ELDERS
JEFF STIVASONPastor Jeff grew up in Cochranton, PA. Raised in a Christian home, he came to faith at age 18. Through manifold losses the Lord graciously situated Jeff’s gaze on the abiding Savior. He is a gifted preacher and teacher and a compassionate shepherd and has been serving the Lord as a minister of the gospel since 1995. During that time, he has planted two churches, the most recent one being Grace RP Church, which formally constituted in January of 2010. He has a BA from Grove City College, an MDiv from Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary, an STM from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, and a PhD from Westminster Theological Seminary (Philadelphia). He also serves as Professor of New Testament Studies at the Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary. Jeff and his wife, Tab, have two children.
Jeff counts it a singular blessing to serve the Lord with so many gifted men, among them his one-time seminary professor Dr. Spear. Jeff has been the teaching elder at Grace since its inception in 2010.
JOHN DEGRAAFJohn grew up in Stow, Ohio. His grew up in a committed Christian family whose extended family were all part of the same Plymouth Brethren tradition. John turned from dispensationalism to reformed covenant theology as a freshman in college. He graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with a BS in electrical and computer engineering. He now works as a principal software engineer at NetApp. John and his wife Cheryl have been blessed with nine children.
He loves the family of Christ at Grace Church and wants to help others find joy in living faithful lives for Christ and His kingdom. He has been a ruling elder at Grace since 2013.
JOHN RYCEJohn grew up in the South Hills of Pittsburgh. He came to faith at age 23 in response to a Billy Graham movie. He has a BS in Health and Physical Education from Slippery Rock University and taught and coached at Blackhawk High School for 9 years. In 1981, he left teaching to start a new career as a State Farm agent. John and his wife, Fran, have two married children and three grandchildren.
John believes that his call is to minister to the saints at Grace RP, serving by leading, praying, and teaching. He has been a ruling elder at Grace since 2019.
MARK SAMPSONMark grew up in Murrysville, Pennsylvania. He was raised Episcopalian, converted at age 21 under John MacArthur’s teaching, and came to the reformed faith under R. C. Sproul. He holds a BS in Human Resources Management from Geneva College and a Master of Theological Studies with a Biblical Counseling Concentration from the Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary. After working 18 years for Taco Bell, Mark currently serves as the Director of Institutional Advancement at the Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary. Mark and his wife, Sharon, have one married daughter.
Mark believes true joy in the eldership is to see the lost saved and the saved growing in their love for Christ and his kingdom. He was installed as a ruling elder at Grace in 2021.
WAYNE SPEARWayne grew up in upstate New York and Western Pennsylvania. He came to Christ through the teaching of his father, who was a pastor, and publicly professed his faith at the age of eleven. He holds a BA from Geneva College, a Diploma of Theology from the Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary, a ThM from Westminster Theological Seminary, and a PhD from the University of Pittsburgh/Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. He served as pastor in Reformed Presbyterian congregations in Minnesota and California. He taught Systematic Theology for 35 years at the Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary, retiring in 2005. Wayne and his wife, Mary, have five children, twenty-eight grandchildren, and 30+ great-grandchildren.
He has been a ruling elder at Grace since its inception in 2010. He counts it a great privilege and responsibility to serve on the Session, and is thankful for the way the Lord has blessed and given growth to the congregation under Pastor Jeff’s leadership.
CALVIN TROUPCalvin grew up in grew up in Chippewa, Beaver County, Pennsylvania. He holds a BA in Speech from Geneva College and an MA and PhD in Speech Communication from Penn State University. He currently serves as the President at Geneva College. Calvin and his wife, Amy, have four daughters, four sons-in-law, and four grandchildren.
He has been a ruling elder at Grace since its inception in 2010.
CHRIS VILLIChris grew up in Elizabeth Township, Pennsylvania (suburb southeast of Pittsburgh). Although he grew up attending church, the Lord graciously saved him and changed his life when he was 23 years old. He holds a BS in Mathematics and an MS in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research from Penn State University, and a Master of Divinity from the Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary. He has been employed by FedEx Ground since 2000 where he enjoys his current role as Operations Research Principal. Chris and his wife Jennifer have been married since 2005 and have two sons.
Chris has been a ruling elder at Grace since 2013 and currently serves as clerk of session. He is humbled and thankful that he has been commissioned to serve Christ, the Great Shepherd, and His sheep.
DEACONS
ADRIAN ANGELOAdrian grew up in Pennsylvania and had a very traditional protestant upbringing but did not understand the doctrines of the faith, although he prospered in reading and knowing the things of the Bible. In his teen years, a good friend and mentor came to lead the youth in his church and took great pains to see that Adrian understand that being a Christian was not automatic. It was at Geneva College where he first encountered Reformed theology, a knowledge which grew over time. He and Mara were married in 2004. They have four children.
Adrian became a deacon in 2021. He desires to offer his service as a deacon to the church and all her various members, that he should learn by doing and by giving.
TOM MURRAYTom was born and raised in Huntsville, Alabama. Not raised in a Christian home, he came to faith by God’s providence at age 16, in the balcony of a Southern Baptist Church when a man shared the gospel one on one. Later in life, he came to better understand God’s truth through a few pastors who taught the Reformed view of Scripture. He graduated from The University of Alabama with a BS degree in Civil Engineering and has studied Mechanical Engineering at various graduate schools. He has worked for The Boeing Company for over 25 years.
Tom has one daughter. He is grateful to be redeemed by God, married to Lori, living in this beautiful part of the country, and to have a strong, nurturing church family at Grace. Tom became a deacon in 2023.
ROBERT MYRONIUKRobert, a native of Pittsburgh’s South Side, was brought up in the Roman Catholic tradition. His early experiences with Christianity were limited to sporadic church visits and CCD classes, leaving him relatively unfamiliar with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. After graduating from Slippery Rock University in 2006, a turn of events led Robert to enter the Teen Challenge drug rehabilitation program, which served as his first meaningful introduction to the Gospel and Reformed Theology and inspired a profound commitment to Christ and a strong calling to serve others. In 2021, Robert, alongside his loving wife and children, became part of the congregation at Grace.
Robert also attends the Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary, where he is exploring his calling into full time ministry. He became a deacon at Grace in 2023.
JORDAN OBAKERJordan grew up in Gibsonia, PA and was raised in a Christian home. His parents faithfully taught him to love God and His Word, of his sinful nature, of the plan of salvation which centers in Jesus Christ, and his own personal need of a relationship with Christ. Because of this faithfulness and the grace of faith, Jordan was enabled to believe to the saving of his soul at a young age and continues to persevere therein through the love of God the Father, the merit and intercession of Jesus Christ, and the abiding of the Spirit. Jordan graduated from Grove City College in 2008 and now works as a cybersecurity risk and compliance professional. He and his wife, Meredith, have three children.
Jordan is thankful to be serving Christ and His Kingdom in the ministry of mercy. Jordan has been a member at Grace since its inception in 2010 and a deacon since 2021.
