Ministry Team

Jeanne Modderman

Children's Ministry

Jeanne and her husband Chris started attending Pearl Church in 2005 and love being a part of the Pearl Church Family. Jeanne, who was born and raised in Portland, decided to move to New England to as a professional nanny for SEVEN children while she pursued her degree in Early Childhood Education. She loved Boston, but she missed her family, and the Northwest. So she returned to Portland to work as a lead teacher and family advocate for a non profit agency serving families in North and Northeast Portland. She is now proud to be a stay at home mom with her 1 year old son, and is excited to be working with the babies of the Pearl Church family. In her free time, Jeanne loves entertaining in her home and exploring Portland with her family and friends.

Olive Rubio

Children's Ministry

Olive has been attending Pearl Church since the summer of 2007. She has worked with young children for many years and has cultivated a passion for helping them become life-long learners. After graduating from San Francisco State University, she taught kindergarten while continuing school to get a Master of Arts degree in Early Childhood Education. She loves reading historical novels, watching period films, and sharing meals with good friends. She currently works as a regional director for an educational services organization and serves as the age group coordinator for the 3-4 year-olds at Pearl Church.

Matt Benz

Children's Ministry

Matt is a native of Portland and has been attending Pearl since 2001 with his wife Elizabeth. During High-school, Matt and Elizabeth were both part of a youth group led by Mike Roth, who also performed their wedding ceremony. Matt currently works as a Sales Manager for an Internet Marketing Company and loves working with children. He and Elizabeth have one child of their own, a daughter named Allie. Matt loves love all types of sports and games (anything with competition) and regrets regularly losing at golf to John Ross.

Stacy Payne

Children's Ministry

New to Portland and searching for a place to worship, Stacy and her husband John visited Pearl Church and were so warmly welcomed that they decided to make it their church home.  Since graduating from college Stacy has worked with children and youth for many years, most recently serving as Children’s Ministry Director at a large church in the Minneapolis area.  She is the proud mom of two great kids-Alex and Paige.  Stacy loves cooking, wine, books, dancing and seeing every Broadway musical that comes to town.  She currently works as Communications Director at the Northwest Chinese Academy. She is excited about serving as age group coordinator for 8-11 year olds at Pearl! 

Amy Rapp

Event Ministry Leader

Amy Rapp began attending the Pearl in 2004 and has loved the people and the church ever since! She grew up in Portland and then left for a few years to sunny California and fun Chicago. Coming back to Portland in 2000 was a great choice to be around family. Married in 2007, she and her husband Toby enjoy entertaining friends and family and have just bought a home perfect for this. Toby’s a fabulous cook and more than willing to prove it if you’d like. She is looking forward to seeing you at one of the upcoming Pearl events.

Bruce Schuman

Finance Ministry Team Leader

Bruce was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and received his Bachelors of Business Administration Degree in Finance from New Mexico State University.  He has been a Finance Controller for Intel Corporation since 1994.  Bruce moved to Portland in 1996, learned to cope with the slightly different weather than the Southwest, and now gladly calls Portland home.  Bruce will be married to Cody Martin on 7/12/08 and is looking forward to this next chapter of life.  He loves to read, loves his friends, and loves to travel.  Bruce held several ministry and music leadership positions at Sunset Presbyterian Church before joining Pearl in its early days as a home church in 2002. 

Thomas Hwang

Home Group Ministry Leader

Thomas has been at Pearl Church since 2007 shortly after moving to Portland to join the staff of the Oregon Health and Sciences University.  As an introvert with deep convictions for Christian community who moved across the country 5 times in 10 years, he is convinced that small groups are the most important means to build life-giving relationships.  He is excited to stay in Portland and foster those life-giving relationships through the home group ministry at Pearl.  In his spare time, he enjoys playing the violin, both in classical and contemporary settings, and loves playing for worship at church.

Abby and Karl Coppock

Home Group Ministry Leaders

Abby and Karl, both having prior connections to the Pacific Northwest, moved back to Portland in May ’08 from Chicago. They visited Pearl Church soon thereafter and quickly sensed it was a group with whom they would be excited to journey. The home group ministry is a natural fit for the them because they see great value in the connections and growth that happen within the context of these groups, and they’re especially eager to partner with and encourage the home group leaders. They’re also growing in their understanding of prayer and are considering how it might contribute to the home group ministry. Abby and Karl appreciate almost anything that gets them outdoors – camping, hiking, swimming, gardening, tennis, fishing – as well as cooking and enjoying food with friends.

William Waterman

Men's Ministry

William and his wife Rae came to the Pearl in 2007.  William was drawn to the sense of genuine community at Pearl. He was excited to learn of opportunities for leadership in men’s ministry. Currently, he oversees Men’s Spiritual Formation Groups, a one-year discipleship track based in the classical spiritual disciplines. William is motivated to partner with groups of guys who seek to look more like Jesus.  He enjoys his work as a life coach as well as gardening and swimming.

Bill Dolan

Men's Ministry Leader

Bill Dolan moved here from Arizona in May of 2005 and found the Pearl Church in the summer of 2008. He graduated from Westmont College which is much better than Multnomah Bible College. He is great at finding reasons to ride his bike and his favorite thing to do is spend time with his wife Brynne because she is the most beautiful woman in the world. His hope is to see men at the Pearl church laugh, worship, confess and grow together in Christ.

Cory Bindner

Men's Ministry Leader

Cory has called Portland home since 2004. Having moved around all his life, he is excited to call the Pearl Church his home and looks forward to (as Pastor Mike says), “growing old together.” Cory has found such an abundance of love and support from the people at Pearl, that he can’t wait to give back what he has learned to other men. Under current assignment as men’s events coordinator, Cory brings his passion for seeing men create new bonds through the abundance of activities Portland has to offer. Flying, mountain biking, motorcycle riding, and serving others are just a few of the many activities he enjoys.

Justin Martin

Men's Ministry Leader

Justin Martin was born and raised in Oregon. He was away from Portland for about 10 years on various adventures in the south and abroad but finally returned home unable to stay away any longer. Justin earned his B.A. in Religion/Government Law at Liberty University and his J.D. at Willamette University College of Law. His Portland law practice consists of Business and Taxable Estate Planning, Real Estate, and General Litigation. Justin enjoys leisure time always on the move, especially salsa dancing.

Rob Hawthorne

Outreach Ministry, Partner Missionaries

Rob Hawthorne grew up in San Luis Obispo, California, and met his wife Monique, aka Mo, while studying architecture at Cal Poly State University. He now works at a local architecture firm. Rob and Mo have been attending the Pearl Church since 2005 and Rob has been serving on the Outreach Ministry team since 2007. He became the Outreach Ministry coordinator in 2008. He enjoys spending time with his wife, eating good food, watching movies, and traveling when he can. 

Monique Hawthorne

Outreach Ministry, Partner Organizations

Monique (aka “Mo") has been attending Pearl Church regularly since summer 2005. After growing up in Central California and graduating from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (where she met her husband Rob), Mo moved to Portland to attend Lewis and Clark Northwestern School of Law in 2003. She now practices real estate and environmental law focusing on sustainable development. Her desire to motivate people to action has led her to be a part of partner ministries at the Pearl. In her spare time, Mo enjoys spending time with her husband while exploring global cuisines, debating philosophy and politics with friends, watching movies, and playing music. If you ever find yourself debating with Mo, don’t forget that she’s just having some fun. 

Andy and Heidi Dryden

Outreach Ministry, Short Term Missions

Heidi and Andy have attended Pearl Church since they married and moved to Portland from Honduras in August 2006. Heidi worked for 3 years in Honduras with a non-profit development organization where she was responsible for hosting short-term mission groups within the organization. Andy spent a year in Honduras assisting with the groups and updating project designs. Because of their strong interest in short-term missions, they are now overseeing the Short-Term missions aspect of the outreach ministry. Their goal is to help better prepare people for mission trips (culturally, spiritually, and emotionally), as well as encourage the body of the Pearl to remain aware and involved in the rest of the world. Click here to find out more about short-term missions at Pearl Church.

Melissa Monner

Oversight Team Member

Melissa visited the Pearl Church in 2004 and was attracted to the “priesthood of believers” being affirmed in the worship service.  Her love for writing, reading and the church drew her to be involved with liturgy.  She was born and raised in Oregon along the Willamette River, where she worked in her family garden planting rows and rows (and rows) of potatoes.  Melissa works at OHSU and enjoys gardening and the feel of freshly tilled soil, the sight of new spring growth, and the kiss of a summer breeze.

Matthew Fausto

Sound Team Leader

Matthew visited Pearl Church in 2004 because his girlfriend, now wife, was a member.  He enjoyed the small, family atmosphere.  A short time after he joined the church, he was approached to help out with running sound for the church.  An engineer by trade, he enjoyed learning the technical aspects, and it wasn’t long before he began leading the ministry.  Matthew has enjoyed teaming with and mentoring the other sound volunteers.  Originally from Maryland, Matthew likes seeing the sights around the Northwest and spending time with his wife and two young daughters.

Tanya Heilman

Women's Ministry

Tanya came to fellowship with Pearl Church in 2002. She spent time on prayer team, and in children’s ministry as a volunteer before leading her home group for a season. In the midst of personal failure and repentance, Tanya has been a living testament to the healing power of God’s grace in community at the Pearl Church. She attests to the fact that Jesus sticks closer than a brother, and embodies His Body at Pearl Church to be that glue. Now, Tanya leads the Care and Prayer circle team in Women’s Ministries. Her desire is to come along side women in crisis to offer consistent prayer and resources for restoration and felt needs. She loves listening to Radiohead, poking fun at anyone who leave’s themselves vulnerable to a witty remark, and watching LOST Wednesday nights at 9pm/7CST.

Michelle Peel

Women's Ministry

Michelle came to the Pearl in 2001 when the church first began meeting in the Pearl District and instantly fell in love with the ministry and authentic community found within.  She has been a part of our small group ministry, serving as a small group leader, and a part of our women’s ministry team, where she currently serves on our women’s spiritual formation team.  She has a deep desire to see women grow and mature in their faith—To learn what it means to love God and to love as He does has been an ongoing aspiration. Along with her two triplet sisters and one older sister, Michelle grew up in a small town in Texas. She moved to the Portland area in 1996 to attend Multnomah University where she graduated with a BS in Women’s Ministry and Biblical Languages in 2000.  She is currently pursuing an MA in Ministry Management at Multnomah Biblical Seminary and plans to graduate May 2010. She loves being with family and enjoys ATV riding in the dessert, reading, deep relationships, missions work and the space to always be growing and learning more.

Karen Howells

Women's Ministry Leader

Karen has been a part of Pearl Church since 2004, helping build the women’s ministry, which she now facilitates. She and her husband, Rob, have 2 children and regularly host church functions at their home. Karen works as a consultant, having established her own firm, the Howells Group. Her work “bringing business to life” has overflowed into Pearl Church in the form of our LifeDesign classes which Karen helps facilitate.

Visit Karen Howells's Website

Heidi Hege

Women's Ministry Leader

Heidi grew up in a rural Southern Oregon town. Favorite past times from there include swimming in the beautiful North Umpqua River, driving up the mountains for target practice and performing in local dance recitals.  She moved to Portland in 1999 to attend Multnomah Bible College and graduated with a degree in Bible & Theology and Youth Ministry. Heidi has been part of the Pearl Church family since 2002. Heidi and her husband Chris have enjoyed cultivating their small yard, mountain biking and relaxing with their two kitties: Sophie and Tigger. Heidi & Chris lead a Home Group and Heidi currently is a part of the women’s ministry team.

Kristin Jones

Women's Ministry Leader

Kristin has been attending Pearl Church regularly since fall of 2005. Born and raised in California, Kristin moved to Portland to attend Multnomah Biblical Seminary in 1995 for the one year biblical graduate program. Kristin has worked in the commercial real estate field the last 13 years managing renovation projects and leasing office space. Besides a three block commute, her favorite thing about attending Pearl Church is the church’s willingness to wrestle through complex issues. She serves on the women’s ministry team and has a special compassion for believers who are dealing with addiction and grief. In her spare time, Kristin loves to read, decorate, spend time with friends and have some kind of creative project in the works.  She also has a special place in her heart for 70’s disco music! 

Jacqi Rodriguez

Women's Ministry Leader

A native Oregonian, Jacqi grew up just outside of Portland. After earning her degree in psychology at Trinity Western University in British Columbia, she and her husband moved to Portland and joined the Pearl community in 2007. Her passion for fostering discipleship among women, as well as affirming and empowering women to use their gifts in the church, has led her to be a part of the women’s ministry team. Jacqi works from home with her husband, Boone, in their photography business. Philosophical discussion, reading, gardening, cooking, and watching period films are a few of her favorite hobbies.