| Ed Noble • Lead Pastor |
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| Facebook.com/ednoble.jcc • @ednoble |
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| After growing up in Orange County, Ed lived all over the country before landing in San Diego and at Journey (as a self-professed surf addict, he thanks God every day for ending up here). As the Lead Pastor, Ed provides directional leadership and serves as the primary keeper of the vision. He’s also the main teacher at the weekend services. Ed’s three kids are all grown up…so when he’s not working or with his wife Linda, he surfs. A lot. |
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| Tic Long • Executive Pastor |
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| Facebook.com/ticlong • @ticlong |
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| Tic joined our team in 2011. After 30 years at Youth Specialties, where he helped to equip youth workers, he felt a calling to serve in the local church. As the Executive Pastor, Tic leads our pastoral team, oversees the ministries of JCC and works with Ed to help Journey live out our calling. Tic and his wife Terrie love to find great restaurants, backpacking, going to the beach and spending time with family. |
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| Jason Denison • Worship Pastor |
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| Jason never wanted to be a pastor; but God had other plans. Jason works cross-generationally to help all the music teams at Journey become better at leading people in worship. He serves as the primary worship leader in the weekend services and has a passion to see the intensity of worship increase among our community. Having recently returned from a yearlong working sabbatical in Norway (his wife’s native country), Jason is readjusting to life in sunny San Diego. |
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| Brian Berry • Generation Ministries Pastor |
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| Facebook.com/briancberry • @briancberry |
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| Brian hails from the foreign land of Northern California. After growing up and living in the Bay area for most of his life, he migrated to San Diego. As the Generation Ministries Pastor, Brian leads the renegade team of staff and volunteers that make up our kids, student and young adult ministries. He also serves hands-on as the primary pastor to our high school age kids. When he’s not at JCC, you’ll find Brian with his five (yes, five!) kids and wife riding bikes, camping or doing something outdoors. |
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| Sarah Merk-Benitez • College + Young Adults Pastor |
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| Facebook.com/smerkbenitez • @smerkbenitez |
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| Sarah has a heart and passion to connect young adults to the grand vision that God has for their lives. If she could, she would have the freedom to spend hours talking with every person about their life, hopes and dreams. Her hope for young people is that they find healing from past hurts, but then move outside of the walls of the church and find a life filled with mission. Outside of JCC, Sarah spends time with her husband Daniel at one of the local restaurants or coffee shops near their home in the Hillcrest area. |
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| Christina Robertson • Middle School Pastor |
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| Facebook.com/stinarobertson • @stina5000 |
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| Christina leads our middle school ministry and loves the kids she gets to work with. She has a deep desire to help them connect with God and with others. At the same time, she works to make Riptide (our middle school group) a fun place for students to spend their time. Christina is married to Ian and loves cooking, seeing movies, beach camping and eating at restaurants. She’s also the resident office pranker. |
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| Chris Rader • Pastoral Care Pastor |
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| It takes a big heart to serve as the leader of our Pastoral Care Ministries—and Chris has just that, a big heart. Chris leads and oversees our various care ministries, recovery and support groups and helps to provide counseling to hurting people. If you hike, you’ve probably run in to Chris at some point—he loves the outdoors. The day he got to move from Philadelphia to San Diego was one of the happiest days of his life. |
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| Rod Kaya • Connections Pastor |
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| Facebook.com/rodsprod • @rodsprod |
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| Rod helps people at JCC find connection with others. He leads the leaders of our various small groups; and hopes to see all people at Journey connected in a vibrant small group, in which they can find a close-knit community. A self-confessed technophile—Rod is always testing the newest piece of technology. He lives in the Spring Valley area with his wife and two children. |
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| David Merk • Community Impact Pastor |
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| Dave did a crazy thing and retired early from a career at the Port of San Diego and came to work for JCC for free…you read that right…for free! He serves as the primary coordinator for our missions and community impact programs. Dave’s heart to see the local church connect with its surrounding community is the driving force behind his work at JCC. Dave loves bike riding and looks down on those who choose to run instead. If you want to help with community impact, check out the Journey Serves page. |
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| Bob Nelson • Administration Pastor |
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| Bob leads the team of people that handle all of our financial, administrative and HR stuff. If it has to do with “business” at JCC, Bob has a hand in it. He helps to keep all of our organizational operations in order and running correctly. Bob loves fishing, hiking and pretty much anything to do with the outdoors. He is also an active part of the San Diego County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue team—so if you ever get lost, it’ll probably be Bob who finds you. |
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| Daniel Merk-Benitez • Creative Director |
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| Facebook.com/dmerkbenitez • @dmerkbenitez |
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| Daniel works with our team of “creatives” to develop and implement our weekend services. He also serves as a sort of Art Director for our graphic and communication department. Daniel has a passion to see the arts used in a way that tells the grand story that God is writing. Borderline obsessive-compulsive, Daniel likes the color white, any kind of organizer and won’t eat yellow Skittles. |
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