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Bob and Ivy Delbridge
Bob grew up in Virginia and attended a Baptist church regularly. At age 12, he made a decision to accept Jesus as Savior but did not really commit his life to Jesus until he was 22 years old. Bob moved to New York and then to New Jersey after he and his wife, Ivy, were married. Ivy is from New York City, where she was brought up as a Roman Catholic. After meeting Bob, she attended a Billy Graham Crusade in the mid ‘80s at the Giants stadium, where she accepted Jesus as her Savior. Bob’s ministries at Grace have been Project Firewood, building the church’s amphitheater, and the Prayer Walk, and he currently leads the Ushering Team and the setup and cleanup for the annual Women’s Conference. He started “Habitat Helpers” to reach out and help others in need and would like to see this ministry grow. Ivy has been actively involved in the children’s ministry with her daughters and has helped out at the annual Women’s Conference. Bob and Ivy are active attendees of Grace’s “Generations” community class. |
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Frank and Sherri VanascoFrank was raised as a Catholic but left the church went he went away to college. In 1992 in Dallas, Texas, Frank started attending church with his wife Sherri, daughter Meagan-Hope, and son Blake. Frank became born again in 1997 at a Palm Sunday Service at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Dallas. Sherri grew up in the Newburgh area and was raised in a Reformed Jewish home. She attended religious studies as a child, celebrated the Jewish Holy Days, but did not regularly attend temple. After moving to Dallas, she became curious about Christianity and eventually became friends with a woman, also raised Jewish, who had accepted Christ 20 years earlier. She became Sherri’s mentor, life coach, and weekly Bible study teacher. While attending a Women’s Conference in the summer of 1995, Sherri accepted Jesus and was baptized. In September 2002, Frank and Sherri moved back to New York, and God led them to Grace Community Church. “God has blessed me,” says Frank, “with the honor of serving as the Coordinator of the Men’s Ministry and Maximum Impact Leadership Conference.” Frank teaches Grace’s Discovery Class to fill in for Pastor Frank DiMarco as needed. He and Sherri attend Grace’s “Generations” community class and the Contis’ Grace Group Bible study at the Dauers’ home on Thursday evenings. |
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Grant and Lynn Bingaman
Grant and Lynn Bingaman have been attending Grace Community since the Fall of 2001 after moving to Campbell Hall, New York from Omaha, Nebraska. Grant is originally from central Pennsylvania. He came to know Christ in the mid ‘90s through Promise Keepers events, conversations with his brother-in-law (a Baptist minister), and reading many books, including the Bible. Lynn is originally from Buffalo, New York and grew up as a Catholic, believing in Christ but not having a close relationship with Him. Lynn accepted Christ as her Lord and Savior at a church in Omaha, Nebraska and truly began a closer relationship since attending Grace Community. Both have served in children’s ministries and are currently serving on one of Pastor Mark’s administrative teams. Lynn also continues to assist the administrative staff at Grace and helps with SummerQuest, the annual Women’s Conference, and in Promiseland. They have been married for nine years and have two daughters, Erika and Brittany. |
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Joe and Marie La Brie
Joe was born in Queens, New York, and Marie was born in Brooklyn. They were married in Brooklyn in 1964 and lived in Queens before moving to Orange County in 1979 with their two daughters. In 1980, Joe and Marie were saved in a neighborhood Bible study and began attending church in Monroe, New York where they served for 18 years. In 1991, they participated in the Christian Life and Witness courses and became counselors in the Billy Graham Crusades in New Jersey and New York. On Father's Day 1999, Joe and Marie “were directed by God through prayer to attend Grace Community Church. We were both quickly convicted that this is where God wanted us.” Since attending Grace Community, “we have been richly blessed in every aspect. It is a joy to worship and serve here as well as to continue to grow in our walk with the Lord.” Joe and Marie, who have been married 43 years and have two daughters and sons-in-law and five grandchildren, say they “are in constant amazement at the results of God's direction and provision in our lives. We give all the praise, honor, and glory to Him.” |
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Jorge and Wilma Rivera
Jorge grew up in Christian home. His father was a Bible study teacher and the accountant at the Christian Missionary Alliance Church in New York City. After his father went home to be with the Lord in 1984, Jorge and his wife, Wilma, began attending a home Bible study led by their pastor, who eventually led Jorge to accept the Lord in 1986. Wilma grew up in a Catholic home but remembers “going to church only a few times. My parents were not regular attendees and seldom spoke about Jesus, God, or the Bible.” The Riveras attended a Catholic Church, but they felt unfulfilled. In 2002, they visited Grace Community, calling that “a turning point in our lives” when “we realized why we had moved to Orange County.” “Hearing Pastor’s Terryl’s message and Steve Flewelling’s prayer during the service,” says Jorge, “was such a blessing to us, and we knew this was where the Lord wanted us to be.” Wilma accepted the Lord as her Savior soon after and was baptized, and their daughter also accepted the Lord and was baptized. “The Lord is the center of our home,” says Wilma, “and I thank God for sending us to Grace Community.” Wilma has been a greeter at Grace Community for the past three years. |
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Tony and Martha Martine
Tony and Martha have lived in Orange County since 1974. They attended a Catholic Church in Newburgh until three years ago, when they began attending Grace Community. Tony first attended a Hungry Man’s dinner at Grace at the request of his grandson, eventually attended a Christmas Eve service, and never went back to the Catholic Church. Martha and Tony always believed in Jesus, but until they came to Grace Community, “we did not understand what a personal relationship with Jesus meant.” They have both accepted Jesus into their lives as their personal Savior and have been baptized at Grace. The Martines run the Sunday morning kitchen ministry under the direction of Diana Pacifico. Tony teaches a middle school boys’ Bible study on Tuesday nights and leads a Thursday night Grace Group Bible study in their home. Tony and Martha help out at the Car Show, JumpZone, and the annual Women’s Conference. Martha also helps out at SummerQuest. Tony has attended two Promise Keepers events, and Martha has attended several Women’s Conferences at Grace and elsewhere. |
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