Dennis Caruso was born in Brooklyn, NY, raised in Queens and Long Island, eventually moved to Maryland and attended Salisbury State College. At age 19, God called him out of darkness and into new life. After meeting his wife Laura at Knox OPC, Dennis and Laura moved to Mt. Airy in 1980, and were part of the church plant of New Hope, and raised their two (now adult) daughters at New Hope. Dennis served many years as a deacon, and, although he loved being a deacon, God repositioned him into some shepherding responsibilities, and, thus, into the position of elder at New Hope.
Steve Hake is an avid reader and enjoys hiking, sailing, windsurfing and kayaking. He is a widower with nine children, six of whom are married, and twenty-four grandchildren. Steve functions as a teaching elder at New Hope. He is a Westminster Seminary graduate, ordained in the OPC. He served as an OPC foreign missionary to Taiwan from 1977 to 1996.
Tim Howell and his wife Nancy have been members of New Hope since 2022 having previously been members of Carlisle RPC in PA. They have been married for 43 years, live in New Market, MD, and have three married daughters and 11 grandchildren. Tim has served on the Deacon Support Team, the Welcome Team, and co-leads the Pilgrims Table Growth Group. Tim is a retired Federal Government Senior Executive, subsequently served as a Senior Lecturer in Engineering at Messiah University for five years where he participated in several short-term mission trips to Kenya and continues to volunteer as part of their Engineering Collaboratory Program, currently helps their oldest daughter and son-in-law in their crane business perhaps indicating a failure to fully transition into retired life, and enjoys woodworking in his spare time! Both he and Nancy have seen God's faithfulness as He has worked in and through their lives and look expectantly to the great things He will do at and through New Hope to further His Kingdom!
Dave Myers grew up in the Frederick area and, at 13, professed faith in Christ during a lay-witness weekend outreach at his church. He went on to attend Frostburg University, where he was strongly influenced by InterVarsity and, after he and Dawn married, they served with Wycliffe Bible Translators in Quebec among the Montagnais people. In 1996, they came to New Hope after completing a counseling degree at Colorado Christian University. Their six kids have all been involved at New Hope at some point. Since 1996, Dave has been working in the counseling field, meeting with couples and individuals in a counseling practice in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. Dave believes that his role as an elder provides accountability that enables him to sharpen his focus and be more consistent in caring for the body at New Hope.
Joel Poortenga grew up as a pastor's kid in western Canada, coming gradually to embrace Christianity for himself throughout high school. He met his wife, Katie, at college in the Chicago area, and they got married in 2003. They both care deeply about God's church, and love being part of a body where people love God and his truth, love each other through practical service, and reach out to the community. Katie grew up in Taiwan in a missionary family, and Joel has participated in numerous short-term mission trips as well. Joel and Katie have seven children, and they live in Charles Town, WV. They have been a part of New Hope OPC since 2016.
Steve Hake is an avid reader and enjoys hiking, sailing, windsurfing and kayaking. He is a widower with nine children, six of whom are married, and twenty-four grandchildren. Steve functions as a teaching elder at New Hope. He is a Westminster Seminary graduate, ordained in the OPC. He served as an OPC foreign missionary to Taiwan from 1977 to 1996.
Tim Howell and his wife Nancy have been members of New Hope since 2022 having previously been members of Carlisle RPC in PA. They have been married for 43 years, live in New Market, MD, and have three married daughters and 11 grandchildren. Tim has served on the Deacon Support Team, the Welcome Team, and co-leads the Pilgrims Table Growth Group. Tim is a retired Federal Government Senior Executive, subsequently served as a Senior Lecturer in Engineering at Messiah University for five years where he participated in several short-term mission trips to Kenya and continues to volunteer as part of their Engineering Collaboratory Program, currently helps their oldest daughter and son-in-law in their crane business perhaps indicating a failure to fully transition into retired life, and enjoys woodworking in his spare time! Both he and Nancy have seen God's faithfulness as He has worked in and through their lives and look expectantly to the great things He will do at and through New Hope to further His Kingdom!
Dave Myers grew up in the Frederick area and, at 13, professed faith in Christ during a lay-witness weekend outreach at his church. He went on to attend Frostburg University, where he was strongly influenced by InterVarsity and, after he and Dawn married, they served with Wycliffe Bible Translators in Quebec among the Montagnais people. In 1996, they came to New Hope after completing a counseling degree at Colorado Christian University. Their six kids have all been involved at New Hope at some point. Since 1996, Dave has been working in the counseling field, meeting with couples and individuals in a counseling practice in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. Dave believes that his role as an elder provides accountability that enables him to sharpen his focus and be more consistent in caring for the body at New Hope.
Joel Poortenga grew up as a pastor's kid in western Canada, coming gradually to embrace Christianity for himself throughout high school. He met his wife, Katie, at college in the Chicago area, and they got married in 2003. They both care deeply about God's church, and love being part of a body where people love God and his truth, love each other through practical service, and reach out to the community. Katie grew up in Taiwan in a missionary family, and Joel has participated in numerous short-term mission trips as well. Joel and Katie have seven children, and they live in Charles Town, WV. They have been a part of New Hope OPC since 2016.