Staff

Kevin credits the ministry of Young Life with introducing him to Jesus Christ and for nurturing him in his faith throughout his high school and teenage years. After a two-year stint on Young Life Staff, he came to NPC and served for seven years as the full time Youth Pastor.

In 1997 he left our staff and went to seminary at Gordon-Conwell. Several years, one degree and three children later, he returned to NPC, excited about serving God in a new way.

Kevin lives in Hudson with his wonderfully supportive wife, Debbie and their three adorable daughters — Mary, Elizabeth, and Erin. He has a heart to see churches thrive and become spiritually healthy, and serves as a part-time ministry associate for Return Ministries, which seeks to bring peace to conflicted churches. Kevin is an avid golfer who also loves to cook and play in his garden.

Favorite Place: Tuscany

Favorite Quote: “Life would be infinitely happier if we could only be born at the age of eighty and gradually approach eighteen”—Mark Twain

Favorite Food: Anything Italian

Favorite TV Show(s): Iron Chef America, Medium

Favorite Movie(s): Black Hawk Down

Favorite Ice Cream:  raspberry chocolate chip from Kimball’s Farm

Favorite Singer(s)/Band(s): Rodney Adkins, Rascal Flats

Favorite Outdoor Activities: Golf, gardening

Favorite Cereal(s): Frosted mini-wheats

Favorite Sports Team(s): Red Sox

Favorite Drink(s): Diet coke and coffee

Favorite Game(s): Anything Wii

My wife Nici and I are the parents of three wonderful children, Daliya, Zachary, and Ilana. I am originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, and my wife comes from the country of Namibia in Southern Africa. We were married out in the middle of the desert in Namibia.  I was raised Jewish, and became a believer in Jesus while I was living in Israel about fifteen years ago.  We raise our children in both the Jewish and Christian worlds as my wife comes from a Jewish background as well.  I also have a ministry working with Jewish interfaith couples (www.celebratelife.us) and a book, Comfortably Jewish: Practical Ways To Enjoy Your Family Heritage.I have a Doctorate in Marriage and Family Counseling and Masters of Divinity degrees from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary and a Bachelor of Arts in Business/Economics from the University of California, Santa Barbara. I am also the teaching elder at a local Messianic Jewish Fellowship that meets the First Friday of each month at NPC (www.sarshalom.us).

Read how I became a believer in Jesus – “Jewish Buddhist finds Jesus”

Favorite Authors: J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis

Favorite Quote: “My God is alive and well.  Sorry to hear about yours.”

Favorite Food: Love ethnic food – Ethiopian, Thai, Mexican, you name it, I will eat it.

Favorite Ice Cream: Dastardly Mash – Ben and Jerry’s stopped making it about 10-15 years ago, and I still have not recovered.

Favorite Singer(s)/Band(s): James Taylor, Gypsy Kings

Favorite Outdoor Activities: Basketball and Playing with my kids

Favorite Sports Team(s):  Celtics, Patriots, Red Sox

Favorite Drink(s): Milk Shake, Coconut Water, Lassi

Nici Smith, Director of Women’s MinistriesNici was born in the country of Namibia.  Her Jewish Grandparents came to Southern Africa having fled the Holocaust, and Nici became a believer in Jesus when she was sixteen.  Nici, her mother, and her grandparents actually all became believers in Jesus in the same year. Nici is married to Garrett (who is also on staff) and is the mother of three children, Zach, Daliya, and Ilana. Garrett and Nici served together as missionaries with Jews for Jesus for twelve years.  Here at Newton Pres, Nici is in charge of the Mom Connection and theThursday morning Bible study as well as overseeing all the Women’s ministries and hospitality.

Favorite Book(s):(other than the Bible) Life Together – Dietrich Boenhoffer

Favorite Quote: ”I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10

Favorite Food: Thai

Favorite TV Show(s) TV only came to my country when I was 13 so honestly I don’t watch any TV. I just never get into it.

Favorite Movie(s): Nowhere in Africa, Sarafina

Favorite Ice Cream: ooo, I dunno any kind. I have a real sweet tooth.

Favorite Singer(s)/Band(s): Right now Casting Crowns

Favorite Outdoor Activities: Walking along the Charles River, chasing my kids around

Favorite Cereal(s): You can’t get it here, it’s an African cereal called matabella pap

Favorite Sports Team(s): The Red Sox

Favorite Drink(s): Latte

A graduate of Trinity Western University (Biblical Studies and Communications), Kristina grew up ministering to the homeless of Seattle with her family. It was through this ministry that Kristina developed a passion for ministry that led her to mission fields from Kenya and Mexico to the inner-city streets of Seattle and Vancouver.
Favorite Quote: “Fairy tales are more than true; not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.” G.K. Chesterton

Favorite Food: Norwegian! (Specifically my grandma’s recipe for meatballs, yummy!) and Mexican

Favorite TV Shows: Amazing Race, Psych

Favorite Movies: While You Were Sleeping, Uncle Buck, Remember the Titans

Favorite Ice-Cream: Chunky Monkey by Ben and Jerry’s

Favorite Singer/Bands: Casting Crowns and The Band Perry

Favorite Outdoor Activities: Hiking, rock climbing, beach activities

Favorite Cereal: Banana Nut Cheerios

Favorite Sports Teams: Seattle Mariners!! Seahawks and Vikings

Favorite Drinks: Coffee, water

Favorite Games: Phase 10, Clue

Peter was born, raised, baptized and confirmed at Newton Presbyterian church. He has been in every room and secret passage the building has to offer except one…at least for now. He graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with a B.A. in Biochemistry and minors in Public Health and Educational studies. While in college he spent most of his time helping with CRU (Campus Crusade for Christ) on his campus, and spent two summers in East Asia with them sharing the Gospel to college students. He is also an avid singer and a connoisseur of all things Carrie Underwood.

Favorite Book (other than the Bible): The Shack

Favorite Food: Sunday Dinner at Grandma’s House

Favorite Movies: Tomb Raider, Mulan

Favorite Ice Cream: Breyers Waffle Cone Overload!

Favorite Singer: Carrie Underwood…there’s no comparison

Favorite Outdoor Activity: Mini-Golf

Favorite Cereal: Frosted Mini Spooners (the off brand of mini-wheats)

Favorite Drinks: Turtle Latte or a Medium MacDonald’s Ice Coffee

Favorite Games: Catchphrase, Would You Rather, Jenga

Favorite Animals: A Panda or a White Bengal Tiger

Favorite Websites: NPC Youth, Sporcle.com

Fiona graduated from UMass Amherst with a Bachelors in Psychology, a concentration in Developmental Disabilities and Human Services, and a minor in Education. Her life has come full circle, leading the youth group that she used to be a part of and serving as an assistant preschool teacher at the preschool she used to attend. Fiona is one of 8 kids, has 2 sister-in-laws, and one beautiful niece.

Favorite books: The Hunger Games, The Picture of Dorian Gray, the DSM-IV-TR

Favorite food: Chicken Bacon Ranch pizza from Antonio’s

Favorite movie: The Princess Bride

Favorite ice cream: Oreo Overload from Coldstone

Favorite singer: Josh Groban

Favorite outdoor activities: picnics, leisurely walks, water sports

Favorite cereal: Cap’n Crunch

Favorite drink: chocolate milk

Favorite game: Spoons

Favorite animal: Liger

Favorite website: http://www.facebook.com/newtonpresyouth

Jessica earned her Bachelor of Music degree in vocal performance at Gordon College, Wenham, MA in 2002.  She lives in Newton with her husband, Dan and her guinea pig Sebastian.

Favorite Book(s):(other than the Bible) Prayer and the Art of Volkswagen Maintenance by Donald Miller, Traveling Mercies by Anne Lamott, A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle, The Chronicles of Narnia (all of them) by C.S. Lewis

Favorite Food: Italian or Mexican or a Fuddruckers hamburger (depending on my mood)

Favorite Movie(s): Adventures in Babysitting, Beaches, Finding Nemo

Favorite Ice Cream: Chocolate with spoonful of peanut butter mixed in

Favorite Singer(s)/Band(s): U2, Switchfoot (older stuff), Lionel Richie, Keith Green, Renee Fleming, Dietrich Fischer Diskau, Heart

Favorite Outdoor Activities: hiking, biking, swinging

Favorite Cereal(s): frosted shredded wheat

Favorite Sports Team(s): Red Sox, Patriots, Cubs

Favorite Magazine(s): Real Simple

Favorite Game(s): Scrabble, hopscotch

Favorite Website(s): facebook.com, cyberhymnal.org

Bethany grew up in Waltham, Ma and is a 3rd generation NPC’er! She lives in Newton with her husband Jeff and her boy/s Moses and  Jasper.  Bethany tends to wear a variety of hats through the day to day. She is an occupational therapist who LOVES to work with geriatrics. She has her own photography business (www.bethanycarnes.com) and loves directing the worship band here at NPC. That being said, her favorite “job” is raising her family.

Favorite Quote:

Favorite Food: Ice cream and coffee (is that a food?)

Favorite Ice Cream:  Breyers Black Raspberry with Chocolate Chunks

Favorite Singer(s)/Band(s): U2, Chris Tomlin, The Ineloquent, Alison Krauss, Rascal Flatts, Bare Naked Ladies, Ben Folds

Favorite Outdoor Activities: Being on the water

Favorite Sports Team(s): Do you have to ask a New England girl?

Favorite Drink(s): Any form of COFFEE!

Dr. John is the author of Haydn’s and Mozart’s Sonata Styles: A Comparison (Edwin Mellen Press).  His publications have also appeared in Westwind: UCLA’s Journal of the Arts, and in The Journal of Musicological Research. John has taught at Bridgewater State College, Gordon College and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. His performances as a recitalist in the Boston area include concerts at the New England Conservatory with musicians from the Boston Symphony Orchestra.  He has also recorded four CDs.  John is listed in the International Who’s Who in Music.