2018 GOOD FRIDAY SERVICE SPEAKERS:
Rev.
Joseph V. Theophilusis
currently the Senior Pastor of The New Covenant Church, NJ. On completion
of Theological Teaching & Training, he was
Ordained in 1983. He began as an Associate and Youth Pastor of
Pentecostal Church in ndia. Later he served as the Senior Pastor of
New Covenant Pentecostal Church in Australia & Regional Director of
its ministries in the South Pacific overseeing its churches in
Australia, New Zealand, Fiji & Papua New Guinea and planting outreach
ministries in Indonesia & Philippines. He was also a
senior editorial member of board for publishing three monthly magazines
and Sunday School syllabus.
Rev. Dr. David C. Mertz is senior Pastor of First United Methodist Church, Westfield. An ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church, Rev. Mertz has served churches in Minnesota, Texas, and New Jersey. Having completed his M.Div. at Union Theological Seminary in New York, Rev. Mertz completed his D.Min. in Biblical Preaching at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN. He has been at FUMC Westfield for seven years. His wife, Nancy J. Duff, is the Stephen Colwell Associate Professor of Theological Ethics at Princeton Theological Seminary. They have two grown children, McKinley and Adam.
Bro. Charles Praveen is an IT Consultant, came to know the Lord at an age of 15 by experiencing God's love. God used him for his glory as a lay young leader among youth through Evangelical Union and IEM ministries. While studying, he was used by Lord in sub-urban areas of Vijayawada and Guntur mostly among non-Christians. He has served as an Interpreter/Translator and shared the Word of God in India, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. His wife Pavithra works at Deloitte and they have two children, Immanuel and Tabita.
Rev.
Dr. David K. Ravinder
is the Senior Pastor of the Whitehouse United Methodist Church in
Whitehouse, NJ. He is an ordained Elder in the Greater NJ Annual
Conference. Following the completion of his Ph.D from Princeton
Seminary, Dr. Ravinder started his pastoral ministry in 1985 having
served churches in Warren, Bridgewater, Berkeley Heights, Roselle Park
and Whitehouse UMC. Since 1997 he has served as the Hon. Senior Pastor
of the United Evangelical Christian Fellowship (UECF). He has taught
courses in Counseling in India, Singapore and USA.
Bro.
Josiah Srigiri has
served both in Elmwood Park Bible Chapel and UECF for few years in
various leadership positions and actively involved in ministries such as
Bible Study, Nursing Home, Jail Outreach, Music ministry and Sunday
School and actively involved in other Christian Organizations. He also
served as a faculty both in India and USA teaching Integrity and
Apologetics in Haggai leadership Seminars. He has a passion for soul
winning. He has migrated to USA in 1999 after working as a Scientist at
National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad for more than 20
years. He lives in Elmwood Park with his wife Satya and children Joash
and Sharon.
Bro. Raj Punuruwas born in a Hindu devoted family, His mom accepted Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior and serving the Lord since 1988. Though he was raised in a Christian family he never had the conviction until God revealed him his calling in early 2012. Later he completed ministry studies from Grace College and Seminary, Indiana in 2016 and ordained by Emmanuel Baptist Church, Manville, NJ. He then moved to North Carolina for being mentored by Pastor Art Webb at New Life Fellowship, Concord, NC. He lives in Weddington, NC with his wife Shanthi and daughters Monica and Hansica.
Bro. Sunil Robert Vuppula has been with UECF since 2006. Sunil has been a Radio Jockey, Television presenter, Suicide Prevention Counselor, and a Youth activist. Currently, He is Dy Head - Products and Platforms Marketing at TCS and has a long track record spread across Asia, Europe and America. His commitment to developing others enabled him to train more than 10,000 professionals on a variety of topics including Leadership and Public Speaking. He has delivered lectures in some of the well known business schools in the tri-state area including Rutgers, WPU, Seton Hall and NYIT. He has won several awards for excellence, most notably the "Stevie award" and "Outstanding 50 Asian Americans". An accomplished writer, his two books " I Will Survive" and "Bound to Rise" set up him to impact India's young people, a group he believes will play a crucial role on the global stage. A resident of Edison, New Jersey, He also volunteers at a large prison teaching inmates leadership and communication. A sports buff, he runs marathons and has run the top three marathons in USA. A distinguished toastmaster, (DTM)he has served the Toastmasters International in a variety of leadership roles.He is regularly invited as a commentator on several South Asian TV channels. Sunil also loves to travel with his wife Prafulla, and two boys Aman and Sahil.