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PASTOR EDWARD walshExecutive directorEd Walsh is a recipient of God’s amazing love, grace, and forgiveness for which he is eternally grateful. Ed began serving as Executive Director of EFC-ER in August 2023 after serving as the Director of Church Health and Director of Finance and Administration from November 2017 to July 2023. Before moving to Canton, Ed was the Pastor of Administration at Pathway Church in Beaver Falls, PA, from 2002 to 2017 and as the Executive Pastor at Morningside Church in Port St. Lucie, FL, from 1988 to 2002. He earned a Master of Arts in Religion from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, IL and a B.S. in Accounting from Miami University in Oxford, OH.
Ed treasures family moments with his wife, Brenda, their three daughters and sons-in-law, and four grandchildren. Ed and Brenda also thoroughly enjoy soaking up God’s creation on their many bicycle rides! |
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PASTor Matt Chesnesdirector of multiplicationPastor Matt Chesnes has served as Director of Multiplication for EFC-ER since August 2024. Matt brings a wealth of pastoral ministry experience having served at Morning Star Friends Church for 20 years. Prior to that Matt served for 16 years at Pelham Friends Church. He also has a tremendous passion for missions, having served on EFC-ER’s Mission Board and participated in mission trips around the world including Japan, Jamaica, Brazil, and India. He recently orchestrated three All Nation Worship services that included eight different ethnicities.
Matt has been married to Janice for 30 years and together have three grown children, Nick (& Sarah), Jacob (& Megan) and Rachel, a Labradoodle and a Goldendoodle. They enjoy playing pickleball, condo-camping, and kayaking. Their prayer is “to display His glory” (Isaiah 61:3) |
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PASTOR JEFF BARTOLETDirector of Leadership DevelopmentJeff Bartolet has been serving on the Leadership Development
Team since August 2021 and stepped into this role in January 2026. He returned to his hometown in northeast Ohio in 2023 following 18 years of service as pastor of Hunter Hills Evangelical Friends in Greensboro, NC. Prior to his time at Hunter Hills, he was a recruiter for both Malone University’s graduate programs and Asbury Theological Seminary after pastoring in several NE Ohio churches. Jeff earned a BS in Chemistry from Mount Union and an MDiv from Asbury. Sherri and Jeff have four adult children; Royce (& Jake), Bryant, Zephan (who resides with them) and Zayna. They enjoy investing time outdoors; gardening, landscaping, and hiking trails with their mini-aussie doodle, Scout, anywhere in God’s beautiful creation, but with special appreciation for the Blue Ridge Mountains. Jeff is humbled, yet eager to serve this remarkable fellowship called Friends of Jesus! |
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Pastor ANDY BLACKDirector of Finance & administrationAndy Black joined the EFC-ER team in July 2023 in a part-time capacity as our Director of Finance and Administration team. He continues to serve as the Worship and Administrative Pastor at First Friends Church in Salem, OH, where he has been on staff since 2010.
He and his wife Amy have been married since 2012 and love traveling and going on adventures with their two daughters, Betta, and Lana. Andy enjoys making music, playing sports, and swimming with his girls. |
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Pastor Matt McGovernDirector of Church HealthPastor Matt McGovern joined the Church Health Team in 2023 and recently accepted the invitation to serve as the Church Health Director in August of 2026. Matt was called into ministry after a successful business career and started his professional ministry with Young Life as the Lycoming County Area Director. After Young Life he answered a call to pastoral ministry and served as the Family Life Pastor at Hughesville Friends Church in Hughesville, PA for 11 years, and most recently served as the Lead Pastor at Trinity Friends Church in Van Wert, OH for the past five years.
As Matt's pastoral call has become more defined over the years he found himself thriving in environments of Soul Care ministries, which is why he focused his Seminary degree on Pastoral Counseling (Master of Arts In Christian Ministry From Rawlings School of Divinity/Liberty University), and is a certified Spiritual Director and Certified Sabbatical Coach. Matt also enjoys coming alongside other Friends Pastors through his role on the EFCER Ministry Coaching Team. Matt has been married to his lovely wife Amy for 29 years and has three young adult children, Ben (& Julia), Laura, and Hannah. He enjoys the outdoors, especially kayaking, fishing, and hiking and he juggles, does wood carving and plays pickleball. He has an eclectic assortment of sports teams he follows and enjoys the razzing he gets from such a strange combination (Steelers, The Ohio State Football, Yankees, Detroit Red Wings!). |
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Pastor Samuel NavarroCOORDINATOR OF HISPANIC MINISTRIESPastor Samuel Navarro joined the EFC-ER staff in August of 2023 as our Coordinator for Hispanic Ministries! Pastor Samuel lives in Philadelphia, PA with his wife, Iris, and daughter, Katherine, where he has served as the Pastor of the Philadelphia Amigos since 2018 and led the church in a period of significant growth. After experiencing healing from a congenital bone disease that caused more than 150 fractures in his body, Pastor Samuel was called into ministry at the age of 14. He served in music ministry, youth ministry, international evangelism, and as an associate pastor in Los Angeles before coming to Philadelphia.
Pastor Samuel writes that his "passion is to fulfill God's purpose with his life; he loves to work together with others in the kingdom of God fulfilling the Great Commission ordered by our Lord Jesus Christ." |
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Pastor bruce bellchurch connectionsPastor Bruce Bell joined the EFC-ER staff as our Church Connections (Pastor) in August 2023. He lives with his wife of 45 years, Judy in Grove City, Ohio, and has four grown children and seven grandchildren. He retired from full-time ministry in 2021 after serving for over four decades in the pastorate. He most recently served at Friends Worship Center in Columbus (2003-2021), after pastoring at Goshen Friends (1983-2003). He also served at Martinsville Trinity Friends as Youth Pastor (1981-1983) and Poland Bethel also as Youth Pastor (1977-1979). During those years, he and Judy have also enjoyed serving on a few boards and committees with EFC-ER.
Since retiring, Bruce and Judy have been traveling to promote the Practical Ministry Certificate for the Leadership Development Team and Malone University. They have really been blessed getting to catch up with many churches, pastors and parishioners as well as getting to know many new faces. They look forward to this new opportunity to serve the Lord and build His kingdom. |
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Pastor dennis peterschurch connectionsPastor Dennis (Denny) Peters joined the EFC-ER staff as our Church Connections (Pastor) in January 2026. Dennis will serve in the role of Church Connections for the Virginia district. Denny brings a wealth of experience in pastoral ministry in EFC-ER and resides in the area.
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Marie haginAdministrative AssistantMarie began working with EFC-ER in October 2017. She is currently managing the database, mailings, and working with our churches and pastors when assistance is needed. She and her husband Kenny, Senior Pastor of Malvern Community Church, have been married since October 1984. They enjoy taking day trips, motorcycle rides, and reading. Marie’s hope for EFC-ER is to see continued growth in our churches.
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Sarah HancockCommunications CoordinatorSarah began working as our Communications Coordinator in May of 2023. Sarah and her husband Gabriel served the local church for 13 years in Mid-America Yearly Meeting before moving to Ohio. They are now a part of Canton First Friends Church where Gabriel leads as Worship and Family Pastor. Sarah and Gabriel have been married since 2007 and have four kids who all love to hike, bike and travel together. Sarah has a heart for discipleship and loves to come alongside others to listen and encourage them as they find and follow Jesus. She will help serve through her gifts of graphic design, creative work, communications and staff support.
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