Dean Dean Ward
Dean Ward
Lead Pastor & 15068 Campus Pastor
Email: deanward@comcast.net
Phone: 724-337-4837
What do I want people to say about me? “He loves God and loves people and is fulfilling his mission in life to help people on their journey back to God!”
Leslie and I started The River—A Community Church in 2004 with the dream of beginning a church for people who’ve given up on church, and a church that serves others and makes a difference in our community!
Leslie and I were married in April 1992! We lived where I grew up in Greensburg, PA for our first 5 years of our marriage, moved to Tupelo, Mississippi in 1997 for 5 years when I became a pastor. When we moved back home with our four children, we wanted to raise our family in New Kensington where Leslie grew up and we sensed God leading us to start a new church in our community!
Leslie and I started The River—A Community Church in 2004 with the dream of beginning a church for people who’ve given up on church, and a church that serves others and makes a difference in our community!
Leslie and I were married in April 1992! We lived where I grew up in Greensburg, PA for our first 5 years of our marriage, moved to Tupelo, Mississippi in 1997 for 5 years when I became a pastor. When we moved back home with our four children, we wanted to raise our family in New Kensington where Leslie grew up and we sensed God leading us to start a new church in our community!
I thank God for the opportunity to raise our family in New Kensington and am grateful for the opportunity to lead and serve God and others through The River!
Mark Helsel
Franklin Park Campus Pastor
Email: markhelselmail@yahoo.com
Phone: 813-335-6718
Mark has 29 years of full-time ministry experience serving churches in Ohio, PA and Florida. He is a Beaver County native by birth and a graduate of Geneva college with degrees in Youth Ministry and Broadcast Communications. He is also a graduate of Fuller Seminary in Pasadena, CA with a degree in Leadership. He loves playing back yard football, reading, soccer, movies, comics and hanging with his wife Megan and their family. He’s had articles published in various publications and was a national speaker for Youth Specialties. Mark has preached in churches, camps and retreat centers all across the USA and internationally.
Brian Baker
Associate Pastor & Youth Pastor – 15068
email: bsbaker76@gmail.com
phone: 724-594-7394
It’s hard to call what I do work because I love every second of it! Spending time with students and teaching them about Jesus is not just a passion of mine, it’s also a calling. I have been volunteering with students for many years, but now I am the Associate Pastor and Youth Pastor.
I am married to the most beautiful woman in the world, Corinne, who loves me more than I deserve. I also have two great kids, Noah and Jadyn who keep me very humble. Basically I am just a fun- loving bald guy originally from Lower Burrell now living in New Kensington.
I am married to the most beautiful woman in the world, Corinne, who loves me more than I deserve. I also have two great kids, Noah and Jadyn who keep me very humble. Basically I am just a fun- loving bald guy originally from Lower Burrell now living in New Kensington.
In addition to my ministry duties, I also spend my days working full time as a Mechanical Designer. I am a 1994 Burrell graduate and a 1999 Penn State University graduate. I enjoy designing mechanical systems, but my heart’s desire is helping students on their journey back to God. I love that God has called me into student ministry and that I get to serve along side my wife. E4:9 is constantly striving to be an amazing place for your students, and I can’t wait to meet them, spend some time loving on them, and helping them learn about and develop a personal relationship with Jesus.
Nicky Magnelli
Ministry Coordinator
email: admin@goriverchurch.com
Phone: 724-337-4837
I am truly blessed to have the opportunity to serve our church family and make a difference. I’ve been a part of The River since its very early days and have served on staff for almost 11 years now. I’ve had the opportunity to grow ministries such as Kids’ Closet and Week of Hope from their infancies to completion and now get to see our church enter an entirely new chapter.
Currently, I focus on coordinating the events and ministries in the church. I lead the Blessed Mamas group and co-lead The River Ladies. I love that we get to reach out to the 15068 community and bless the families and friends we continue to meet in new and exciting ways. I can’t wait to see what God has in store for us. I continue to run the office and couldn’t keep everything straight and organized without the phenomenal help of Sharen Brink, our amazing church secretary.
My husband, Antonio, and I welcomed our daughter, Angelina Meghan, to the world in January 2019. She lights up our lives. Angelina still spends plenty of time in the church office with me when she’s not in school, and I love that she gets to literally grow up inside of the church, surrounded by the church family who love her and will teach her to love Jesus and her community.
Jesse Davis
Worship Leader – New Kensington
Phone: 724-337-4837
Ryan Slye
Worship Leader – Franklin Park
Ryan leads the worship team at Franklin Park.
Zoee Menhart
Children’s Ministry Director – 15068
Email: Zoee@goriverchurch.com
Tiffany Peterson
Children’s Ministry Director – Franklin Park
Tiffany leads the children’s ministry at Franklin Park