Staff

Stu Austin

Associate Pastor

Stu is proud to serve as New Hope’s associate pastor, overseeing pastoral care and outreach ministries.

Stu has served in Fort Myers since November of 2002 when he, Ethelanne, and their son Sean moved from Kansas City, Missouri. Stu and Ethelanne are graduates of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and Stu also has an M.B.A. from the University of Texas at Arlington. He is a self confessed adrenalin junkie and has engaged in activities such as white water kayaking, serving as a Navy Chaplain with a Marine Artillery Battalion, sky diving, flying in an acrobatic bi-plane, driving a NASCAR race car at the Richard Petty Driving experience and climbing Mount Kilimanjaro with his son Sean. However, his most thrilling experience is seeing men and women identify their Kingdom roles and serve in their area of giftedness. Stu has a special burden for the HIV/AIDS pandemic in southern Africa. Stu enjoys riding Harley Davidson motorcycles in his spare time.

Benjamin Ball

Traditional Music Director

Ben Ball is the Director of Traditional Music & Organist at New Hope Presbyterian. He earned the Master of Music in Church Music degree from Shenandoah University-Conservatory of Music in Winchester, Virginia, and the Bachelor of Arts degree in Church Music (dual major emphasis in voice and organ with a minor emphasis in piano) from Bridgewater College in Bridgewater, Virginia. He has served in similar church positions for congregations throughout Virginia, North Carolina and Maryland, and has also served as an instructor of music with Saint James College Preparatory School (Hagerstown, MD), the Cumberland Valley School of Music (Chambersburg, PA), Valley Music Academy (Waynesboro, VA) and in his own private teaching studio. He has composed pieces spanning a large spectrum of needs within the church music community which include, but are not limited to: collections of short choral responses, hymns, works for solo organ, handbell choir, and longer anthems for both large and small choirs at various levels of ability. He and his wife, Kathryn, have two children and are the co-owners of Ball Church Music Publications, LLC. In his spare time he enjoys spending time with his family, reading, woodworking, and gardening.

Kevin Kenworthy

Contemporary Music Director

Kevin holds a B.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies degree with concentrations in Music/Music Business and Management from Old Dominion University. He also studied music at Shenadoah Conservatory of Music and other colleges. He moved with his family to Fort Myers in the summer of 2013 from Tennessee where he was the Assistant Music Director and Contemporary Worship leader for his church. He is also a past television producer/writer/on-air personality for networks including TNN, ESPN and Speed channel, is still involved in television and is a published author.

He married Danielle, a certified personal and fitness trainer, in 1992, and they have three children; twins Kailee and Kasside and their son Keaton who love being a part of youth programs and worship! His entire family has musical gifts and they have shared them in worships and other programs whenever possible.

A former touring musician and musical director for U.S.O. Celebrity Tours, Kevin has a passion for music in worship which began for him as a teenager. He also enjoys working with youth and musicians of all ages who have a desire but maybe not the experience, yet, to be a part of a worship group. He believes that there are people with God given musical gifts who may not have been offered the right opportunities to nurture and share those talents and that it is an important mission to seek them out and help them grow.

Kevin’s musical skills include writing and arranging music as well as being a vocalist, guitarist, pianist, bass player and percussionist.

Jim Clark

Director of Student Ministries

Jim began serving students and families at New Hope in February of 2013. Jim and his wife, Stephanie, along with their two young children, Rebecca and Matthew, love living in Florida and are proud to be a part of New Hope. Jim and Stephanie are both graduates of Taylor University in Upland, Indiana, where Jim studied Christian Education. Jim has led student ministries for more than 10 years in Pennsylvania and Florida.

Jim enjoys youth group as much as the students do. He loves to have fun and adds humor and energy to our student ministry. Jim is thankful that his job includes leading trips, cheering students at sports games, or giving a listening ear to a hurting parent or teen.

More than anything, Jim wants to see students fall in love with Jesus and His Word. He’s convinced that adolescence is the most critical stage in life; a season of incredible physical, emotional social and spiritual development. Every week, Jim gets to work alongside awesome adult leaders to help boys and girls become young men and women who love God with their whole heart and serve others.

Ronni Meier

Assistant Director of Student Ministries

Ronni graduated from Taylor University in Upland, Indiana in May of 2015, and immediately began serving at New Hope. She received her BS in Professional Writing while double minoring in Christian Education and Youth Ministry.

God has orchestrated Ronni’s plans in ways that she could not have imagined, but she can attest His plans are much better than her own. Ronni’s passion for students, and her belief that adolescence is a critical stage for students, fuels her desire to aid the development of their spiritual walk. Ronni is excited to provide a nurturing and safe atmosphere for students to feel loved and supported in the midst of transition, and she hopes to be able to show how the Bible is just as “living and active” now as it was when it was written.

Ronni loves to sing, write, play euchre, and cheer on her Indiana teams: the Colts, the Pacers, and the Hoosiers. Although a “coffee cheater,” Ronni loves to get to know others over a cup of coffee or a meal. Ronni is so excited to be a part of the New Hope community, and can’t wait to see how God continues to work in and through this church.

Krissy Whittier

Director of Missions

Krissy has been with the New Hope crowd since January of 2003. She loves serving those in need, helping with the Contemporary worship service, and helping to plan and organize local and world mission opportunities for people of all ages to experience. The two highlights of her ministry work are seeing intergenerational, local service projects and launching New Hope folks on short and long term mission projects.

Krissy is married to her husband Daniel and the two of them love to watch football, catch up with friends, and serve in the church. You will often find Krissy at a local coffee house doing work, grabbing breakfast or lunch with local missions partners, or running around working on media and sound around New Hope. Krissy loves to get together to chat about life, faith, and missions so give her a call and grab some coffee or a meal with her sometime!

Debbie Norris

Director: Children’s Ministry

Debbie Norris has served this church family since 1996—enough time to see God work in the lives of the children and adults who are regularly involved in ministry. It is an incredible privilege to see kids put their faith in Jesus and to see people of all ages grow as they step out in faith to serve. Her desire is that all children can see themselves as “world changers” as they live out an everyday faith in Jesus.

Her formal education includes degrees from FSU and FGCU, but nothing compares to the experience of growing with her girls, Jessica and Stephanie. Husband, Lee has a real estate appraisal firm and is a dedicated softball coach and dad. As a family, their favorite pastimes include travel, family nights, watching the girls’ sports, and enjoying holidays, especially Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Pam Poland

Director: Early Childhood

Pam Poland has been serving at our church since 2006 and feels this is what God has been preparing her to do all along. She enjoys growing in friendship with the parents and children. “It is such a joy to serve God in this way, I hope each child who visits our nursery goes home knowing they are loved at church and that church is a happy place to be learning about how much Jesus loves them.”

When Pam is not at work she enjoys being with her family, husband Paul, and teenage son Eric. They stay pretty busy with Eric’s sports schedule, but when they get some down time they enjoy walking on the beach or just chillin’ in front of the tv watching movies and sports. Paul and Pam met at Ohio State over 20 years ago and they all love cheering on the Buckeyes and the Cincinnati Reds each season. She also likes cooking, watching Eric play tennis and baseball, and reading.

Brad Starner

Executive Director

Brad joined the staff of New Hope in January 2013. He has a BA in Music and a BS in Bible from Philadelphia College of Bible (Cairn University) and a MRE in Christian education from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, IL. Since seminary, Brad has owned 2 businesses and served in various capacities with 3 other congregations.

Brad and his wife Darlene moved to Cape Coral in 1995. They have 2 children, Adam and Anne.

Brad enjoys filling in as organist at New Hope when there is a need and teaching a weekly adult Sunday morning class.

Cecilia Drake

Administration | Publication

Cecilia is a Naples native with a degree in Marketing from the University of Denver. She enjoys spending time with family and friends, cooking, reading the Bible, and going to the beach with her husband, Ted, and their two German Shepherds. She has been a Church Ministry Assistant for since 1997, and her passion is to serve God and His people. Her favorite scripture is Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

Sharon Chamberlain

Administrative Assistant

Sharon joined the administrative staff in 2015, where she considers it pure joy to do “Kingdom” work that supports the ministries of New Hope.

Sharon grew up in Ohio and attended Capital University where she received a BA in art education. She has two sons, Justin and Sterling and a daughter, Katie.

Sharon has a passion for worship and believes it is our primary purpose. In addition, she loves to watch sports, especially football. She also enjoys music, cooking, biking, reading, doing crafts and walking her three dogs.

One of her favorite scripture verses is Matthew 6:33 “But seek first His Kingdom and righteousness and all these things will be given you.”

Wayne Morosco

Finance Administration

Wayne and his family have been part of this community for three decades, and he brings a dozen years experience in accounting and bookkeeping, in addition to previously owning a direct mail postcard marketing company. He earned a Bachelor’s degree from Philadelphia College of Bible and a Master of Arts degree from Dallas Theological Seminary.

Currently, Wayne serves as an elder at Trinity Reformed Church in Cape Coral where he teaches the catechism and adult Sunday school classes. He is in the process of becoming licensed to preach. His wife, Denise, also serves Trinity in various capacities while their three children serve as worship accompanists by playing piano. In his spare time, Wayne transcribes sermons and conferences, plays the guitar, reads books by deceased Reformed theologians, and keeps up with Internet and web technologies.

Michelle Myers

Membership Connections Coordinator

Michelle joined the New Hope staff in 2016 as the Connections Coordinator and is excited to serve God in this capacity. She is passionate about loving people, spending time getting to know others, and supporting them in discovering their place in our church family. Helping people recognize their spiritual gifts and how their unique personalities can draw others to Christ is something Michelle loves to facilitate.

Michelle attended Palm Beach Atlantic University, taught elementary school for several years, and has also worked as a freelance writer for several publications. First arriving at New Hope via the MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) program in 2009, Michelle eventually became the coordinator and loved working with moms and their families. She continues to frequently speak to Mom’s Groups and women about parenting and family topics.

Married to Mark, they share a desire to help families thrive and experience spiritual growth through involvement with the local church. Along with their 4 children: Olivia, Griffin, Ainsley & Adelynn, they enjoy serving in local mission & service projects, family vacations, and cheering on the Florida Gators!

Ed Harger

Facilities/Maintenance

We are thankful to have Ed in charge of our facilities at New Hope. He’s a long time native of Cape Coral; he and Celeste are happily married and have three grown children and four grandchildren. He serves with the puppet ministry at McGregor Baptist and has helped with their preschool for many years. He is also an avid gardener! His humble spirit and gentle heart are a pleasure to have on our staff.

Deborah Fransway

Webmaster

Deborah Fransway has been playing bass guitar in the Contemporary Service since the days back at Covenant, and has come to serve in a variety of ministry capacities, often times behind the scenes. In 2009 she and her daughter joined Pastor Stu on a 2 week Mission Trip to Zimbabwe to visit our World Partners, Lance and Elizabeth Edwards. Video from their trip is available HERE. Deborah has been editing the sermon audio and preparing it for podcasts since 2011 and served on the Pastor Search Committee which God used to send us Pastor Eddie. She has chaperoned numerous student mission trips, painted VBS sanctuary banners, leads a Life Group, and is currently the webmaster, eNews editor, and video editor for most of the presentations enjoyed by our church family on Sunday mornings.

Deborah is married to Dr. Anthony Fransway and they have been blessed with two children; Tony and Paulina. The kids are grown now. As an “empty nester” Deborah has found that there is plenty to keep her busy at New Hope serving the Kingdom of God.