events. Debbie’s excitement and enthusiasm for the kids at EP is hard to miss. Debbie and Kevin have 3 boys, Micah, Samuel, and Seth.
- Contact Info: E-mail Debbie
Mr. Benjamin Harding
Music Director
In addition to being a pianist, organist, and conductor, Benjamin has a passion for worship, the ministry of God’s Word, and Christian discipleship. He comes to EP most recently from Grace Church in Hartford, CT, where he served as Youth Pastor and Worship Director. Benjamin is joined by his wife Marji and their two boys Karsten and Jonathan. He is also an avid sports fan (Phillies, Flyers, Eagles) and loves to play Ultimate Frisbee.
Benjamin was born and raised in Dipper Harbour, New Brunswick, Canada, a small fishing village on the Bay of Fundy. At an early age he studied piano with his grandmother Juanita Spragg and then finished the Associate Diploma with the Royal Conservatory of Music under the tutelage of Carol O’Neil. While studying with Samuel Hsu at Philadelphia Biblical University, he completed Bachelor Degrees in Bible and piano performance. While he was at PBU, he studied conducting with Paul Jones, organ with Robert Carwithen and viola with Xiao-Fu Zhou. Benjamin has a Masters and Professional Studies Degrees in piano performance from Manhattan School of Music where he studied with Nina Svetlanova. He is currently a doctoral student at the University of Maryland in piano performance as a student of Bradford Gowen.
In previous seasons he has collaborated with such artists as violinist, Anthea Kreston, and cellist, Kangho Lee. He has recently been seen in performances in Hartford, New York, Rochester, College Park and at the Karamoor Festival. He was formally on staff at the Hartt School at the University of Hartford as collaborative pianist and assisting in the conducting classes of Christopher Zimmerman. He is also a faculty member at the Csehy Summer School of Music where he met Marji.
- Contact Info: E-mail Benjamin
Ms. Dot Griffin
Church Secretary
- Contact Info: E-mail Dot
Mr. Jim Thomas
Graduate Student & International Fellowship
Jim & 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).
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.
- Contact Info: E-mail Jim
Mrs. Judy Visser
Treasurer
Judy has been the church treasurer for over 10 years. Prior to becoming home maker she worked in the business offices of several major companies.
- Contact Info: E-Mail Judy