dec through...   our ministries

ADULT MINISTRY

John Wiswell, Adult Minister.  Phone: (603) 868-1027 ext. 202 email:

 Ministering in a Christ Centered Church that actively cares for people; Adult ministries desires to bring in and build up people to full Christian maturity by meeting there five basic needs that fulfill the Great Commission.  These needs are: Spiritual, Physical, Emotional, Intellectual, and Relational.  These needs will be met through the following ministries: Small Groups, Christian Life Skills, Search For Significance, Men’s Ministry, Women’s Ministry, Educational Resources, Membership Seminar, Celebrate Recovery Ministry (Developing).

ASSIMILATION TEAM (Ushers & Greeters)

Sharyn Bartlett, Team Leader.  Email:

(Ushers, Greeters, Information Centers, Hospitality, New Member Orientation and Ministry Referral)

The Assimilation Team’s mission is to support our DEC family and ministry teams and to bring Glory and Honor to our Lord, Jesus Christ.  Hebrews 10:24 describes our goal “and let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds”.

• The ushers, greeters and information center volunteers create a welcoming atmosphere for visitors and our Dec family.  They are the undercurrent of our Sunday morning services…anticipating people’s needs and extending outstretched hands and warm smiles.

• The Hospitality Team ministers to us on Sunday mornings with hot coffee and munchkins offering a time for fellowship and meeting with our visitors.  The Hospitality Team also provides many blessings to our staff, members and those interested in becoming members through various venues all year long.

• Once a person joins our DEC family, our New Member Orientation Team encourages them to join us in ministry and participate in an atmosphere for spiritual support and growth.

• The Ministry Referral Team offers opportunities to people to join ministry teams and/or discover new areas of service as the Lord leads.   Our team serves to help our DEC family and all those who join us to worship, grow spiritually and serve our Lord in ministry together.

CHILDREN'S MINISTRY TEAM

Sue Spinney, Children's Minister.  Phone (603) 868-1027 ext. 203 / email:

Proverbs 4:5 states “Learn to be wise, and develop good judgment.”  It is the desire of the Children’s Ministry Team to partner with parents in the spiritual training of their children by leading them to a saving faith in Christ; teaching them the precepts and truths of the Bible, to give them a firm foundation so that they may truly make godly decisions for their lives. We will be encouraging the children to participate in God’s work here at DEC utilizing their gifts, talents, enthusiasm and energy to glorify God by serving Jesus and others.

For more information on our wonderful Children's Ministry Efforts, please visit our web page.

COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION (DEC-CIA)

Lisa Malvey, Team Leader.  Phone: (603) 868-1027 x 207 / email:

Our Mission is to honor God by understanding & communicating the heart of DEC and its ministries to their intended audiences. To provide communication and support the spreading of God’s Word and those who are carrying it forward.  We believe our commission by the church is, ultimately, to serve as DEC's information highway - to provide a common, unifying voice from the pastors and teams to the church body and the surrounding community; to increase organization, accuracy, timeliness and effective delivery of DEC's message with the goal of contributing to the building of Jesus' Kingdom.

Areas of service include: Media Development-Publishing-Relations, Reporting, Graphic Design, Photography, Videography, Web Development and Management, Sermon Audio & Visual recording & uploading, IT Development and Support

FACILITIES TEAM

Jeremiah Cady, Team Leader.  Email:

The facilities team in a ministry of and for the church where members contribute their time and work experience to help in the repair, maintenance, of the buildings and grounds. Sometimes it is helping paint a room, pull weeds, or construct some project for another ministry team. The facilities team is a way for those who like to serve and don’t mind getting their hands dirty once in a while helping keep costs down by doing some of the work without having to hire it out. It can be a blessing for individuals, small groups of families to get together in a project and serve the Lord and the congregation.

MARRIAGE & FAMILY LIFE MINISTRY                             

Carl Kindstedt, Team Leader.

The M&FL ministry seeks to help build strong, healthy marriages and families reflecting the life, love and power of Jesus Christ to our community. "Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain." Psalm 127:1  We seek to provide Biblically based education through mentoring,  small group relationships, and one-time events focused on the various aspects of marriage and parenting as God desires, and provide further fellowship opportunities in which the family of DEC may participate and invite non-believers. This year we are restructuring the team into three subgroups (Marriage Mentoring, Parenting, General Events) to be more efficiently focused and organized as we plan and prepare for pre-marital and early married mentoring, parenting small group studies, retreats, workshop seminars and recreational opportunities like camping and apple picking. This restructuring will open the door for more individuals and couples to contribute their gifts and heart to DEC's Marriage and Family Life team. We look to join efforts with other ministry teams at DEC to coordinate events that will reach the Men, Women, Children and Youth of the church and community, encouraging consolidated scheduling of busy calendars, and empowering families to choose lifestyles that glorify our Lord.

GLOBAL OUTREACH TEAM

Molly Torrey, Team Leader.  Email:

The Global Outreach Team exists to: facilitate the sending and caring of DEC missionaries, educate those remaining behind regarding their responsibilities and challenge the church to be concerned about the work of God around the world. We have recently asked the Board of Elders to help us in fine-tuning the purposes and goals of the GOT. This year we will be developing written policies to help guide us through the many decisions we make regarding missions strategy, support requests and missionary care. We are always seeking new ways to build global awareness.

MOPS (MOTHERS OF PRE-SCHOOLERS)

Anne Cady, MOPS Coordinator.  Email:  

MOPS stands for Mothers of Preschoolers (birth through kindergarten), an international support network of women who share the common bond of pre-school age children.  MOPS exists to meet the needs of every mom - urban, suburban and rural moms, stay-at-home and working moms, teen, single and married moms - moms with different lifestyles who all share a similar desire to be the very best moms they can be! MOPS recognizes that the years from infancy through kindergarten are foundational in a mother-child relationship and are filled with unique needs.  MOPS meet twice monthly to give moms a time to get out, meet new friends, support and share ideas with other preschool moms, participate in discussion groups and craft projects, and listen to special speakers. Child care is provided. 

For more information on dec-MOPS, please visit our web page or contact mops@durhame.org.

SMALL GROUP MINISTRY

Small Groups are at the heart of Christian growth at DEC. These home-based groups are located all over the region and meet weekly for Bible study and prayer. It is here that we connect with others from DEC and provide support and encouragement to one another to grow spiritually and in the unity of the faith. Are you interested in joining a small group?  CLICK HERE and fill out our new online request form.  After your submission, a Small Group Coach will contact you and be your personal guide to getting placed into a group.  If you are interested in learning more about this ministry, send an email with your contact information to and a Small Group Coach will contact you directly.

WOMEN'S MINISTRY

Grace Carlson, Team Leader.  Email:

DEC’s Women’s Ministry serves to connect our sisters to God, and one another.  Through opportunities to gather in prayer, study, fellowship, crafts and fun events, we seek to grow the bonds between us while we support each other in our walk with Christ.  All women of all ages are encouraged to become involved with our ministry activities and learn the special relationship God has with His daughters.

WORSHIP MINISTRY

Chris Clough, Worship Minister.  Phone: (603) 868-1027 ext. 204 / email:

DEC’s Worship Team is dedicated to calling our world to worship. To that end, we are focused on helping the church connect with God in worship, and to inviting and introducing non-believers to the presence and the person of Jesus.

In the coming year, we hope to pursue these goals by

• emphasizing the inestimable worth of God at DEC

• encouraging DEC’s growth in biblical, whole-hearted worship

• developing services that are inviting to the unchurched

• expanding our reach beyond DEC’s walls

And may God get all the glory at DEC!

YOUTH MINISTRY

Tom Froning, Youth Minister.  Phone: (603) 868-1027 ext. 205 / email:

What is it that every teenager is looking for? Succeed in learning this and we find a very real, deep and personal need in every teenager’s life. In youth ministry, we use the phrase that states concisely the answer to this question, “every teenager is looking to ‘know and be known’.” Simplified, every teenager has a need to be known by someone, and know someone. The Bible calls this fellowship. Biblical “fellowship” has nothing to do with doughnuts; it is rather a “partnership,” a joining not easily dissolved (if at all). We see this in the fellowship that Jesus has with the Father. We see this in the fellowship that that we have with Jesus through his blood. So we see God’s desire for believers to have fellowship or partnership, to “know and be known”. Our hope, prayer and goal is that through our efforts, kids will join in fellowship with Christ, join in fellowship with other believers, and invite other students to join in that fellowship with Jesus. There are many obstacles….but our faith is one far greater.

• The Jr. High Youth Main Event (7^th and 8^th grades) meet on Friday nights from 7:00pm – 9:00pm and currently consists of over 30 kids from more than 5 schools.

• Our Sr. High Youth Real Life (9^th -12^th grades) meet Sunday nights from 6:00pm – 8:00pm in the youth room.  This program is currently 50 kids strong with 6 leaders encouraging and challenging the kids to a greater faith that reveals itself through the choices they are making.

For more information on our Youth Ministry, please visit our web page.