Staff and Leadership
Rev. Stephanie Kaper-Dale
has been a senior co-pastor here at the Reformed Church of Highland Park since 2001. Originally from Michigan, she is a graduate of Hope College, Princeton Theological Seminary and Rutgers University Graduate School of Social Work. Stephanie was initially drawn to RCHP by its community-minded nature. She has been happy to see the community within the church grow stronger and stronger even as the church connects with the community around it. Stephanie's other calling in life is parenting three children.
Rev. Seth Kaper-Dale
has co-pastored RCHP since 2001. He is a graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary, and spent formative time in Ecuador and India before coming to RCHP. Seth and wife/co-pastor Stephanie Kaper-Dale have three daughters. Seth co-founded Who Is My Neighbor? Inc. (HP community development agency), started RCHP-Affordable Housing Corporation and spearheads much of the Immigration work of the church.
Rev. J. Amos Caley
is the Pastor of Worship and Faith Engagement. He is a graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary and the Rutgers School of Social Work. Aside from his love for music and conversations on faith-in-action, Amos is committed to the work of building coalitions and programs to address social and political injustice, particularly in the criminal legal system. He is the Abolition Campaign Senior Fellow for Salvation and Social Justice. Amos and his spouse Sarah are also the proud parents of three young kids.
Pastor Amanda Calderón
is the Ministry Associate for South River. Amanda is a graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary. She has 7 years experience working with youth primarily through positions in churches and public schools. She is passionate about being an advocate for women of color and the Latinx immigrant community as a whole.
Rev. Henny Rumagit-Poluan
is an RCHP Minister of Pastoral Care and the primary pastor to the Indonesian church members. She joins Pastors Stephanie and Seth to specifically provide pastoral care in the Indonesian language to a growing Indonesian membership within the church, and to assist the pastors in helping to link Indonesian congregants to the overall life of the church. Prior to joining RCHP staff, Rev. Henny served a church in New Jersey from 2002-2011. She is a graduate of Tomohon Theological Seminary in Indonesia. She has been married to her husband James for 19 years and they have three children.
Keiko Kereh
is the Ministry Associate for Youth and South River Worship. She is a graduate of Lancaster Bible College and received her B.A. with majors in Worship Arts and Biblical Studies. Prior to becoming part of staff, Keiko has been an active member of the church since 2013. She loves to serve God and God’s people, and is passionate about how God works through music and through the young leaders of our church. Aside from her ministry, Keiko values spending time with her family and friends, dodging a volleyball, or trying out new local restaurants!
RCHP Consistory
RCHP is led by an elected group of elders and deacons who together form the Consistory. Consistory members serve for 3-year terms, and we have 7 elders and 7 deacons. Elders tend to focus on spiritual ministries of the church (pastoral care, worship, fellowship, etc.), while deacons tend to have their focus on the needs of the world, as well as the material needs of congregants.
Current Board of Elders
Jodi Bischoff
Amanda Bruehl
Margaret Guercio
Anna Laycock
Justan Mitchell
Sandy Russell Jones
Aidan Selmer
Nicci Spinazzola
Current Board of Deacons
A.J. Boyd
Anthony DiGrigoli
Madison Fisher
Joe Livingston
Pauline Lloyd
Austin Morreale
Wendy Nussman
Megan Shook
Elder Patrick Beckford
is the RCHP Ministry Associate for Pastoral Care. He
was born in Falmouth, Jamaica and migrated to the USA in 1981. He attended St. Joseph College in Kingston, Jamaica where he met his wife Dorett. They have been married since 1984 and have two children – Patrese and Darnelle. Patrick graduated from Bloomfield College (Logistics/Material Management) after serving in the US Navy. Most recently he attended New Brunswick Seminary Certification (Theology) classes and has completed two years of Clinical Pastoral Education at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. A network engineer by profession, Patrick has a passion for ministry and service. He has served as the Jamaican Diaspora Leader for the US North East and as President of the Classis of New Brunswick.
Lisa Berman
is the RCHP Administrative Assistant.
Lisa graduated from Rutgers with a B.A. in English Literature and Women’s Studies. She began working at RCHP in August 2009 and currently serves as administrator for both the church and the Affordable Housing Corporation. Lisa has lived in Highland Park for 20 years. She’s married and has two daughters, Emily and Jaclyn, both graduates of Highland Park High School. Lisa’s smile is the first welcome that many people receive at RCHP. You also might see her walking around town with her cute little dog Coconut!
Derek Cannon
is the Gospel Choir Director at RCHP. Derek was born and raised in the church where he developed his passion for the things of God. From the age of three he had a God given ability to sing which helped to deepen his love for the things of God as he found music and singing were ways of praying to and connecting with. In June of 2014 Derek married the love of his life Allen Bryant AKA Chad and is proud of they fact that they are able to worship God together in a place of love and affirmation. He is grateful for the ability show the world that you can be gay and worship God knowing that God loves you just the way that you are.
Carrie Dirks, is the Human Resources Specialist for RCHP, providing policy oversight, training, and consultation. She has more than 20 years’ experience in nonprofit administration, and holds a SHRM Senior Certified Professional Certification (SHRM-SPC) from the Society of Human Resource Management. Carrie is also the proud mom of two boys.
Harry Pangemanan
is the Minister of Facilities at RCHP. He ensures that the 3,000 people who use RCHP each week are given hospitality by entering a building that has carefully-maintained facilities. In addition, since Hurricane Sandy, Harry has taken on the added responsibility of coordinating the volunteer side and the project side of our Disaster Relief efforts. Harry is married to Yana, and they have two daughters.
Carl Phillips
first joined RCHP as the accompanist and chancel choir director in 2011 until 2016, before returning in 2021. He is a graduate of the Mason Gross School of Arts at Rutgers University and later served in the Peace Corps in Zambia as an educator. He currently works at the International Rescue Committee in Elizabeth, NJ as a casework supervisor for refugees and other immigrants. In addition to RCHP, Carl stays involved in music as a pianist and music director for community theater productions.
Meghan Pirri
is the Children’s Ministry Associate at RCHP. She is a graduate of Rutgers and Kean University and is a teacher at Saint Paul’s School in Princeton. She has been a teacher for 17 years and taught Sunday School at RCHP when her children were younger. Meghan works to foster and support the faith development of the children in our church. She strives to create a learning environment where children can discover and deepen their relationships with God, each other, and our congregation.
Carol Turner
is the RCHP Ministry Associate for Care. She is a
long-time resident of Highland Park and a member of RCHP for the past ten years. As Ministry Associate for Care, Carol provides consultation to RCHP leadership and helps to coordinate programs and services for Retirees.
Rev. Franco P. Juricic, 1966-2019,
was the Ministry Associate for Spiritual Care and Leadership Development. RCHP lost a dear pastor and friend on March 6, 2019. In memoriam we keep Franco listed on our staff page.
Franco graduated from New Brunswick Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity in 2017. He retired from corporate America in May 2018 to devote himself to ministry full-time. Franco helped newcomers and long-standing members find opportunities to grow and to serve within the life of our church community. He also led The Table (fellowship, bible study and worship) on Sunday evenings. Franco coordinated confirmation class and provided pastoral care as needed. He also led the Stephen Ministry program at RCHP. As a 10-year survivor of pancreatic cancer, Franco served as Mission Chair for the NJ Affiliate of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. He and his wonderful wife, Jacquelyn, are blessed with awesome teenage twins.