Calvary Chapel Cary | Pastors and Staff

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Pastors and Staff

Senior Pastor

Growing Up
Military Service
Meeting the Lord
The Call

Growing Up

I was born and raised in Philadelphia as the son of a single parent. My mother was a hard working woman who managed to send my brother and I to Catholic school. I attended Catholic school into high school, though I never saw the need for a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

At the age of 9, I began a life that revolved around the use of drugs. Through elementary and high school, used drugs every day, even going to school under the influence. I was expelled from Catholic high school and attended public school for my last two years.

By the grace of God, I graduated high school on time. Although I honestly didn’t remember those years, I do remember that upon graduation I could read, but I couldn’t comprehend or remember what I read. By this time, my whole life revolved around drugs.

Military Service

In 1979, I joined the U.S. Navy and became a hospital corpsman, although for the first three years, I continued to use drugs. I was ordered to attend drug rehab, of which I successfully completed, under false pretenses.

After accepting Jesus as my Lord and Savior, I was shipped off to Okinawa, Japan and stationed with the Marine Corps. In 1990, I received orders to Operation Desert Storm and went to El Jubal, Saudi Arabia.

Upon arrival, we were placed in an airplane hangar with 2,000 other Navy and Marine service mebers. I remember placing my seabag alongside my cot, grabbing my Bible and standing on a trash can yelling out, “In 30 minutes I’ll be teaching a Bible study at the light post, anybody want join me?”

I was surprised, 40 men and women joined me in my first Bible Study in Saudi Arabia. I continued to teach everyday for the duration of my duty there. Through a special program in 1992, I left active duty after 13 years of service, only to receive, to my surprise, a calling from God to North Carolina in 1995.

Meeting the Lord

On Jan. 23, 1982, I was invited to a church revival by a street preacher, who I came across on a Saturday morning. To ensure that I attended the revival, the preacher suggested that he would go wherever I went that day until the revival that evening.

I tried to help him understand that it was not a good idea. Unknown to him, I wasn’t planning to go to the revival, I wanted to party, and get high out with my friends who were just like me. So I tired to get rid of him, but was unsuccessful.

That night, I was sitting in the pew and heard the preacher say, “If there is one who would desire to give their life to Jesus Christ, get out of your seat and come down the aisle." The Holy Spirit lifted me out of my seat and I went down that aisle and gave my heart to Jesus Christ.

I was changed, new, born again and finally free. Free from sin, free from drugs, free from the bondage and chains that were holding me. My life was different. I saw the world through different eyes.

The same day I gave my life to Jesus, I met my lovely wife to whom I have been married for 27 years.

The Call

After leaving active mililtary duty, Elvira and I began serving in Calvary Chapels in Southern California. In 1995, we moved to North Carolina and began the very first Bible study in an apartment complex in Morrisville with 17 people.

We continued to grow and moved the Bible study from Tuesday evening to Sunday morning in a double-wide trailer with an attached garage in the Carpenter community near the Chatham County Line.

With continued growth, we relocated to a building adjacent to a gas station in downtown Cary. We use to laugh that you could fill up your car and go right next door and get your fill spiritually. From there, we moved to our current location. God has done beyond all that we could ask or think.

One of my favorite quotes: “I’m just a nobody, trying to tell everybody, about Somebody, who can change anybody." I’m a witness and a living testimony. What He’s done for me, He can do for you.

Assistant Pastors

Jeff Rudd
Assistant Pastor

Wife: Deb
Hometown: Yanceyville, N.C.

The seeds of salvation were sown in my life while growing up in rural North Carolina; however, it wasn’t until I was living near Rochester, N.Y. that I surrendered my life to Jesus.

I had been living as a chameleon – someone who behaves one way around church folks and another way around everyone else. That false way of life led to a lot of confusion and sin.

In a pure act of God’s grace, He brought me out of that lifestyle and into a living relationship with Jesus Christ when I wandered into Calvary Chapel of the Finger Lakes.

After moving back home to Yanceyville, N.C., my wife and I ventured 70 miles from our home to Cary to see a new Calvary Chapel plant. The worship was real and the message was biblical. Upon leaving, Deb said, “You know, it really isn’t that far,” and we’ve been making the trek ever since.

Pastor Jeff is a full-time missionary with Free in Christ Prison Ministries, working at two prisons in Caswell County.

Jim Mercendetti
Assistant Pastor

Wife: Melissa
Hometown: Rochester, N.Y.

I came to the Lord later in life after many years of worldly living. I was involved in alcohol and drug abuse, which lead to marital problems including seven years of separation from Melissa.

As I realized what a mess my life was, I started searching for answers as to why I was so empty and lost.

A good friend of mine shared the Gospel with me and explained salvation, grace and the importance of having a relationship with Jesus. I gave my life to Jesus a short time later.

Melissa saw the change in my life and started coming to church with me. Soon, she gave her life to the Lord and He restored our lives and our marriage.

After receiving the Lord, I attended Calvary Chapel Westside in Rochester. My children later moved to the Raleigh area. When we would visit them, I had the pleasure of attending Calvary Chapel Cary.

We loved the area, the church and Pastor Rodney’s teaching. In 2000, the Lord opened the door for us to move here.

Pastor Jim oversees church administration as well as the marriage ministry and counseling. He also provides oversight for the men's, prayer, cafe, ushering and greeting ministries.

Johnny Rivera
Assistant Pastor

Wife: Sheri
Home: Puerto Rico

At 17, I moved out of my parents’ home in Puerto Rico and headed to New York. I had a void in my life that I tried to fill with many things; one of which was bodybuilding.

I met my wife in college while I was training for a bodybuilding competition. We became workout partners and began dating. One day, we visited my cousin and he shared the Gospel with both Sheri and me.

That night, we both gave our lives to Christ. We then began attending Calvary Chapel East Side in New York and were married six months later.

Several years ago, we felt the Lord leading us to move to North Carolina. It was a real step of faith in that we were to leave everything familiar and step into the unknown.

We sold our house in New York and came to “spy out the land.” During our visit we looked for a job, a house and a church. When we visited Calvary Chapel Cary we knew we had found a new family and church home.

Pastor Johnny oversees missions and biblical counseling as well as the hearing impaired and Spanish ministries. He also teaches the Wednesday evening service.

Matt Dalton
Assistant Pastor

Wife: Amanda
Hometown: Oklahoma City, Okla.

I grew up going to church every time the doors were open. So, I knew a lot about Jesus, but I didn't know Him.

During my teen years and my early twenties I ran as hard as I could from the Lord, but in August 1996, I finally quit running and gave Him my life.

For the last 14 years, I've been trying to follow where He leads me, and to live my life according to His Word. Every day, I realize more and more just how awesome He is and how I need Him more and more.

Amanda and I ended up at Calvary Chapel Cary one Sunday, almost on a whim. Halfway through worship, I looked at my wife, who had tears in her eyes all morning, and said, "this is where I want to raise our family." It was home from day one.

Pastor Matt leads worship for the Wednesday evening service, and oversees the Calvary Cares and Education Ministry.

Nelson Henry
Assistant Pastor

Wife: Moya
Hometown: Philadelphia, Penn.

After graduating from college, I felt a real sense of emptiness in my life. I was 21 years old and in a new career in a lucrative industry.

However, I could not escape the feeling that my life lacked purpose and meaning.

Over the next year, I began to visit churches and heard the Gospel preached several times, but I was too frightened to publicly accept Jesus by walking down the aisle.

One day while I was at a retreat, I finally confessed that I could not get close to God and that I desperately needed Him. I asked Him to come into my life, and Jesus revealed Himself to me.

After attending Calvary Chapel Philadelphia, I had grown accustomed to solid verse-by-verse Bible teaching.

When I was relocated to the Triangle, I found CC Cary on the Calvary Chapel Web site. After attending one service, I knew that I had found my church home.

Pastor Nelson oversees financial and business administration matters for the church as well as the Young Adults Fellowship.

Nick Armogida
Youth Pastor

Wife: Candace
Hometown: Raleigh, N.C.

I grew up not believing in God. During my teenage years, my life began to reflect the spiritual darkness that was in my heart.

I gave myself over to the use of drugs, music and empty relationships in order to avoid the emptiness that came from a lack of God’s presence in my life.

In November 2001, God revealed Himself to my heart in a church service I attended with a friend.

Shortly after that service, I gave my life to Him. I had been forgiven of my sins and could enjoy the freedom and blessing that can only come from knowing Jesus Christ.

In Spring 2002, my walk with the Lord improved greatly as He led me to this church where the Bible is taught so clearly and completely.

Pastor Nick oversees both the youth and children’s ministries.

Ron Drake
Assistant Pastor

Wife: Trina
Hometown: Raleigh, N.C.

I became a Christian at my grandmother’s church in Holly Springs when I was nine years old. As I grew older, my walk with the Lord became distant.

My wife and I both rededicated our lives to Christ not long after we started attending Calvary Chapel Cary.

We found out about Calvary Chapel Cary from a relative who had been attending a Calvary Chapel in Maryland and recently moved back to Raleigh.

She found Calvary Chapel Cary and invited us to go with her. We knew the Lord was moving us to start going back to church. We were excited by the verse-by-verse teaching as well as the diversity of the church.

It’s been 12 years, and we are and have been blessed to be here serving the Lord.

Pastor Ron oversees and manages the facilities of Calvary Chapel Cary.

Staff

	Elvira Finch Leader of Women's Ministry and Bookstore
	Michelle Fontaine Administrative Assistant
	Rodney Finch, Jr. Buildings and Grounds
	Shannel Finch Reception
	Clare Wilcox Children's Ministry