Meet the Leadership

New Hope, like all Presbyterian churches, is led by a group of elders, spiritually mature men who work together to shepherd the congregation. The pastor is also an elder and a member of this team. We are currently without a full-time pastor, though we are actively searching for one, and have several candidates we are considering very seriously. All of these men are happy to serve you in any way they can and answer any questions you may have about the church.

Francis VanDelden

Hi! I’m Francis VanDelden, the pastor at New Hope. I hope you’ve enjoyed perusing our website, and invite you to meet us in person. Here’s a brief history of our family:

My wife Laura and I hail from Hamilton, Ontario (Canada). We met in our church youth group, although nothing happened until years later (I’m “a little” older than her -but she’s wiser). I completed my undergraduate studies in Classics at McMaster University in 1995. While operating a Fish & Chip restaurant franchise from 1997-2002, I got to serve as a chaplain at a children's summer camp. God used this chaplaincy role to call me into the ministry, so I enrolled at Westminster Seminary California.

After graduated in May 2005 with a Masters of Divinity, Laura and I got married. :) We moved to Grand Rapids, MI, to begin serving as the associate pastor there. We spent five and a half years there, and absolutely loved it -rich in grace, the gospel, and a lovely church family. During that time our house was divided - we were given three American daughters: twins Samantha Joy and Emma Grace (2007) and Jessie-Lynn Hope (2010). What a privilege!

Early in 2011 the Lord in his wisdom called us to serve at New Hope. New Hope has quickly become a dear home to us, reminding us of Harvest in its love for the gospel and for one another. We look forward to exalting and growing in Christ here in Frederick, and invite you to join us.

Karl Koops

Karl was born in 1955, is married to Kathy and has 3 grown sons. Their home is near Myersville, MD where Karl enjoys hunting, making hay, raising beef and riding horses. Originally from Denver, CO, he has lived near Myersville for the last 21 years. Prior to that, he and Kathy also lived in VA and SD. Karl’s education includes a B.S. in Recreation and a M.S. in Therapeutic Recreation. As his education suggests, he is an outdoor enthusiast and enjoys a variety of sports and recreational activities. He has owned and operated HealthFirst Enterprises, Inc., a small business specializing in CPR and First Aid training for the last 16 years and prior to that, he worked many years in a variety of human service settings such as mental health, recreation, adult daycare and corrections. He has served as an elder with New Hope for the last 4 years and is currently the Session’s moderator.

Tom McClellan

Elder Tom McClellan was originally ordained a deacon in 1994 and served until being ordained a ruling elder in New Hope Church in 1999. He is a proud dad to teenage son, Tyson and has been happily married to his wife Terry since 1984. A land surveyor by trade and a civil engineer by education, he served with the U.S. Navy, both active and civilian, for 16 years, in private practice for 10 years, and he currently serves as a civil engineer/project manger with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Jim Seiler

I was converted to Jesus Christ when I was twenty-eight years old, and have had the privilege of serving the Lord in some capacity since that time. At New Hope Church, I served several years as a Deacon, and now as an Elder. My dear wife Nancy and I have three grown sons and eight grandchildren. I retired in 1996 from the Federal Agency, N.I.S.T. My hobby is flying radio controlled miniature aircraft.

Steve Hake

Steve is a lit professor at Patrick Henry College in Purcellville, Virginia. He is an avid reader, and enjoys hiking and sailing. He and his wife Faye have been married for 35 years. They have nine children, four of whom are married, and seven grandchildren. Steve is a teaching elder at New Hope who does some of the teaching and preaching. He is a Westminster Seminary graduate, ordained in the OPC. He served as an OPC foreign missionary to Taiwan from 1977 through 1996.