who we are
Jesus tells us that He is the Good Shepherd who cares for His sheep; His sheep know His voice and they follow Him.
He also appoints under-shepherds to guide His Church and serve as overseers of the flock. We have pastors, elders and deacons who have committed to love Jesus' sheep and tend each one.
Pastor Jerry arrived at Grace in January 2020. He has served as church planter, interim pastor and missions pastor at churches across the country, and he is ordained with our denomination, the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). Jerry, with his wife Stacey, has shepherded churches in North Carolina, Indiana and now Maryland. Jerry and Stacey are parents to eight children, with three now in college. Their family has called Indiana home for seven years, and they were excited to join us at Grace in January 2020.
Nick came to Grace EP in 2016 to lead the youth and family ministry. He served as a youth director/Bible teacher at a church and a Christian school in NC two years before coming to Grace. Originally from the Chicago area, he has lived in a variety of places (Illinois, California, Iowa, North Carolina, and now Maryland). Sunday is his favorite day of the week because we come together to hear God speak to His people and we respond in prayer, praise, and worship. It's a weekly "family reunion" where we are transformed more and more into the image of Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18).
Nick earned his BA in Theology from Moody Bible Institute and MDiv from Westminster Seminary, California. He's an avid baseball fan (go White Sox!), reader, podcast listener, and coffee drinker. He's married to his college sweetheart, Kirsten. They have a daughter Abigail and a chocolate lab named Luther.
Christy Chalfant
Office & Communications Manager
office@graceep.org
Christy came to work at Grace in 2017, having managed office relations for twelve years in the Baltimore area. She has served ten years on worship teams in the Chesapeake Bay community, including our worship team at Grace. Christy has a BS in Biological Sciences from University of Maryland Baltimore County. Raised in Davidsonville, she returned to the area in 2004 and lives with her husband and their cat, Luna. She enjoys classic movies, biking, working out with her sister and Sunday dinners with local family.
officers of the congregation
ELDERS
Teaching Elders
Jerry Straight, Senior Pastor, Moderator of the Session
Nick Stalnos, Assistant Pastor Youth and Families
Ruling Elders
Neal Allen '19
Bill Cooper '20
Philip Mahaffey '21
Michael Moriarty '19
Jeff Shields '20
Steve Weber '21
James Wooddell '22
DEACONS
John Perry, Chair '20
Michael Austin '21
Matt Chwastyk '21
Dale Enzor '22
Dan Little '21
Tim Tasker '20
Sean Tavalozzi '20
Tristan Van Amber '22
