Pastors and Elders

Jeremiah attended Liberty University and pursued a nursing degree as he was advised it would help make mission work more available in various possible foreign fields. He graduated with a B.A. in Nursing (2003) and a Master of Arts in Religion (2006). He experienced a call to be a Lead Pastor and attended Dallas Theological Seminary, where he graduated with a Th.M. in 2012.
Jeremiah was a Senior Pastor in Colorado for 5 years.
Jeremiah has been married to Samantha for 18 years. They met in grad school, and she is a part-time writer and editor for Bayside Community Church in Bradenton, FL. They have four children. John is 15, Rebekah is 13, Hannah is 11, and Will is 10 years old.

Jeremiah's objective is:
"To honor God and love people by sharing my spiritual gifting, knowledge, and pastoral skillset within the local church and greater cultural context for the purpose of connecting people to the life-changing love of Jesus Christ and calling believers toward deeper devotion to the Gospel mission."

Michael has served as a lay pastor for over 20 years before coming to First Evangelical Free.  During that time he worked in Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico, mainly in United Methodist and Disciple of Christ congregations.  He was responsible for a variety of ministry teams including worship, music, technology, youth, hospitality, and pastoral care.
Additionally, he taught for 17 years in public education as a choir director.  He began that experience in Roswell, New Mexico, at Goddard High School before moving to Texas where he worked in several different south and east Texas schools and at Stephen F. Austin State University.
Michael has been married to Kim for almost 40 years and they have seven children, Leighanne, Jordan and Will, Nate and Shelby, Olivia, and Philip, adding two from marriage.  He enjoys playing music, hiking, working outside, walking every day with his wife, Kim, and making and eating anything with flour.
Michael likes to say, “I thank God every day for the gift of repentance that makes us able to align with the God of creation”, and he "desires to know God and make Him known through the person of Jesus."

Robert is retired from White Sands Missile Range after 40+ as an Electronics Engineer serving in the civil service.
Robert has been married to the same wonderful wife for 46 years & has 3 children &
8 grandchildren, all living here in Las Cruces NM.
Robert has been involved in the First Evangelical Free Church since 1975 and has served in a variety of ministry positions including mid-high and adult Sunday
school teacher, deacon, trustee, treasurer, church chairman, choir member. and also served as the founding Bible Study Fellowship teaching leader in Las Cruces for 10 years.
Robert enjoy all sorts of outdoor activities but particularly enjoys exploring the desert in his Polaris RZR side-by-side.

Josh Klima started attending FEFC in 2021. He has served as one of worship leaders since 2023 and joined the elder board at the beginning of 2024. Josh is a Las Cruces native and works as a System Engineer for SAIC. He married Courtney in 2001 and they have 5 kids. His interests are playing music, photography, sports, and dirt biking.

Peter has lived in Las Cruces and been a part of First Evangelical Free Church since 2013 and married his wife, Abigail, in 2021. Currently working as part of a startup, he enjoys technology, connecting thoughts and people, and the satisfaction of solving problems. Born in Honduras and fluent in Spanish, he enjoys the unique border culture in Las Cruces.
In his spare time Peter enjoys being outdoors, hiking, camping and any excuse to be in nature.
 

After coming to faith in 1971, Gary began in youth ministries with the Christian Service Brigade at Calvary Bible Evangelical Free Church in Boulder CO from 1974 to 1978, and later at First Evangelical Free in Las Cruces from 1980-1987. He became a deacon in 1992 and later church chair in 2001 and again in 2008.
Gary met his wife, Mary, at Intervarsity Fellowship in 1978 at Univ. Waterloo in Canada, and married her 1980 in Toronto, Ontario. They have a daughter Abigail and son-in-law Peter Fowler.
 

Mike’s goal when he was 8 years old was to be either a pastor or a hotel manager. He has accomplished both of those goals at various points in his career. Currently, he works in hospitality and loves serving the body as an Elder. Mike and his wife, Laurel, have been married since 1995, have attended FEFC since 2005 and have two daughters. Mike has a passion for loving Jesus and helping others know and love Him too.