Church Staff & Board Members

Get to know HOPE's Staff and Board Members

Church Staff

Reverend Ronald A. Brown

Reverend Ronald A. Brown

Senior Pastor

Pastor Ron Brown has been serving Hope Evangelical Lutheran Church since March 2003. He has been a rostered pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) in the Southwestern Pennsylvania (SWPA) Synod since being ordained in June 1999. Pastor Brown earned his bachelor’s degree in sociology from the California University of Pennsylvania in 1995 and a master’s degree in divinity in 1999 from the Lutheran Theological Seminary of Gettysburg. He and his wife, Brenda, an elementary school teacher in the Seneca Valley School District, have two daughters – Nicole Grace and Molly Ann. They reside in Cranberry Township, PA. In his spare time, Pastor Brown loves to spend time with his family, read books, and enjoy all that the Pittsburgh Area has to offer especially the Penguins, Pirates, and Steelers.

“My practice of ministry is simply to lead by example striving to be a faithful disciple of Jesus living out His teachings in my life.” 

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

Brittany Kellar

Brittany Kellar

Office & Finance Manager

Brittany Kellar started at Hope Lutheran Church in February 2021. She makes sure the day to day financial operations of the church move along efficiently; making sure your contributions are going to the causes you care about. When Brittany isn’t working on excel spreadsheets and accounts payable, she loves spending time with her family as well as keeping up with her musical talents and offering them to various churches in the area. 

Brittany lives in Harmony (literally and figuratively) with her beloved “Bobbys” – her husband Bob and son Bobby – and her two precious rescue puppies, Fischer and Fonzi.

Lamentations 3:22-23: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness.

Jill Sherwood

Jill Sherwood

Director of Youth and Family Ministry

Jill has been at Hope since December 2019, and has been involved in ministry with children, youth, and families since she was in high school.  She attended Waynesburg University and has a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Service Administration. She lives in Cranberry Township and has two dogs, a six pound peke-a-poo named Moxie, and a 115 pound Doberman named Neptune. Jill loves to read, shop, and attend craft shows with her Mom and sister, Lori.  She is very excited to be at Hope!  It is always an adventure to meet new kids and their families! 

Jill’s favorite verse:  
Psalm 100:3
Know that the Lord is God.  It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.” 
Chase Upchurch

Chase Upchurch

Director of Music

Chase is a trained vocalist and educator whose passion lies in using his God given musical gifts to deliver God’s message of salvation to God’s people. Through the divine hand of God, Chase joined Hope’s team as the Music Director in March 2020. Chase comes to Hope with 4 years of prior music ministry experience and a bachelor’s degree in music education from Slippery Rock University. Chase is a trained vocalist and educator who enjoys using his gifts to help others connect to God through music. In his spare time, Chase loves to compose music, bowl, and most importantly spend time with his wife, Lauren. It is Chase’s true desire that the music that he offers will comfort the lonely, strengthen the broken, and bring God’s light to the lost through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Life verses: Matthew 11: 28-30
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Reverend Robert Zimmerman

Reverend Robert Zimmerman

Transitional Associate Interim Pastor

Pastor Robert  Zimmerman graduated from Westminster College in New Wilmington, PA in 1979 with a BA in Elementary Education. In 2001, discerning a call to full time ministry, he served as Synodically Authorized Minister at St. John “Stone Church” north of Harmony while attending classes part time at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.  In 2004 Zimmerman began full time studies at the Lutheran Seminary at Gettysburg in The summer of 2005 was spent in Supervised Clinical Pastoral Education as a chaplain intern in the Pittsburgh Veterans Healthcare System.  His internship year in 2005-2006 was spent as vicar here at Hope Lutheran in Cranberry Township.

Pastor Bob’s first call was to St. Luke’s Lutheran in Westview in December of 2007.  In 2015 he was called to St. John in Mars where he served until retirement in April 2021. For 2022 and 2023 he served as the transitional interim pastor for St. John’s Lutheran Church of Perrysville. He has served as chairperson of the SWPA Synod Committee on Outreach and is currently a member of the board of directors of Lutheran SeniorLife.

His wife Carol is retired also, from a career as a pension actuary. Carol currently serves as the treasurer here at Hope Church and is an active musician, playing clarinet in several local bands and substituting for organists at area churches. Zimmerman’s hobbies include swimming, sailing with friends, and reading. Both are members of Hope, and enjoy time with their five grandchildren and traveling. 

Emily Meloni

Emily Meloni

Office & Communications Administrator

Emily Meloni started at Hope Lutheran Church, April 2018. She is the church’s office and communications administrator. Her duties include, but are not limited to: answering the phones/door, putting together bulletins, weekly spirits, power points, etc. She is also lead of the church calendar, baptisms, weddings and funerals, facility requests, and any other communication pieces of the church. Emily has grown up in the church as her father is a Pastor outside of Philadelphia, PA. She lives in Monaca, PA with her husband, Shawn, her son, Lucas, her two dogs Hayley (a coonhound beagle) Skye (a blue heeler), and many salt-water fish. On her free time, Emily loves to be outdoors with her family: hiking, riding quads/dirt bikes, fishing, camping, watching airplanes, etc. If you ask Emily what her passion is she would tell you it is being around people! She loves to be social and talk to everyone!

Emily’s life verse:
Matthew 21:22 “If you believe you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer”!”

Beth Wehr

Beth Wehr

Organist

Beth has always loved music and has served as a church organist since she was 16 years old.  She enjoys learning the stories behind the hymns of our Christian faith and the people who wrote them.  She is very thankful, and gives God all the glory that she can still play after having brain tumor surgery in 2008.  One of her favorite quotes is from J.S. Bach –  “I play the notes as they are written, but it is God who makes the music.”  Beth lives in Evans City with her husband, Rob and their dog, Cassie.

Lauren Upchurch

Lauren Upchurch

Digital Media Coordinator

Lauren joined Hope’s team as the Digital Media Coordinator in March 2023. She attended Westminster College, earning two degrees in Communications and Vocal Performance, and went on to study at Youngstown State University, earning her Masters in Vocal Performance. She lives in New Brighton with her husband, Chase, and their three furry friends- August, Oliver, and Babbles. Lauren attended Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Greenville while growing up, and has always enjoyed being involved in services and Bible studies.

Life verses:

Psalm 121:1-2 “I lift my eyes to the hills– from where will my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.”

Operations/Mission Board

Todd Kane

Todd Kane

President - Operations Board

Les Aloi

Les Aloi

Vice President - Mission Board

Judy Buccini

Judy Buccini

Secretary - Operations Board

Carol Zimmerman

Carol Zimmerman

Treasurer

Elizabeth Bauer

Elizabeth Bauer

Mission Board

John Blough

John Blough

Mission Board

Jeff Karcher

Jeff Karcher

Operations Board

Barb Pezze

Barb Pezze

Operations Board

Donna Pfeiffer

Donna Pfeiffer

Mission Board

Bryan Sandmann

Bryan Sandmann

Mission Board

Jon Vogel

Jon Vogel

Operations Board

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