Dr. Doug Resler – Senior Pastor
It’s been almost thirty years since Jesus first ambushed me on the campus of the University of Colorado in a small group men’s Bible study on Romans. Since then, my life has been a testimony to God’s amazing grace. It includes meeting my future wife and partner in ministry, Kristi, interning at First Presbyterian Church in Boulder, evangelizing the campus of the University of Colorado, somehow graduating from CU (after failing out my sophomore year!), working as a manager at Boulder Community Hospital (with no health care background!), attending Princeton Theological Seminary (with a 2.3 GPA from college!), serving at New Jersey State Prison as a volunteer chaplain, graduating and winning the Mary Long Grier-Hugh Davies prize in preaching (which has to be the longest named prize in history!), serving for six years alongside the wonderful people of Overlook Presbyterian Church in Mobile, AL (who put up with this Yankee!), having front row seats to the spiritual renewal God brought to that congregation, moving to Sun Prairie, WI to plant a new church (which failed by the way!) and learning some painful but good lessons along the way, and then being called back home to Colorado to serve as senior pastor of PEPC. Whew! What a whirlwind journey! Along the way, God blessed us with four beautiful children – Chloe, Josiah, and our twins Emma and Sophie – of whom we couldn’t be more proud! Our deepest passion is to join God in what He’s doing to redeem and reclaim the world for Himself and our deepest joy is to be a part of an awesome community of people here at PEPC who share that passion! My favorite passage of Scripture is “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.” Romans 8:11 My most embarrassing moment came when I played Peter Pan on Ice when I was younger…and yes, my mom made me wear the green tights!

Gary McCusker – Associate Pastor
As a family we first came to PEPC in 1993, shortly after serving as missionaries with Youth for Christ in Germany working with Military Community Youth Ministries for nine years. In 1994, I came on as the interim youth director while working at YFC/USA and I have never left the staff at PEPC. In 1999, I went from part time to full time as the Student Ministries Pastor and left YFC after 22 years. My wife, Debi has continued with YFC/USA and is now on the Senior leadership Team as the VP of Operations. In 2005, I stepped into the role as the Family Life Pastor and have fulfilled a myriad of roles as the primary counseling pastor, utilizing my master’s in Biblical Counseling from CCU in 1993, then as the interim senior pastor for most of 2009, I completed my MDiv requirements at Denver Seminary and was ordained as an Associate Pastor in 2011. Debi and I have been married for 43 years and have three adult married children, Casey, Cori and Colin and we have three precious granddaughters. I was involved in the community as a high school baseball coach at Ponderosa for the past fifteen years and play rec softball a few nights a week most of the year with my wife on our championship PEPC softball team. I enjoy working in my yard and salsa garden, hanging out with my family, wrestling with our dogs Cash and Cutler and playing golf. I am on the board for Men in the Arena, a men’s ministry to engage men in their faith and become servant leaders in their marriages, families, church and communities. One of my favorite verses that God has been faithful in its promise is Proverbs 3:5,6 “Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding and he will make your path straight”. I am a passionate follower of Jesus Christ and live to make him known to others in all that I am and do. Some of my favorite theologians are Oswald Chambers and CS Lewis. I love being a part of the PEPC family and watching God work in and through us to fulfill His Great Commission in Parker, Colorado and the World.

Matt DePriest – Worship Arts Pastor
By the grace of God I grew up in a home where the love of Jesus was modeled well. His pursuit of me (and my response to follow Him with my life) was a dynamic I became aware of early on, and continues to be a daily part of obedience and devotion. Music also held a high value in our home, and I grew up with it playing constantly. Some of my first musical memories are of us gathered around the old family piano learning to sing parts out of the hymnal. My first formal music lesson was Suzuki violin at age 5. After a couple painful years of “Mississippi Hotdog” and “Lightly Row,” my parents opted to let me drop violin in exchange for studying the piano which I gravitated toward more naturally and ultimately wound up serving as the foundation for my further studies. By the time I got to college I possessed a deep love of corporate worship and a commitment to the local church. As such I studied music and biblical studies which accordingly prepared me for my first ministry call and set me on a trajectory for vocational ministry. I had the amazing privilege of spending my first seven years in ministry on staff at Elmbrook Church (Brookfield, WI) before moving to Colorado to complete my studies at Denver Seminary and join PEPC’s pastoral staff team in 2013. I am blessed to be married to an amazing woman, a true partner in ministry, and my best friend (Sarah), and am the delightedly exhausted father of four fantastic children who are the most tangible reminders of God’s generous love I could ever imagine! Most importantly, I am passionately in love with Jesus and am deeply committed to seeing his kingdom come in my life, and in the lives of his people—the church—as his chosen method for reaching the world.

Janet Specht – Church Administrator
A little about me: I have a degree in Music, certification in teaching, post graduate work in accounting, and CPE in human resources. I’ve worked as a music teacher, accountant, HR and Administrative Manager and small business manager – not necessarily exclusively – I like to have plenty to do. Some of the greatest ministry opportunities in my life have come though loving people in everyday life at work and in our community. My greatest blessing is my husband Keith. Together we find our family the joy of our life. I hope you get a chance to meet them: Brooke and Chad with Dylan and Addison (now of Texas); Brandon and Marilyn with James, Alex ad Nolan (Wyoming); and Brittan and Lindsey with Evangeline ad Gabriel (Washington D.C.). I am in awe of the unbelievable love and blessings God has poured out in these rich family relationships. Actually, I’m just in awe of God! I have known our Lord and Savior for most of my life, but have grown to realize I will never know Him today like I will tomorrow. The more I know and love, the more I know there is, to know and love. Going deeper is a lifetime journey. I love the Lord and I love PEPC. God has led us through approximately 30 years in community together. My first interaction in leadership at PEPC was with worship design in 1991 on the PEPC Music and Worship Committee and has since included designing services, writing drama, choosing music, arranging orchestrations, conducting and serving on staff as the Worship Coordinator. Every now and then I even got a chance to conduct one of our ensembles. Administratively I have worked on building campaigns, staff development, facility management, finance and operations, and in most Human Resource areas.
The PEPC community is dear to our family and it is an honor to be part of ministry here. I am blessed to partner with the PEPC staff in the various ministry experiences where they lead as the Executive Pastor and Church Administrator. My goal is to maximize our opportunities for serving, team building and facilitating additional avenues for ministry for the glory of the Lord and to steward wisely the resources the Lord provides. Scriptures that resonate with me are all about trust and love: Isaiah 26: 4 “Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord is the Rock eternal”; Romans 8:39, “…nor anything .. in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord”; Ephesians 3: 18, “… how wide and how long and high and deep is the love of Christ”; and I Corinthians 2: 9, “…No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him”. And I pray that somehow all we do will somehow bring glory to God!

Elizabeth Duffy – Executive Director and Women’s Ministry Director
I am a proud third generation Colorado Native, growing up in Parker and attending PEPC with my family since I was 5 years old! I was lead as a youth by Gary McCusker and Will Freyschlag, participated in mission trips, camps, and many yearly activities here at PEPC. I still treasure many of my relationships from this town! I am married to my High School sweetheart, Colton Duffy, and we have a growing family of littles!

I graduated from Colorado State University with a BS in Human Development and Family Studies and a minor in Business Administration. I thought the plan was to pursue a career within the child and family development field, but the Lord took me to the business and finance industry instead. I thought it was temporary, but it was God’s plan! I spent approximately 9 years in the industry. I started in the recruiting space, then worked in training and development and eventually made a move to become the Director of Operations for a wealth management team and the local district office. I have worked in workflow management, event execution, organizational strategy; I have collaborated with leaders and sales teams in the creation and execution of strategic plans and have coached and developed team members in their roles.

After many enjoyable years, I am excited to start a new journey in ministry! My growing family and I came back to attend PEPC during COVID and it has been nothing short of a blessing to us. While excited to support the leadership and team members of PEPC Staff, I humbly look froward to what God has in store for all of us. “But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in him” Lamentations 3:21-24.

Dan Lynch – Outreach Pastor
My roots are here in Colorado. I grew up in the Arvada area and was blessed with being a part of a family who taught me the value of a relationship with Christ. I was heavily active in my church and youth ministry growing up going to youth groups, camps, retreats, lock-ins, missions trips and I was even in the youth choir. (In spite of not being able to carry a tune) I loved being a part of that community. My plan growing up was to finish High School, go to college and when I turned 21 go through the police academy and join the police force. I believed that was a great plan for a good future. Only it was my plan and not God’s plan. A series of event over the next couple years lead me down a different path where God revealed his ultimate plan for my life, to serve in His church. I had the incredible opportunity for 15 years to show Christ’s love to students as a youth pastor. My passion for God’s mission grew as my role here at PEPC changed to Outreach Pastor.  Nothing excites me more then to see people develop a heart to serve and glorify our Lord, and to see lives be impacted by the transformation that Jesus Christ has on their hearts. My wife Savanah and I have three beautiful children, Shiloh, Caleb and Lily. I like being outdoors. I enjoy hiking, camping and sitting around campfires. I like people, and community and the fellowship we share. I love the charge we are given in Hebrews 12:28-29. “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.” How awesome our God is, and what an exciting journey that we get to take part in HIS kingdom!

Megan Spaulding – Student Ministry Pastor
I joined the PEPC Student Ministry team in September of 2017 and over the years, I have been blessed to have the experience of leading youth ministry programs all over the world – LITERALLY! I grew up as the oldest of three kiddos, primarily in Northern Virginia but have lived in many different places, including more than a handful of states and even 4.5 years living overseas in Belgium and Germany. While living in Europe, I served as a Community Director (youth ministry director) with Club Beyond alongside the military teens and their families stationed at those bases. After returning to America, I learned about the youth ministry program at PEPC through connections at Youth for Christ, where I served as a missionary, in a multitude of capacities, for 11 years! I grew up in an incredible family and knew about Jesus when I was a young girl. But it wasn’t until I was a teenager that God became real to me during a series of tough times. The love of Christ was demonstrated to me through the incredible leaders and volunteers in the youth group I was involved in and after I chose to accept Jesus as my Savior, He has taken me on a wild and an incredible journey! I think the passion of working with teenagers took root the very second He became my focus and youth ministry became my calling.
After serving overseas and returning to America, God surprised me again- this time with the man I would spend my life with. I found my ministry partner when I met John Spaulding! We got married in August 2015 and I became an “insta-mom” to Ryland (now 14) and Katelyn (now 11). We LOVE spending time together as a family on a regular basis and enjoy being outside, camping together, going on adventures and yard sale’ing as a family competition. We  added a ‘fur-baby’ to our family right before covid- a Golden Retriever rescue named Piper who also loves coming to youth group. Besides ministry, I love to travel and have been to more than 20 countries. I enjoy spending time by the water and I spend a lot of time singing, performing or leading worship. My husband is an incredible cook and we both crave “quality time” and receive that as often as possible by eating flavorful foods and curling up on the couch to enjoy our favorite shows on Netflix. I love being part of the team at PEPC and am honored to spend time with the teens that the Lord brings through our doors!

Darby O’Connell – Family Ministry Director
I grew up on the East Coast of Florida in a small beach community.  From a very early age, I knew God chased after me, though, I wouldn’t recognize what a beautiful relationship He wanted with me until I was in my 20s. I met my husband, Jake, in college and we married shortly after we graduated.  I have a master’s degree in Education and taught elementary through high school during my teaching career.  We moved to Parker in 2007 and spent 5 years here before we moved back to Florida to be closer to family.

I spent 18 years trying to get out of that small beach town community and never thought I’d be back, until I left teaching and we moved back in 2012.  That is when God made His plan very clear for our path to serve in Ministry.  In 2017, I joined the staff of a freshly planted church as their Family Ministries Director and spent two wonderful years learning, growing and serving the families of the Space Coast.  The church’s mission was to reach people where they were and connect them to Christ through love.  That has been my passion and His plan for my heart through the years and it was an amazing experience to be able to serve Him in such a beautiful capacity.  My husband Jake and I moved back to Parker with our four sweet kids (Sophie, Finn, Eden and Mylah) in late 2019 for Jake’s work and enjoy spending time in this beautiful place we get to call home.  We love being outdoors: hiking, running, playing, really anything and watching the kids participate in their various sports.

I am beyond thankful and insanely blessed to have been given the opportunity to join the PEPC staff and encourage a Christ-filled, loving environment for the kids of PEPC and their families as well as the Parker community.  I am desperate to reach children and their families and connect them to Christ, so they have the opportunity to grow in and through a relationship with the Lord no matter where they are in their walk.  Two passages that have been my mantra through all the good and hard times in my life are both easily recognizable and easy to remember.  The first comes from Psalms (46:10) where He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”  The second, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways, acknowledge him, and he will make straight your path. Proverbs 3:5-6.

Anna Brock – Family Ministry Associate
I grew up in Southern California, but Colorado has been my home away from home as my parents both grew up in Denver and we spent many summers in the Parker area visiting family. In 2014, right before entering my Senior Year of High School, God called my family and me to leave sunny California and start a new adventure in Colorado. He has been so faithful over the years, and we love calling Colorado home, but I still refuse to trade in my flip flops for snow boots. I graduated from Colorado Christian University with a Business Administration degree, and I like to say a minor in track and field and intramural sports. I met my husband, Hunter, at college as we both ran on the track and field team. I am thankful he became my teammate for life. We got married shortly after college and moved to south Aurora during COVID. Some of our passions include cycling, the coffee industry, investing in our community, and traveling this big wide world. We started to attend PEPC during the summer of 2021 and our hearts have been drawn to this body of believers.

I am humbled and grateful to have been raised in a family and community that loved the Lord and discipled me from a young age. When I came to the end of myself and truly recognized my need for a Savior, I became able to live from the position and the victory as a daughter of the King. I desire for all believers to know their position in God’s family. I have always been passionate about children and the family unit, and I am beyond thankful to partner with what God is doing in and through this body of believers. I pray that each day we can lay down our own short coming and accept His invitation to drink from the living water that will never run dry.

“For when you drink the water, I give you it becomes a gushing fountain of the Holy Spirit, springing up and flooding you with endless life!” – John 14:14

Will Freyschlag – Community Life Pastor
I was born and raised in Colorado, and I grew up attending PEPC with my parents and two sisters. I came up through high school and middle school youth group under the leadership of Gary McCusker and godly small group leaders. Gary’s leadership and model of serving students played a huge part in my passion for volunteering with youth. While attending Colorado State University I volunteered with YoungLife and was involved with the Navigators. I graduated with a BS in Landscape Architecture and worked for a few years in residential landscape design while continuing to serve on a YoungLife team in South Aurora. I found so much joy in working with students that when the opportunity arose to join the PEPC staff, I jumped at it. After serving in Student Ministries for 4 years I transitioned to the role of Community Life Director–facilitating the development and growth of our Men’s, Women’s, and Home Fellowship Group ministries. My wife, Brittany, and I have a daughter, Emerson (4), a son, Griff (2),  and a red lab named Oakley. We love traveling around our beautiful state and I enjoy playing golf, hunting, skiing, and leather crafting. One of my favorite verses is 1 Peter 5:6-7: “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

Lance Gerry – Facilities Director
I was blessed to be raised in a Christian home and accepted Christ as my Savior at the age of 10. Our family was always active in the church, and by high school, I was participating in the leadership in the youth group. My senior year, I felt the call to ministry. I attended Bible College in Kansas City, MO where I met my wife.

We went on to serve at a Bible Camp in Nebraska as the Food Service Director. We started our family there and spent seven years there and doing pulpit supply throughout the state. After our time there, I joined a food service contractor and moved around much of the Mid-west and South. During that time, wherever we moved, we stayed active in a local church and made ministry a priority at each church.

After 15 years with the contractor, I returned to ministry. I used all I had learned in business and industry to serve as the Operations Manager in two different churches in Louisiana and Texas. I was involved in all aspects of ministry support, including buildings and grounds, transportation, IT, insurance and guest group management.

In 2021, after 30 years of marriage, my wife passed away from COVID. God led me through the grief with the support of a strong church family. A year after her passing, God showed me it was time to make another move. Through God’s faithfulness and leading, he brought me to PEPC. I am excited to serve here as the Facilities Director. I am meeting so many great people here in the PEPC community through various ministries here at the church.

Holly Sprague – Early Learning Center Director
I have a degree in Behavioral Science with a minor in Early Childhood Education and Early Childhood Endorsement. I have been married for 28 years to the love of my life and we have two wonderful kids, Amanda and Will, who are both in college. I also have many pets and enjoy visiting the dog park and the mountains. I have been teaching for 18 years and have been working in the PEPC ELC office for 4 years. I am glad to be at PEPC ELC and being a part of these children’s lives.