ECV Staff

Josh seeks to introduce people to the living God, inside and outside of the church. Inspired by the ways God has been faithful to this community over the years, Josh endeavors to create a church culture where the Spirit has permission to give us lives that look more and more like Jesus. He has pursued this over the years as a pastor at ECV, a student at Yale, and a neighbor in New Haven, Kensington, and Edgewood. He has also worked with nearby prison and homeless ministries.

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Additionally, Josh serves as the Associate National Director of Evangelism and Justice with VineyardUSA.

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Through teaching and leading, Josh hopes to create communities which are responsive to the Spirit’s call that a different world is possible. Josh loves the work of justice but finds peace and mercy even more beautiful.

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As Lead Pastor, Josh seeks to lead the Church in rest, work, and play starting with the staff and moving out to the congregation. At the end of the day, he hopes that looks like growth, maturity, and family. He also hopes it will look like watching Star Wars, Marvel movies, or some other epic with strangers who have become family. Be warned. Josh laughs very loud at these movies (and, in general). He also has been known to have a theological thought or two about the plot!

Charissa serves alongside Josh as the Executive Pastor, working diligently to shape the church's vision and make it a reality. In her role, she offers guidance to the staff, streamlines operational processes, and creates an environment where the team can thrive. With over 15 years of experience in various roles, including HR, communications, operations, and event planning, she is committed to empowering and equipping leaders within the church.

Charissa's recognition of the challenges that exist in today's world drives her deep desire to help individuals live out their divine calling and rise up to those challenges, embodying God's teachings and love in ways that transcend our complex cultural climate. She is committed to creating spaces where people can encounter God, build a strong sense of community, and connect with each other and with the Lord.

Outside of her role, Charissa enjoys exploring the world of cuisine as a self-proclaimed foodie, always on the lookout for the next culinary delight. She's also an avid waterfall enthusiast, never passing up the opportunity to take a refreshing dive and swim. And, with a heartfelt love for her home state, Charissa proudly declares her bias, considering California the epitome of beauty and greatness.

Kyanna oversees ECV family programs, ministries, and events such as Sprouts, Roots, yearly VBS,  and more. She also recruits and trains volunteers to become effective ministers within their roles.

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A New Jersey native, she attended Quinnipiac University and earned degrees in Sociology and Teaching in Elementary Education. She has worked as a New Haven Public Schools teacher and has collaborated with organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club and various neighborhood schools.

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Kyanna champions the practice of love—for God, oneself, and others and is passionate about creating opportunities for people to serve within and outside of our community including mealtrains, clothing drives, and more.

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She enjoys learning about people and has a knack for asking fun and interesting questions as displayed almost every Sunday before announcements when she provides an icebreaker for the whole church.

As the Pastor of Spirit and Word, Todd's expertise centers around prayer, the ministry of the Holy Spirit, and providing support to graduate students.

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Placing a high value on the Vineyard model of everyone being participants in the ministry and work of the Holy Spirit, Todd believes that all people can learn to identify the voice and movement of God.

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With a background enriched by a PhD in Hebrew Bible and being a founding member of the Society of Vineyard Scholars, Todd is committed to a deep understanding of biblical application for our lives. He focuses on equipping people to hear the voice and leadings of the Holy Spirit, and to use those practices regularly inside and out of the church context.

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Though Todd has lived on the East Coast for more than 20 years now, he still follows his beloved Cleveland Guardians and Cavaliers and has, in his middle age, exchanged one sort of football fandom for another by adopting a Premier League team (YNWA). Todd loves reading, hiking, and shouting encouragingly at his children’s baseball, basketball, and soccer games.

Tina is ECV's Worship Pastor, First Lady and Church Mamá. She supervises all things related to musical worship; recruiting, training, and deploying musicians. She loves listening to people and also delighting in the Lord, both behind the scenes and in front of the church. Tina aggressively recruits worshippers and offers enthusiastic encouragement to those who are unsure of their own abilities.

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Classically trained in piano and having led worship in church contexts since high school, Tina has partnered with Vineyard Worship at a national level to record and release multiple worship records. She has co-written songs for “Vineyard Soul” and bilingual Vineyard projects.

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As a humanitarian immigration attorney with a Justice oriented law firm representing immigrants, Tina is committed to fighting for dignity of the lives of those who find themselves on the margins. She believes in the beauty of the Gospel as expressed through those lives and is committed to bringing those stories into the center of the ECV worship experience.

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Tina loves being a wife and a mother, late night hangouts, and key lime pie!