Here are our Deacons.
Ryan Misenhimer (Building and Facilities)
“My journey to Christ has been long and adventurous. Through my parents divorce, and moving more times than I can count, it took a friend at the age of 18 to get me to church and start my relationship with Christ. Since then God has done wondrous things in my life. Christ has blessed me so many times, most recently with the most wonderful Christian wife a man could ever pray for. This journey to deaconship is just the start of what God has in store for me. Through the support and prayer of New City Church my walk and faith in the Lord will grow and help transform me to be the disciple of Christ we are all meant to be.”
Ryan is married to his new bride, Lisa. They are the proud caretakers of their Goldendoodle, Better. Ryan is in charge of the cleaning and maintenance of the building that God provided New City Church to meet in.
Brenda Lane (Bookkeeping)
I grew up on a farm which usually means you know how to drive before you can reach the pedals. My dad had me driving truck all around the farm which I became pretty good at. I took that drive (pun intended!) all the way to the Berlin Raceway where, because I was underage, I had to drive under the alias Fiona Flash! It was addicting. I lived for those weekends. Ultimately, driving became my identity (instead of who I was in Christ) and God threw me in “Park” real fast. I lost it coming out of the 4th lap, careening into the wall. My car was totaled but I walked away with a concussion and the Dr.’s warning that I had lost my peripheral vision and to drive competitively would be a risk to not only myself but others as well. I heard God (not audibly, because of the the ringing, remind me that I needed to find my joy & delight in him first. I am able to do that now. This is why I choose to serve in the one way that was totally the opposite of the adrenaline high I used to find in driving—Bookkeeping.*
Brenda is married to Dan and they have two sons. They are actively involved in mentoring young couples.
Sharilyn Shaffer (Benevolence)
My husband, Joel, and I live and minister on the North side of Grand Rapids to urban youth and their families. God has blessed us with four wonderful children. I am a para-pro at Northpointe Christian High School and am doing my Counseling Internship at Cornerstone University this fall, with a focus on Trauma. I minister as the Benevolence Person at New City Church.
Sharilyn is married to Joel and they have four children. They have been involved in urban ministry for 20+ years in Grand Rapids, MI.
Beth Vermilye (Financial)
I love the fact that God speaks in many languages—even numbers. Numbers have always been a love of mine. I was a math prodigy in grade school, skipping 3rd and 4th grades. Numbers have always made sense to me (more than most people!) Before coming to Christ I was less discriminating with my math talents and ended up paying the price~a three year “vacation” at FCI Tallahassee. But I not only found God there, I met some of my best friends and we still exchange (approved by prison administration) cards at Christmas. Now days, God has redeemed my skills and I am able use them to serve New City. Even in God’s sovereignty, I see his working. I served my entire sentence so I did not need to be put on probation and thus limited in the areas I could serve within the church!*
Beth is married to Dave and they have two adult sons and 5 grandkids which they dote on.
Rachael Passarelli (Nursery)
I am honored to serve the church by coordinating nursery care and ministering to young children. I strive to ensure that nursery is a place where young children can be exposed to the love of Jesus and where parents can expect their children to be tended to in a safe environment.
Rachael has been married to Tim for 2 ½ years and they have been attending New City Church for 6 years. In her free time you will find her enjoying the company of family and exploring the city with her husband and their dog.
Diana Barstow (Prayer)
I love stories. As a child I contracted Polio and had to spend time in an Iron Lung. It was a lonely childhood. Yet, God was there. I spent hours reading stories of true tales of action and adventure in the lives of missionaries and their families. Reliving the harrowing anecdotes of their faith being tested and their prayers being answered is what God used to form a deep faith and belief in the power of prayer because we can trust the one we are praying to!*
Diana has been married to her husband Ron for 20+ years. They share an avid compulsion to live in nature~camp!
Dawnae Richards (Administrative)
I am not morbid but do admit to finding enjoyment in reading the obituaries. The thing about obituaries is that each one is a stand alone story. You read where they are born, die, and the things they valued, whether it was family, or sports teams, boats, nature, work, hobbies, etc. They are small reminders that our lives matter. That what we do in the here and now and our motives and desires for doing them impact others. I love that! I love the fact whether it is typing a bulletin, updating a website, or buying diapers for the nursery—it matters! Revelation 14:12-13 echoes these sentiments. The fact I get to spend part of my day, week, life serving the church in small matters—Matters!
Dawnae loves being a wife to J-T, mother, and dog caretaker. The have 3 children and planted New City in 2011.
*Caveat: Some creative liberty has been taken by the author due to bio not being submitted. “Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.”