Our church constitution states that Christ is the head of Calvary Church
…and is governed by Elders or Overseers, who are appointed by the Holy Spirit, recognized by the Church, and identified jointly as the Elder Board.
The Elders are spiritually mature and biblically qualified men who serve as leaders of the ministry. The Elders are assisted in their role by Deacons, who are spiritually-minded servants, who serve the membership under direction of the Elder Board.
The congregation of Calvary Church is invited to suggest the names of qualified candidates to serve as Elders and Deacons/Deaconesses.
Each year, the Nominating Committee identifies and evaluates individuals to serve as Elders and Deacons/Deaconesses at the church, including those recommended by the congregation.
Many more Calvary members are qualified than can be selected. The Nominating Committee submits its recommendations to the Elders for their approval, and then for the approval of the congregation. The following names have all been unanimously approved by both the Nominating Committee and Elders.
These nominees are now being presented to the members of the church for consideration with a congregational vote, set to take place at the Annual Meeting on Wednesday, August 27.
What is an Elder?
A spiritually mature and biblically qualified man (and member of the church) who serve in leadership of the ministry; oversees the ministry, vision, strategic plan, and philosophy of ministry, and guards the doctrine of the church.
New Elder Candidates
Candidates being considered for their first, three-year term.
Kevin Filler
Kevin was born in Maryland and raised in the Lutheran Church. He met his wife, Mary Ann, in high school, and they were married in July 1992. That fall, they began attending a Bible study together. It was during this time that Kevin came to understand he was not yet saved, and in January 1993, he accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior. In 1995, Kevin and his family moved to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, where they lived for 25 years and raised their three sons. During those years, they were active members of First Baptist Church, where Kevin served in youth ministry, missions, and on the Elder Board. In 2020, Kevin and Mary Ann relocated to Lancaster County and joined Calvary Church in 2021. Currently, Kevin serves on the Prayer and Care Team and is a table leader for the Men’s Bible Study on Wednesday evenings. They are also members of the Overcomers ABF. Kevin and Mary Ann are proud parents of three adult sons and recently celebrated becoming grandparents.
Kevin Gushiken
Kevin was raised in Michigan in a Christian home. He put his faith in Jesus Christ during college after realizing he was a sinner and needed a Savior. It was during this time, between his freshman and sophomore years, that he fully surrendered to Jesus. He was called to Christian ministry the following year. Kevin served as Senior Pastor of an Evangelical Free Church in Chicago for nearly two decades. He and his family moved to Lancaster in 2017 when he assumed a faculty position at Lancaster Bible College, and they began attending Calvary in June 2017. Kevin currently enjoys serving on the teaching team for the Harvest ABF. He and his wife, Penny, have been married for 29 years, and they have two children, Ashleigh and Ryan, and a son-in-law, Jeff. Kevin’s mom, Pat, is also a member of Calvary. He loves the rich diversity of worship at Calvary and that this is a church that is faithful to the teaching of Scripture.
Continuing Elders
Candidates being considered for their second, three-year term.
Brad Mullen
Brad was born and raised by loving parents with two brothers in Queens, NY. In August 1966, at age 16, alone in his room, Brad committed his life to Christ during a televised Billy Graham Crusade. His new life led him from engineering studies to Bible College (B.S., Trinity College, FL, 1972) where he met his wife, Noel. They have two married children—Ian and Amy—who have blessed them with four grandchildren. After serving as Youth/Assistant Pastor at Grace Church, Ridgewood, NJ (1975-81), Brad began an educational journey leading from Columbia Biblical Seminary, SC (M.Div., 1982), to Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, IL (Th.M., 1983), and finally to Boston University, MA (Ph.D., 1991). Brad was a Professor of Theology at the Seminary of Columbia International University (1983-84, 1986-2002) before joining the Calvary Church staff in 2004, serving as Executive Pastor, Elder, Acting Senior Pastor, Teaching Pastor, and now Pastor Emeritus. He loves Calvary Church—Christ-honoring, biblically-grounded, globally-focused, non-denominational, inter-generational, multi-cultural, and all-welcoming. Since 2019 Brad has served on the board of Tyndale Theological Seminary located just outside Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Scott Powell
Scott was born in Columbia, SC, and put his simple trust in Christ at an early age. He is grateful for the opportunity to have grown up in a family committed to serving Christ, where daily prayer and reading God’s Word was an honored practice. After completing study at Columbia Bible College (now Columbia International University), Scott led the young adult ministry of his church and worked in construction for several years. He and his wife, Leslie, were married in 1980 and have been blessed with four children, and now seven grandchildren. In God’s leading, they have served with SEND International for more than three decades, first in church planting among the unreached Hakka Chinese in Taiwan and in mission leadership. Scott and Leslie currently lead the SEND International Diaspora Lancaster team, focusing on befriending and serving Muslim background families being resettled in the Lancaster area and in discipling those whom God has drawn to follow Christ among these groups as part of an emerging fellowship in Lancaster. They came to Calvary Church upon their return from Asia, and they were welcomed by the Disciplemakers ABF, later serving in the teaching and leadership teams. Scott and Leslie are part of several PAC teams for Calvary Global Partners, and they love belonging to a church firmly committed to the gospel and engaging their community with the love of Christ as we all, together, pursue life in Him.
What is a Deacon/Deaconness?
Assists the elders in their role; a spiritually-minded servant who serves the membership under the direction of the Elders; primarily serves and cares for the practical needs of the people of Calvary Church.
New Deacon Candidates
Candidates being considered for their first, three-year term.
Doug Hershberger
Doug is glad to have been raised by Christian parents on a farm in Quarryville, being taught to tend to the Lord’s creation as a steward. He accepted Jesus as his Savior at the age of eight at a church summer camp. In his growing years, he was protected by a Christian environment with church friends at home and school, but in college it was impressed upon him the difference of acceptance of a Savior and making the Savior Lord of his life. Doug and his wife, Leasie, have been married for over 35 years, and they have five children: Jeremiah, Josiah, Micah, Zachariah, and Lydia. They came to Calvary in 1997, and Doug has served in leadership roles for the Deacons, chairing the Benevolence Ministry for 22 years. In years past, he has served his ABF in various roles, taught in Calvary Kids, enjoyed roles in drama programs with Worship Ministries, and he and Leasie currently enjoy serving as a mentors to young couples preparing for marriage. They have always appreciated Calvary’s biblically-based teaching, from children through adults, and that all generations are able to participate in the worship service.
Brad Plank
Brad was born in Lancaster County and considers himself very fortunate to have grown up in a Christian home and family. He specifically remembers his mother leading him to accept Jesus Christ as his Savior at an early age, after she explained Jesus’ death on the cross for our sins. Brad is a graduate of Bryan College. He has worked in the transportation industry his entire life, and he recently retired. Brad and his wife, Jill, married soon after college and have two daughters, one granddaughter, and one on the way. Their family began attending Calvary Church in 2003, when their daughters were in middle school, and they realized the importance of a good student ministry. They were also drawn to Calvary by the consistent preaching of God’s Word and the focus on global missions, both locally and abroad. Brad has previously served as a Deacon, he’s been a part of the Global Ministries Team and the Finance Committee, and he has been a leader on two middle school short-term ministry teams.
Ginny Rehnberg
Ginny was born in Paterson, New Jersey, and turned her life over to the Lord in her early 20s after trying to do things on her own. Ginny and her family moved to Lancaster from New Jersey in 1991. They chose Calvary Church for its solid Bible teaching and the investment in their children and other young people. Ginny has been a member of Calvary for over 30 years, and she served on staff for more than 20 of those years. She has also been involved in Calvary Kids, Kids Choir, the former Pioneer Clubs, welcome ministry, and Benevolence Committee. She also had the privilege to be part of two mission trips—one to China and the other to Panama. Ginny was married to Alan for 43 years before the Lord took him home in 2024. She has three adult children and seven grandchildren.
Continuing Deacon Candidates
Candidates being considered for their second, three-year term.
Dave Alshouse
Dave was born in Springfield, PA, and raised in a Christian home. As a young child, after attending Vacation Bible School, he asked his mom how to be saved. His family attended church regularly. It was in college, at Drexel University, where he truly learned how to study the Bible for himself and understood the importance of prayer. While at Drexel, Dave met his wife, Renée, and they married in 1988 before moving to Lancaster, PA, and settling in at Calvary Church. Dave and Renée have four adult children—Lauren, married to Jared; Chad, married to Natalie; Todd, married to Chelsea; and their youngest daughter, Lindsay, married to Daniel—and now have a handful of grandchildren! Dave’s involvement at Calvary started with the high school students, then other areas of Student Ministries, and eventually Young Adult Ministries. For several years, he helped lead the Vision Conference for students, focusing on God’s plan for the nations and how we should be involved. Currently, he is the primary teacher for the DiscipleMakers ABF. He loves Calvary because The Word is clearly taught and foundational to all that we do.
Renée Alshouse
Renée was raised in the Philadelphia area and heard about God and His Son while not attending church. She came to know the Lord personally in her senior year of high school. The woman who introduced Renée to Christ continued to disciple her for the rest of that year. In college, the Lord used the campus ministry, InterVarsity, as well as the expository teaching of Dr. Boice at Tenth Presbyterian Church, to ground and strengthen her faith and teach her how to study the Word of God. After college, Renée married her husband, Dave, and they moved to Lancaster. They were drawn to Calvary Church in 1988 by the emphasis on teaching the Word, applying it, and actively sending missionaries to the least reached. Since first attending, Renée has served in many ministries. Currently, she is a leader in Starting Point. Together, Dave and Renée serve in the Adoption & Foster Ministry, as pre-marital mentors, and on a Prayer and Care Team for one of Calvary’s Global Partner couples. Renée is passionate about studying the Word of God and investing in others— both believers and those who have yet to believe. She enjoys spending time and investing in her four grown children, their spouses, and her grandchildren.
Marian Gingrich
Born and raised in Lancaster County, Marian is blessed to have been born into a Christian family, along with her six siblings. Through the influence of her parents, siblings, and the church, she put her faith in Jesus Christ at the age of 12. She has been attending Calvary Church since 2015 and has been involved in several areas including Calvary Choir, Pathfinders ABF, Women’s Bible Study, New Members and Widow/Widowers Ministries. In addition to serving on the Deacon Board, Marian fills in at the reception desk as needed. She and her husband, Dave, have two adult children and 10 grandchildren. She loves Calvary’s solid Bible teaching in all environments—from the worship service to Women’s Bible Study, to her ABF—and she appreciates Calvary’s belief that everyone’s story matters.
Questions or Comments?
If you have questions or comments about the suitability of any of these candidates, please contact our Elders.