Staff

Stephen Ro: Sr. Pastor Growing up in the urban setting of Baltimore, MD, Pastor Stephen Ro has a special love for the ministry in the city that brought him to New York in 1991. He gave his life to Jesus at the age of 13 and committed himself to God to be a pastor one day. After confirming a call to ministry, he entered Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia where he received an M. Div in 1991. His passion is to live and preach the gospel of grace and wants to extend God's Kingdom by church plant movement. He planted Living Faith Community Church in Queens, NY through Redeemer Church Planting Center in 2000. As a church planter, he has a desire to see the church planting movement go forward to transform the entire city of New York. Pastor Stephen Ro is an ordained minister of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) and a Board Member of Pastoral and Laity Ministries (PaLM), and US NewsnJoy. He participates in the PCA church planters assessment as an assessor and is a certified Coachnet coach for pastors and church planters. He loves to play tennis and softball while thinking about church planting. Pastor Stephen Ro and his wife Candice have three boys, Christian, Calvin, and Prosper.


Stephen Na: Assistant Pastor

Steve and Hyun Soo were married in April 2002.  They have 2-daughters, Georgia (3-years old) and Charlotte (4 months old).  They moved into North Wales, PA in 2002 to answer a call to serve at Cornerstone Presbyterian Church in Lansdale, PA. After serving the church for nearly 7-years, God placed a call for church planting upon Steve's heart.  In September 2008, Steve resigned his position and stepped into the realm of uncertainty clinging to the faith and calling placed on his heart.  One important confirmation to go forward to church plant has been through people?s prayers and encouragement to pursue the calling. Second confirmation was the recommendation to church plant from MNA?s Assessment Center. Finally, a third confirmation is the call extended by LFCC to join the work as an Assistant Pastor for Church Planting.

The family is answering the call with both joy and wondrous trepidation.  God asked Isaiah, "whom shall I send, and who will go for us?"  Isaiah answered, "here am I!  Send me."  (Isaiah 6:8).   The Na family moves by faith in response to God's calling.

Peter Ong : Gospel Community Director Peter Ong grew up in Queens as a child of immigrant parents. He is an Associate Director of PaLM and is developing a Laity project to equip and serve Asian American leadership through fellowship, training and mentoring. Peter served with the Chinese Christian Herald Crusades' Herald Youth Center.
       
He attended New York University and worked in the Asian American non-profit sector for five years before being called to full-time youth ministry. While attending Redeemer Presbyterian, Peter served on the Board of Directors for Hope for New York, a mercy and justice ministry. He has also served as an advisor to the Teen Eastern Chinese Bible Conference; Jesus Generation, whose mission is to see a generation sold out for Jesus; volunteer staff at NYU Intervarsity Asian American Christian Fellowship; youth pastoral committee for The Call NYC and also one of the first forming committees for the Coalition of Urban Youth Workers.
      
In 2005 he served as a liaison to the Billy Graham Crusades of Greater New York, working with community churches to reach local youth. He regularly preaches at churches, youth conferences and to himself in front of a mirror. Peter Ong is happily married to Jamie Ong on August 13th, 2005 on the "hottest day of the century." They love hiking, cooking and eating. They are now living out in Long Island with their son, Nicolas who came into their lives a bit preemie in 2008. 

In addition to working in ministry, Peter has published reviews on graphic novels, and comics. His loves: Jesus, Youth (especially chubby ones), being married, Hymns, Dim Sum, mac's, ice cream, sushi, music, books and of course Halo 2. His dislikes: vegetarian hot dogs, cheese, soy milk (he gets bloated), romantic comedies (that seems redundant to me), and sweaty noses. He writes on his blog at www.peterong.wordpress.com.

Sharon Sechler: CEM Director

Sharon Sechler was born in Oklahoma, raised in a military family and therefore moved often.  She was privileged to have Christian parents who raised her in the church.  She accepted Christ as her savior as a young child.  After graduating from Mississippi State University with a Masters Degree in Education, she taught for many years while also being involved with childrens education in church. 

In 1992, Sharon and her husband became Mission to the World missionaries serving in the Czech Republic.  Her work with children continued as well as teaching English.  After serving for 10 years in Czech Republic, they changed ministry fields.  They moved to the US/Mexican border, and she continued her ministries with children and teaching English.

Sharon is excited to be here in Queens working with the children and parents at Living Faith Community Church. 

Sharon and Dick have 3 sons, 3 daughters-in-law, and 3 granddaughters.

Sharon Kim: Administrator

 Sharon Kim was born and raised in the suburbs of Baltimore, MD.  She was raised in a Christian family (PK - pastor?s kid) and in the church.  Stephen Ro was her youth pastor.  She graduated from Bucknell University with a BA in Sociology and moved to New York to study law.  She met her husband, InHo, at Grace Fellowship Chapel.  Rev. Stephen Ro married them in 1998.  Sharon and InHo are the parents of 2 very active boys, Ethan and Matty.  She is the administrator of Living Faith Community Church and also runs her own businesses (www.cool-kids-stuff.com) and Eden Organics.  She is a self-professed geek. (Star Trek geek, Star Wars geek, comics geek, computer geek and gadget geek)  When she manages to find some free time, she reads or watches movies.