Lindsay Anderson
Elementary Coordinator
Karen Girard
Children’s Ministry Director
Will Anderson
Youth Ministry Manager & Community Life Intern
Rev. Charles Chung
Asst. Pastor and Director of Community Life
Marla Jea
Associate Director of Community Life
Christa Lopez
Creative Media Manager and Community Life Intern
Obed Bazikian
Sunday Service Manager
Christa Lopez
Creative Media Manager and Community Life Intern
Shara Powell
Ministry Coordinator
Marie Sclafani
Generosity and Membership Coordinator
Ulysses Shields
Sunday Operations Supervisor
Josh Simmons
Ministry Director
Rev. Charles Chung
Asst. Pastor and Director of Community Life
Rev. David Lee
Assistant Pastor
Rev. Pete Nicholas
Senior Pastor
Rev. Jeff White
Asst. Pastor
Harrison Hollingsworth
Morning Music Director
Mark Lau
Evening Music Director
[email protected]
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Carlin Lee
Worship Arts Coordinator
Will Anderson
Youth Ministry Manager & Community Life Intern
Lindsay Anderson
Elementary Coordinator

Will Anderson
Youth Ministry Manager & Community Life Intern

A Massachusetts boy who’s called NYC home since 2004, Will hails from the Broadway lighting world and often feels more comfortable hanging from a harness in a box boom than he does hanging out in a suit. Energetic and analytical, he has about a 60% success rating in landing a joke. He’s been a deacon at Redeemer since 2016, and in 2019 he received a Masters in Biblical Studies from Reformed Theological Seminary. Will lives in New Rochelle with his wife, Eunice, and their ever-active toddler, Jacob. Before chasing his son around the house, Will’s been known to go for hikes, hit the water for a swim, do a triathlon or two, and even enjoy a nap.
Obed Bazikian
Sunday Service Manager

Rev. Charles Chung
Asst. Pastor and Director of Community Life

Charles is better known as “Cheech.” He was born and raised in Brooklyn. In 2010, he asked Christina to be his girlfriend three times before she said, “Yes.” They’ve been married since August 2015. He graduated from Cairn University with a Bachelors in Bible and a Bachelors of Social Work. A short time after, he was led to Westminster Theological Seminary to study theology and received a Masters in Divinity. He loves and reps NYC because of the diverse people, cultures and foods. Cheech loves all sports from local-known handball to basketball and everything in between. He is also a self-renown, amateur photographer and videographer.
Redeemer Downtown Elders
The Redeemer Downtown Elders consist of Bruno Assante, Greg Buechele, Jon Endean, David Hawkins, and Bryce Humphrey. To be in touch with our elders, please send an email to [email protected] and someone will be in touch with you within 48 hours.
Karen Girard
Children’s Ministry Director

Harrison Hollingsworth
Morning Music Director

Marla Jea
Associate Director of Community Life

Marla was adopted when she was two. She grew up in Phoenix and moved to NYC in 1999 to work in publishing, where she enjoyed copyediting cookbooks and novels. During her first fifteen years in New York, she carried on a tumultuous love/hate relationship with the city but was eventually won over by the power of community (and a new Trader Joe's opening up in her neighborhood). In 2018, Marla’s birth sister found her, launching a cultural identity adventure that started with Skype calls and K-dramas and culminated in a half-year visit to rural Korea. As her story continues to unfold, God’s faithfulness is the consistent theme.
Mark Lau
Evening Music Director

Rev. David Lee
Assistant Pastor

Carlin Lee
Worship Arts Coordinator

Born and raised in Seattle WA, Carlin Lee moved to New York City in 2017 to study jazz piano at The New School. After a few semesters, Carlin transferred to NYU where he finished his Bachelors of Music degree in 2021. He was first referred to Redeemer by Cheech’s former youth pastor who coincidentally pastored Carlin’s home church in Seattle. The worship services, especially the music, became a weekly blessing for him, and he eventually studied with several of the pianists who regularly play for Redeemer. Carlin joined Downtown’s Staff in 2020 as the Worship Arts Coordinator, working under the two music directors Harrison Hollingsworth and Mark Lau. When not working as a freelance musician, Carlin enjoys spending his free time cooking, in nature, and reading.
Christa Lopez
Creative Media Manager and Community Life Intern

Christa is a NYC transplant of seven years by way of Los Angeles, CA. Christa had visited NYC three years prior and fell in love with the beating heart of the city. After nine months of reflection, prayer, and reading about what was going in the churches here — she took a step of faith. Christa sold her belongings, packed her SUV, and drove cross-country to her new home. Along the way, she did one of the things she loves most — document life.
Christa holds a BA in Sociology and an MA in Communications with a specialty in multi-media production. She draws from these two disciplines to connect with people and tell stories. She has been an active member of Redeemer Downtown for the past two years, been involved in community groups, and recently completed the Gotham Fellowship program this past Spring. She loves walking around the city, getting lost with her camera in a new neighborhood, travel, deep and fun conversations, and stops to greet every puppy she meets along the way.
Rev. Pete Nicholas
Senior Pastor

Pete is an Englishman in New York who moved to become the Senior Pastor at Redeemer Downtown in 2022 with his wife Rebecca, and two children, Oliver, and Tobi. Rebecca is a Reconstructive Surgeon, whom it is rumoured, took more than 45 minutes to agree to Pete’s marriage proposal. They have been married since 2008. Pete came to faith in Christ at university where he was studying Philosophy, Politics and Economics and playing rugby. This was followed by a Masters Degree, and a brief and unsuccessful time playing more rugby in a semi-professional capacity before he started working as a Management Consultant. He was soon called to pastoral ministry where he worked for Christians in Sport, before a time at seminary, and then planting a church in London, where he also helped found and lead the City to City initiative - the London Project. Pete has authored the books: A Place For God, Five Things To Pray For Your City, and Virtually Human: Flourishing in Digital World. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with Rebecca, rough and tumble with his fast-growing boys, cooking, reading, and watching sports that he is now too old and broken to participate in.
Shara Powell
Ministry Coordinator

Shara Powell hails from sunny Southern California! She grew up in Moreno Valley and has a degree in Culinary Arts with an emphasis in Business Administration and Marketing. After starting her own company in Los Angeles, God led her to a partnership that allowed her to expand her business to Las Vegas, Houston, Atlanta, and Boston. Coming to New York was completely a divine intervention since cold weather was not on the life agenda! She loves how God will completely turn your world inside out and put it back together in ways that she could have never imagined! Learning to trust God and grow through the unknowns can be challenging, but rewarding. For fun, it’s all things family, Disney, Marvel, basketball, football (Go Cowboys!), and testing out the latest Joanna Gaines’ recipes for her family to enjoy!
Marie Sclafani
Generosity and Membership Coordinator

A native New Yorker who has lived in four of the five boroughs, she moved to Dallas, TX, for several years, where she raised her three grown sons. Upon her return to NYC in 2000, Marie started to attend Redeemer. She became a Community Group Leader and then served on the Diaconate from 2005 to 2009. Marie spent most of her career in the field of staffing and Human Resources and assisted in forming the Job Search ministry. She is thrilled to be working on staff at Redeemer Downtown as the Generosity & Membership Coordinator and assisting Pete. Marie enjoys exploring the many neighborhoods in NYC and spending time with her five grandchildren.
Ulysses Shields
Sunday Operations Supervisor

Ulysses Shields is a native of Bed-Stuy in Brooklyn, New York. He is the son of a minister of a church in Jamaica, Queens, and has been part of an active part of a church community throughout his life. In his spare time, he thoroughly enjoys the arts and creating, mostly in the form of music or musical poetry. Ulysses also serves people in need at a neighborhood shelter in Midtown, Manhattan as an Operations Supervisor. He is the proud father of one daughter.
Josh Simmons
Ministry Director

Rev. Jeff White
Asst. Pastor
