preaching team

The vision of the team includes a renewed focus on the gift of preaching, recognizing and nurturing this gift in both clergy and lay people, allowing us to hear God's Word through a diverse spectrum of voices while freeing the pastoral staff to focus on other aspects of their ministry.

  • Brian Binkley

    Brian is 49 years old. He was born in Illinois and has family still residing there. A teacher of 26 years, he’s been employed at Chautauqua Lake Central School since he and his wife, April, moved to the area 20 years ago. Brian and April have been married for 27 years, and have three children, Hannah (24), Erika (21), and Jaden (18) all of whom are currently finishing or starting graduate school or undergrad studies at NIU, North Park, and Huntington University.

  • Timothy Miller

    A graduate of Asbury Theological Seminary, Reverend Timothy Miller was in full-time pastoral ministry from 1997-2014. Currently he’s employed as the Housekeeping Supervisor at Heritage Park. He’s also a ‘Traveling Rev’, filling pulpits around the region, officiating weddings, funerals, baptisms and dedications. Tim has been married to Cathy for 30 years, and they have two sons: Anthony who lives in Fredonia with his wife Catherine, and Titus who lives at home. After living away from the area from 1993-2008, Tim and Cathy returned to the area, and presently live on Jamestown’s south side. They feel called to Jamestown and have grown to love it, considering it home. Their greatest desire is to use their gifts to help people and the community.

  • Amy Rohler

    Amy Rohler is the Executive Director of the United Way of Chautauqua County. She previously worked for 8 years as the Executive Director of Community Helping Hands, a faith based nonprofit in Jamestown that meets emergency and basic needs, as well as providing workforce development experiences. In addition, she is ordained in the Evangelical Covenant Church and from 2004-2009 served as co pastor of Bethesda Covenant Church in New York City with her husband Adam. They have two children, Emmett (12) and Calla (10). Amy has a Masters of Divinity from North Park Theological Seminary, a Masters of Religion from Yale Divinity School, and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Seattle Pacific University. She is originally from Oregon, loves hiking and anything outdoors, reading the New Yorker and New York Times, and generally works too much.

  • chloe smith

    A native of Jamestown, Chloe attended Jamestown Business College where she received an associate degree in marketing and management and a bachelor’s degree in management. She has worked in Jamestown Public Schools as a paraprofessional and in after-school programming as an administrator; she's been an associate pastor at two local churches, the North Main Street Church of God and Zion Tabernacle Church. She is a member of the advisory board of the Blackwell Chapel Baby Café, is a doula-in-training and a spiritual advisor with the organization. Rev. Smith speaks weekly at churches of all denominations throughout the County. She also speaks at civic gatherings, conferences and schools. She is involved with a group of pastors who meet regularly with the Black Community to encourage grassroots civic empowerment. Chloe has the joy of being the mother of three wonderful children. She hopes to be a living testimony of God’s love, grace, mercy and faithfulness.

  • Eli Perez

    Elimelec Perez is the Youth and Children’s Pastor at New Creation Assembly of God, where he has served since 2015. A licensed minister through the General Council of the Assemblies of God, Springfield, Missouri, he holds an associate degree in Applied Science and Individuals Studies with Honors from Jamestown Community College. Rooted in a love for people and unwavering commitment to an authentic walk with Christ, Elimelec is dedicated to empowering believers and cultivating a strong sense of community within the church. He is also a devoted husband to Julia Perez, his wife of 13 years, partner in ministry, and the proud father of four children.

  • Matt Kindberg

    Matt Kindberg has worked in the field of education for the last 18 years, both as a high school social studies teacher and currently as the high school secondary principal at Southwestern High School. A native of Jamestown, he holds degrees from Jamestown Community College, SUNY Fredonia, the University of Rochester and, most recently, completed the New York State Superintendent's Development Program through SUNY Oswego. Beyond his responsibilities at school, Matt serves as a Co-Vice President of the Jamestown High School 100 Member Club Alumni Organization and serves on a scholarship committee through the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation. He enjoys running and has completed 5 marathons, reading, traveling and spending time with friends and family. He has also enjoyed the occasions in which he has been asked to preach at Zion and other area churches and is looking forward to being a part of the preaching team!

  • JAY bAEHR: COORDINATOR

    As Zion's Administrative Pastor of Adult Ministries and Worship, Pastor Jay will coordinate the Preaching Team and be responsible for the oversight, visioning, and strategies that will be implemented to maintain a cohesive voice. The team, consisting of people from within and outside of our congregation, will work  together to plan themes and preach from their varied perspectives and life experience, on a regular rotation. Pastor Jay will also be available to preach, but most importantly, he will provide a consistent pastoral presence for the congregation, as Zion Covenant Church's ministry staff will no longer include a 'senior pastor'.

  • Kaitlyn Holmgren: rounding out the team

    Kaitlyn Holmgren, our Pastor of Family Ministry, will provide a consistent pastoral presence especially to our 'next generations' and their parents. But she'll also participate in the visioning and planning of the Preaching Team, and be ready and available to preach. Other speakers from within or outside the congregation will be scheduled to share periodically. Lastly, Joey Gerace and other young adults will be integrated into the preaching schedule, giving voice to the next generations among us.