CONTACT THEM - elders@gracechapelpa.org
Matt Meeder
ELDER, PASTOR
Matt & Leslie have been involved in church ministry together the past 30 years in both rural and urban/suburban settings. Matt and Leslie crossed paths at Grace Chapel while doing youth ministry and were married here in 1981. He has served on our staff since 2017.Matt received a B.S. degree in Bible and Christian Education from Cairn University (then PCB) and his M. Div. from Grace Theological Seminary. Matt and Leslie enjoy hiking, biking, canoeing and being with their 4 children and 7 grandkids whenever possible. On long winter nights Matt can be found streaming detective shows on Netflix, playing with his model trains or, now and then, immersed in a good book.
John Elcock
ELDER
John has been involved with ministries at Grace Chapel since moving into the area in 1980 - youth ministry, worship team, short term missions, singles, teaching adults, and serving on several leadership teams. One of his favorite passages of scripture is Jeremiah 32:27 “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?”.
John leads Great Faith Vision - a faith based, all volunteer, eye care non-profit. He enjoys traveling and camping with his family. John and his wife, Karen, have 4 adult children.
Phil Gehrman
ELDER, CO-CHAIR
Phil has been involved with ministries at Grace Chapel for the past 18 years. Those include small groups, youth ministry and community outreach.They were attracted to this church because of its commitment to God’s Word as the basis for all we do, and the welcoming environment that has led to the development of strong relationship and a sense of community. His favorite scripture is Proverbs 3:5,6. Phil is a clinical psychologist and professor at the University of Pennsylvania. He enjoys spending time outside with his family, going for walks, riding bikes or tubing down the Brandywine River. Phil, and his wife, Christine, have 2 teenaged children.
Dave Hosan
ELDER
Dave has been involved in Grace Chapel ministries since moving to the area in 1985 - teaching children and adult classes, ministering with small groups and serving on several leadership teams. His favorite passage to reflect on the majesty of God is Isaiah 40. He is self-employed, working in property management/maintenance. Dave enjoys working with his hands on projects around the house and all opportunities for family gatherings. He has always enjoyed playing sports, but these days that is mainly limited to occasional golf outings with adult children or tossing a ball or frisbee with the grandkids. Dave, and his wife, Terry, have 10 children and 14 grandchildren.
Glenn Harper
ELDER
Glenn came to faith in Christ at 12 years old. Through the humble, godly teaching of youth group leaders, he developed a love for God's Word that has prevailed throughout his life. Glenn came to Grace Chapel 30 years ago and has been involved in teaching God's Word in Adult Bible Fellowship classes and small groups. He has also served on the Elder board on a prior rotation. Glenn, and his wife, Linda, have 3 children and 1 grandchild.
John Spadafora
ELDER
Grace Chapel became John’s home church in 1979 when he began as part-time Minister of Music. He then served as an Assistant Pastor/Minister of Music, and then Interim Pastor. before he and his family went to Italy where they lived and served the Italian church for 18 years. Since returning, he has served at Grace Chapel in volunteer roles as an elder, teacher, Global Outreach leader, small group leader and a musician in the worship arts ministry. He continues to work remotely on the home staff of Crossworld, a mission sending agency, where he has worked since returning from Italy. As hobbies, he enjoys studying theology of all sorts, most kinds of music and walking the Perkiomen trail with his wife, Diane. John and Diane have 3 adult children and 3 grandchildren.
Elder Qualifications
“The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church? He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.” 1 Tim 3:1-7
Elder Leadership
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Elder Responsibilities
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Elders are primarily concerned with the ministries of the Word and Prayer (Acts 6:4; 1 Timothy 3:2).
So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. (1 Peter 5:1-3)