Dana Smith, Senior Pastor

Education

Professional Credentials

Conversion and Walk with Christ

The youngest of five in a family of nonbelievers, I was born and raised in West Chester, PA, a suburb of Philadelphia. My childhood was relatively uneventful, filled with soccer, school, soccer, television, and soccer.  In other words, I was fairly normal. When my siblings babysat me, however, it was anything but normal. Sure, there were times of teasing, but it was not uncommon for them to "babysit" me by turning on a horror film or playing a séance record. Needless to say, they succeeded in getting a rise out of me, spooking me for years. In fact, they shaped my worldview in bizarre ways.

Between birth and the age of eighteen, I attended a church a grand total of, perhaps, five times, whether for a funeral, the occasional Midnight Mass, and the like.  In other words, Christ and Christianity held no place in my family.  I simply had no category for Jesus. Rather, I held a logically inconsistent belief that Satan was real, and if there was a God, He was certainly not as powerful as Satan. Imagine that! It is a strange belief to hold, but given my formative years, one can at least understand where it came from.

Meanwhile, during my teenage years, I became aware of various issues plaguing my family and loved ones.  Some of the circumstances surrounding us pushed me to the emotional limit, and in the end, I realized how powerless I was to face life's challenges. I needed help. Most of my friends did not seem to know that the outwardly happy soccer player who had lots of friends was really falling apart inside, dying for a real friend who would not leave me or hurt me. Thus, a search began.

I was searching for meaning, for purpose. I found myself asking, "Is this all there is? Isn't there more to this life?" My search took me to friends who were heavily involved in the New Age movement, so I gave the movement a try, as well. I carried crystals and believed I had a god within me. Obviously, I had no such thing, so the search continued. Well, wouldn't you know, I had a few more friends in my life, and they happened to be Christians. Sadly, I was belligerent to them, mocking their "superstitious, academically wanting" beliefs. You know the types. They believed in Creation, sin, forgiveness, and church involvement.  Who would hold to such antiquated views?  After all, these were concepts in which Jim and Tammy Faye Baker believed, and as a child of the '80's, they were the last people to which I wanted to be linked.  Looking back, my naïveté and judgmental attitude astound me.

Meanwhile, my Christian friends cared for me, lovingly countered my academic challenges, and genuinely wanted me to believe what they believed. I received a Bible as a gift for graduation, and after politely accepting the gift, I mocked it in front of my peers. I also devoured it when alone in my bedroom at nights!  I simply couldn't get enough of it.  And that was when the Lord got a hold of me. He opened my eyes and my heart to see Him for who He is,the Lord of the universe and Savior of the lost.

What really stopped me in my tracks was, when Jesus had encounters with demons (remember my childhood experiences and worldview), there was no fight.  The outcome was never in doubt. The demons begged for mercy from the one, true, Sovereign God! Beautiful. Here was the One I had been seeking all of my life.  Correction: Here was the One who had been seeking me, and He revealed Himself to me at the perfect time. I joyfully surrendered to Jesus Christ at the age of 18 in 1991 and have never looked back.

During my university years as a theatre major at Kutztown University in Kutztown, PA, I was involved with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and a local Evangelical Free Church, two organizations that were key in regard to my growth in Christ. Small group fellowships shaped my theology, while staff workers and pastors honed my eventual call to ministry. In fact, the pastor of the local EV Free church was instrumental in my decision to attend Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Day one of seminary, I knew the Lord had me in the right place.

Her name was Kristen Lakutis, and she had just returned from serving with InterVarsity for two years in Paris. She came home for her M.Div. and wanted to return to France full-time after seminary to serve that spiritually-dark country for the sake of the Gospel. Eleven months after meeting her, we married, and that was almost sixteen years ago. Three children later (Micah, 9; Caleb, 6; Jude, 3), we still have not served in France full-time, though offers have been presented to us. We are heavily involved in missions in France, but the Lord has called us to serve Him through the local church in the US, and by His grace, the fruits of that calling are humbling. To God be the glory!

Who am I today? It is hard to answer that without referencing Kristen. She is a great partner in ministry. Because of our training, she is both my greatest critic and greatest encourager. She lets me know when I am off base, and she comes alongside me when it is time to stay the course, even when doing so means being unpopular and in the minority. She always has my back and she is absolutely priceless.  I praise God for her every day.

What are my passions? What does my walk with Christ look like? I love missions, preaching/teaching, and theology. My philosophy of ministry is, I trust, evident in my own life. Seeing the damage of liberalism in the context of two mainline denominations in which I have served churches (PCUSA, ABC), I affirm the need for Orthodoxy (right doctrine) followed by Orthopraxy (right living). The Hebrew verb, yada, means "knowing intimately with head and heart."  So, right belief in God's Word must translate into right action. The head must impact the heart, or else one does not really know God's Word. As such, I am constantly seeking to grow in the grace and the knowledge of the Lord Jesus (2 Peter 3:18), trusting that such growth in grace will translate into equal growth in evangelistic love for the lost and compassionate love for the household of faith.

We praise God for the opportunity set before us at Immanuel. It is an honor and a joy to be the Senior Pastor here, and we cannot wait to see the good work the Lord will do in our midst as we proclaim His Word with all boldness, conviction, urgency, and compassion.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Pastor Dana Smith

Ed Whitman, Interim Pastor

Education:

Professional Credentials:

Biography:

It was through the life and ministry of the Carlisle Congregational Church that I came to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ as a junior-high aged boy. During my Concord High School years, through the regular ministry of my church and its pastor, through my parents' example and through attendance at Christian camps and conferences, I gradually became aware of the possibility of giving my entire life to Christ. These forces climaxed at the Northfield Christian Endeavor Conference when God first evidenced His call to full-time service and I gladly yielded to the Spirit.

At Wheaton College, my commitment toward the ministry was confirmed many times as I studied and participated in Christian Service programs. While at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary with my high school sweetheart wife Sandy, God continued to extend His call through my classes and weekend experiences at the Evangelical Congregational Church of Easton, and finally, in June 1966. I was ordained to the work of the gospel as a parish pastor.  After 39 years of settled ministry mostly in three churches, in 2005 I began my current work as an intentional interim pastor.

Pastor Ed and Sandy have been married 47 years and now live in Raymond, NH, 50 miles from Chelmsford.  They have two married children.

Credo:

Over the years I have formulated and shared this personal credo of what I daily carry with me in my head and heart as a practical application of Proverbs 23:7 (NIV margin):

Kevin Begley, Youth Director

Education:

Biography:
I grew up in Manchester, Connecticut and accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior in high school.  I had always gone to a church, but never really experienced God's grace or forgiveness until a Pastor of our church started working with our youth group and helped us to really understand what it meant to be Christian.  This being the case, I still struggled with all the pressures of high school and College.  I really wrestled with what I should do with my life until I experienced a real joy serving a youth group and helping them with mission trips and worship.  Since I accepted a call to serve in ministry things have been great!  Because of personal struggles I've often been able to relate to people who are often overlooked.

I met my wife Jessica at Trinity Covenant Church in Manchester, Connecticut and we were married in 2006. We had the opportunity to serve at a church plant in Ipswich Massachusetts as the Children's Directors while I finished seminary. In July of 2007, I accepted a ministry position in North Carolina where our son was born we felt a desire to be closer to home. We were able to move to Connecticut where I actively volunteered with a thriving youth ministry and waited on God's direction.

I love music, sports, hanging out, learning, hiking, and most of all spending time with my wife and son. The opportunities I have had in life to serve the Lord in youth ministry have been amazing.  I have been able to live our faith with all types of people and have seen God's grace in some of the worst situations.  I have seen God do unreal things to change people's lives. I have served with some really unique people who have impacted my life. The thing I enjoy most is seeing God work in other people's lives.

Favorite Scripture:
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."

Linda Chilson, Administrator - Bookkeeper

Biography:

Hi, I'm Linda Chilson, the office administrator. I grew up in a churched family and became a believer at 17 while in High School. I attended and graduated from UMASS Amherst where I met Charlie through our involvement in a para church ministry. We married over 30 years ago, first settling outside Boston (we could hear the cheers from the Red Sox games!). We have three children and one son in law.

We were both very involved in our local church, I sang in the choir, participated in women's ministry, among other responsibilities.  About 5 years ago the Lord moved us to Lowell, and we started attending Immanuel Church. Some of my interests are: being out doors-gardening, hiking, biking, camping; working with my hands-crewel, knitting, scrap booking, sewing, photography, wall paper hanging; being with family and spending time with my friends and I love animals- our family has had hamsters, rabbits, cats and dogs-a family motto is-fur is fun!

Favorite Scripture:

One of my favorite life verses is Philippians 1:6.

Roxann Galster, Interim Childrens Ministry Director

Biography:

Raised on a dairy farm in upstate New York, Roxann learned the value of hard work early in life.  Because of her work ethic, she graduated at the top of her high school class and subsequently earned a degree in electrical engineering.  After a few years in the defense industry, Roxann chose to leave engineering and become a full-time mom.  Since then, with the help of Matt, her husband of 25 years, she has reared and home-educated four children: Elizabeth, 23; Catherine, 21; Christopher, 17 (but change to 18 if this is published after 21 April, 2012!); and Benjamin, 14.

Perhaps because of her parents' divorce when she was a teen, Roxann has a heart for meeting others' needs.  She often tutors struggling students, mentors younger moms, assists with household moves, prepares meals or provides transportation for those in need, and has a difficult time saying no to many other cries for help!

Roxann has been involved with children of all ages over the past 25 years.  She has attended seminars or training classes in youth and children's work, special needs issues, cross-cultural ministry, and ESL.  Her hands-on experiences include nursery, children's church, Sunday school, Awana, VBS, youth group, Upward, NEFC day camp, homeschool co-op, and private tutoring.  In addition, she has made three trips to serve in an orphanage in Haiti.  Roxann and her family have been at Immanuel over 21 years.  Currently, Roxann holds the Interim Children's Ministry Director position at Immanuel.

Don Howard, Buildings and Grounds

Biography:

I have attended Immanuel for over two decades.  I am the father of four, grandfather of fourteen (to them I am "Puppa").  I live in Chelmsford about a mile from Immanuel Church in a log-home my wife, my kids, and I built with our own hands about seventeen years ago.  I am retired from a career servicing main-frame computers, banking equipment and electronic printing equipment.

I have always enjoyed fixing things, whether it is an old car, a discarded PC, or a thrown-away lawn mower. Several recessions ago I heard a TV evangelist give the advice: "If you want to survive hard times, invest in tools and learn how to use them." I did and the advice has served me well!  I also am an avid reader and an amateur author… that's one who hasn't made any money at it yet!

My role as Buildings and Grounds Administrator includes general repairs to the facilities and equipment and grounds, security and safety, and capital improvements as needed. (if it's broken… tell me… and it will get fixed).

Favorite Scripture:

The Bible verse that is most meaningful to me in these uncertain times is Psalm 91:1-2 "Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; He is my God and I trust Him."