Meet Our Staff
Gary Collins
Pastor
Gary, has been a faithful member of our church family for 30 years. It was here at New Hope that Gary met his wife, Kari, and together they began their journey of marriage in 2001. Gary's dedication to serving Christ has been evident since his youth, contributing to food distributions, park ministries, musical productions, and building renovations. He has also served as a former youth pastor, elder and now continues his ministry as our devoted Pastor. Known for teaching Biblical sermons with clarity and humility, Gary consistently points us to the truth and grace of God’s Word. Beyond the pulpit, Gary shares his passion for cooking and hospitality, often hosting and bringing joy to our church family.
Marlyn Lesley
Elder
Marlyn has been a devoted elder of our church family here at New Hope Community Church. Throughout his walk with Christ, he has exemplified unwavering love, humility, and dedication in serving not only this congregation but many others as well. His tireless support for our staff, compassionate care for our church family, and diligent efforts to ensure our church remains organized and thriving are a testament to his servant's heart. Marlyn continually seeks to meet our spiritual needs, pointing us to Christ through his example and leadership.
Gracie Cowley
Child Care Ministry
Gracie has been serving this ministry since 2011. She is passionate about laying a Biblical foundation for children and teaching them about Jesus at their level through Bible stories, music, and play. Gracie and her husband, Paul, are longtime members of New Hope Praise and serve faithfully in our Celebrate Recovery, Food Distributions, VBS, and more. They were part of our NHCC mission trips to Haiti, serving Lespri Ministries. On her free time, Gracie enjoys spending time together with Paul and their beautiful daughter.
Sandy Sooter
Children’s Ministry
Sandy Sooter has been the Children's Director at New Hope since 2009. Ms. Sandy leads the children's Sunday School classes, Children's Church, and TeamKid meetings weekly. In addition to leading our Children's Ministry, Dr. Sooter is the Principal at Excelsior Charter School and enjoys serving her students, families, and staff. She and her husband, Sean, have five children. In all the activities she enjoys, her favorite thing to do is to teach kids about Jesus!
Kari Collins
Worship Pastor
Kari has served as our Worship Pastor for 20 years, working closely with New Hope Praise to create inspiring worship through thoughtful music selection. She treasures the praise team's hearts and their commitment to excellence. With an associate degree in music and a master’s in education, Kari combines her love for worship and teaching, spending her weekdays as a Visual and Performing Arts, Teacher on Special Assignment for Victor Elementary School District.