JOY CHURCH

Mike and Kathy are Joy Church’s founding pastors, and they love the calling God has given them. As co-pastors, they combine their individual gifts together to form a great leadership team. They love to have fun and strongly believe the church can be a fun place to become a disciple of Jesus. Their passion for life, for each other, and for Joy Church help make it the most joyful place in town.

Kathy had a successful career in the life insurance and annuity business working as a Business Analyst for 30 years. Her analytical skills, kind spirit, and love of people help make Joy Church such a fun and welcoming place.

Mike had a successful career in the IT industry for many years before pastoring. He has a BS degree in Organizational Management and an MBA with a concentration in leadership. His passion to raise up leaders and his love for people are also part of the secret sauce that makes Joy Church a great place to grow closer to Jesus.

In your first visit to Joy Church, you will readily see their passion for the church and their love for others. They would love to meet you!

At Joy Church we love you and there is nothing you can do about it!

Allen and Kelley Gaskin, Elders and Cradle to College Overseers 

Allen and Kelley have been married for 23 years, and they have a blended family of 5 children in total with Allen having two biological children and one adopted and Kelley having two which they raised together. They currently have seven grandchildren and counting. They are elders and the leaders of children ministry and oversee the Next Gen for Joy Church. 

Allen is originally from Florida, and he loves tennis and yard work. He is currently in his 2^ndyear of retirement from the last job as produce assistant manager at Hannaford. He has done “everything imageable throughout his life.” Allen is a jack of all trades playing a vital part in doing things all around the church, and we are eternally grateful for all his areas of expertise. He moved to New Hampshire in January of 1993, but he still enjoys warm weather and southern cooking. 

Kelley is from Derry NH and purchasing manager at a high-tech manufacturing company. Her largest passions are flower gardening and working with kids. You can tell of her love for the kids because of how she lights up when she is around them. 

They started doing children’s ministry at Grace Capital 16 years ago when the building first opened in Pembroke before they became a part of the Pittsfield campus that became Joy Church because both Kelley and Allen have always learned with children and youth. Allen 30 years ago started working in youth ministry and everywhere he has gone Allen has served in youth ministry except for when Kelley’s two children were in youth to provide them their own space. 

Together Allen and Kelley combined their passions to oversee children’s ministry at Joy Church and to become the overseers of cradle to college also know as Next Gen. They became elders in October 2017 for Joy Church after it became its own independent church. 

What they love is the people at Joy Church because they are so genuine and honest and not anyone but themselves. “The Joy of the Lord is evident” in the people, and they are Spirit-filled.

Bob and Mary Beth Magan, Elders

Married for 28 years, Bob and Mary Beth have much wisdom and life experience. Mary Beth is a school teacher at the Epsom Central School and she has patience like a saint, but she won’t say so. Bob is a Wealth Manager with Bank of New Hampshire, which means he is great at numbers. He also has many skills including planning and building and has been a true blessing when it comes to the many church building projects.

Bob and Mary Beth have two children, who are both adults.  Currently, they have Bob’s mother at home and if you are around him enough you will probably hear his phone buzz.  He will pick it up and it will be his mother needing help with something. Bob is quick to help in that regard, and to anything he is skilled at for the church. Bob also leads the Financial Peace University class for the church, and there is no better fit for the job.

Both Bob and Mary Beth add that little something extra to our church community and are great role models for the next generation. They both are upstanding citizens in their community and pour their wisdom back into others lives through their guidance.

Josh and Sherry Mullin, Elders

Married for 13 years, Sherry and Josh have one daughter, Natalee.

Married her husband Daryl in 2004. They have two children, Joshua and Hailey and a cat Flynn and they live in Barnstead. Courtnie is a registered nurse and loves all things Disney. Most of her time is devoted to spending time with her family and friends.

Courtnie started serving in the baby room at Joy Church, until she had the opportunity to attend the Foursquare Kids camp experinece in 2018. Since that camp she has felt God pulling on her heart and guiding her to work with the next generation as a youth group leader, and now the director. She does not take this role lightly. Courtnie believes youth group should be a safe and exciting place for the youth to come together, learn about God and have fun. Her goal is to make youth group something that the kids look forward to every single week.

Jocelyn Perez, Worship Team Leader

Jocelyn knew she would be a Worship Leader since she was 4 years old. She now has a son that was born in 2012 that seems to be following in her footsteps. You’ll often see him up on stage with the team. In this role, she sees it as her responsibility to first bring the team together to focus on excellence and to be Spirit-filled. Then, the team together will lead the congregation into worship. She’d choose the next member of the team as someone that has a heart for God before someone that has perfect pitch.

She, her husband Nate, and their son, Samuel enjoy fixing up their old house, playing in the yard, walking in nature, going to the beach or lakes and love their horses, fish and a new cat. 

She is inspired the most when listening to people that have walked through a storm and discovered who they are and how firm the rock is upon which they stand.

The most influential person in her life and her hero was her Mom. She has never known another person to seek God more or love others above herself and show by her actions that her most fervent desire was to lead others to a greater and deeper relationship with God.

Darlene Batza, Office Administrator/“Women of Joy” co-leader

Darlene has taken on the role of Joy Church Office Administrator and will be assisting Pastor's Mike and Kathy in any way that is needed. She will also be available to the church leaders in order to facilitate their mission to serve. She has shared with many how this job was from God.  While she was on the Joy Church Council about 3 years ago the position was first created.  She voiced, at that time, this would be a perfect job for her if she were retired.   Well, now she is retired and the job was available.  She thanks God for hearing her prayers and answering them.

As co-leader of “Women of Joy,” she loves to connect with and nurture our ladies as they grow in their walk with Jesus. She works with Pastor Kathy to choose and run different bible studies to help the ladies of Joy learn, question, and be real and open.

As an Army Veteran, she’s had a great deal of leadership training and loves continuing her education and learning new things. After having the joy of being part of many Bible studies over the years, Darlene felt a calling to help lead and organize this important ministry. This was when she joined Kathy as the co-leader of “Women of Joy.” 

She also considers herself a prayer warrior and is willing to serve anywhere, anytime, that she possibly can. From this, you can see that Darlene enjoys doing “anything and everything” to bring our church family together and support opportunities for us to grow.

Her favorite roles in life are Mom to 6 and Gram to 11! Often you will find her with a couple of her grandkids in towe. 

A fun thought from Darlene is that she has a hard time sleeping unless it’s completely dark, so she wonders how she’ll do in Heaven when it’s so bright! (She’s willing to adjust when the time is right.)