Elder Candidate
Ryan Chico grew up in the Valley graduating from Eastern Mennonite High School before attending Covenant College (Lookout Mountain, GA) where he pursued a degree in natural science. While at Covenant College, he met Heather, and they married in 2007. After getting married, they moved back to the Valley and Ryan worked in the operating room as a surgical technologist before graduating from JMU with a Masters in Physician Assistant Studies in 2013. He has worked as a PA with Sentara RMH Orthopedics since then. Ryan and Heather have 4 children, Bailey (9), Conrad (7), Carter (4), and Riley (6mo.).
Give us a brief history of when/how you came to faith in Christ.
I grew up in a Christian home and as is often prayed at baptisms, really don’t remember a time when I didn’t have some relationship with God. I recall first verbalizing my commitment to Christ at the age of 5 or 6 after asking my mom what it meant to be a Christian in the parking lot of the bread store in Norfolk VA. She told me it means you trust in the work of Jesus on your behalf, asking Him to come into your heart and change you, making Him the “boss” of your life. Of what I knew of God at that time, I remember reasoning, who wouldn’t want the all powerful God to be the “boss” of their life? I verbalized my commitment to Christ at that time. Through the rest of my childhood, my faith would define me to a large degree as I often saw the world in very black and white terms. My walk with the Lord has been characterized by His faithfulness to me as I have gone through periods of spiritual feast and famine over the years.
Overall, my testimony is one of God’s faithfulness in continually calling me back to Him and using His people to serve as guardrails in my life. Although I don’t have a dramatic Demascus road conversion, I see this as God’s mercy in sparing me from some of the pain and heartache of this fallen world. While I continue to struggle against sin daily, it is God’s faithfulness that is the defining feature as I look at my life, and I pray this is seen by the world around me as well.
What is your internal sense of call to the office? What do you love about the fellowship at Covenant Presbyterian?
Over the years, God has grown His grace in my life and produced an increasing desire to love and serve His people at Covenant Presbyterian. Growing up in the church, I have many fond memories and deep relationships with people here. From teaching youth Sunday school and working with the youth group as a young man to serving in nursery and leading home groups more recently (as an older man), God has increased my love for His people at our church. I have been humbled and challenged by His call to serve as an elder and look forward to growing more through the process. I love seeing people grow in the depth of their knowledge of who God is and what He has done for them.
What are few fun facts about yourself?
I enjoy sports (running, cycling, golf among others), especially participating in endurance sports. I love watching my kids pursue things they enjoy (sports, music, dance). As a PA in Orthopedics, I love helping people recover from their injuries and return to the activities they enjoy!
Deacon Candidate
Doug Frederick was born in Kansas but grew up in a military family which meant moves were frequent and spanned the country coast to coast. Doug met his wife Dawn during their freshman year at Viginia Tech at a campus ministry event. They married after graduation and continued the nomadic lifestyle as Doug pursued his 39-year career in both military (NAVY) and civilian (UPS) aviation.
They moved back to Virginia in 1998 and joined CPC in 1999. They are part of a 4-generation family that worships at Covenant. They have two married children; Dan Frederick (Jenn) and Kristen Shank (Bryce) and 5 grandchildren; Cora (9), Landon (8), Carson (7), and Levi and Ella (5). Doug and Dawn will celebrate their 40th anniversary this summer.
Doug recently retired from flying but his “international travel” continues as he drives the church’s “Happy Bus,” transporting our international neighbors to ESL ministry each week.
Give us a brief history of when/how you came to faith in Christ
Though I did not grow up in church, I was exposed to it during visits with my mid-west relatives. I knew it was important to them but didn’t understand how it all applied to me. Through God’s providence, I became friends with a group of kids in high school who invited me to attend Young Life (YL). It was at a YL retreat, just East of here, that I came to faith as the gospel was clearly explained. The Holy Spirit had opened my eyes and allowed me to see that the gospel truly applied to me.
What is your internal sense of call to the office? What do you love about the fellowship at Covenant Presbyterian?
Scripture calls us to come alongside our brothers and sisters who are struggling. I spent the first year of my retirement supporting my mother through terminal illness as well as supporting other family members and friends who were experiencing suffering and loss. I was grateful that the timing of my retirement allowed me to serve in that way. During that time, I was praying for opportunities to serve at church, opportunities that my job travels had previously prevented. I am grateful both to have been nominated for the office of deacon and for the diligence and care the session has placed on preparing nominees for office..
What are few fun facts about yourself?
If you ever see me in town with my arm around a woman other than the one pictured above, rest assured, IT’S NOT ME! I have an identical twin brother (Duane and his wife Debbie live in Harrisonburg). I enjoy riding the country roads on two wheels, camping, playing clawhammer banjo, and tinkering in my shop.
Elder Candidate
Isaac Hutchison grew up near Charlottesville, Virginia and attended James Madison University where he studied to be a high school history teacher. Isaac graduated from JMU in 2005 and taught in the public school system in Greene County, VA for twelve years. During that time he was a soccer coach and volunteer leader with Young Life. Kellie worked for Young Life in Richmond, VA and was introduced to Isaac in 2011. They dated long-distance for about a year and got married in 2012, after which Kellie moved to Greene County. For the first five years of their marriage Isaac continued to teach and Kellie worked for Young Life in the Charlottesville area. They moved to Harrisonburg in 2017 and Isaac changed careers to become a financial advisor with Old Dominion Insurance & Investments, his current employer. The Hutchisons became members of Covenant Presbyterian in 2018. Over the last seven years Isaac has served in nursery, children’s church, men’s ministry, as a men’s Bible study leader and as a home group leader. He and Kellie have two boys, Reid (9) and Caleb (7).
Give us a brief history of when/how you came to faith in Christ
I grew up in a Christian home and made a profession of faith at a very young age. Throughout my adolescent years I put a heavy emphasis on my performance and lived as though I needed to earn God’s favor. During a summer mission trip after my senior year of high school God helped me to understand the depth of my sin and the power of His grace in a new way. At that time, I put my faith in Jesus as my Savior and Lord.
What is your internal sense of call to the office? What do you love about the fellowship at Covenant Presbyterian?
I love Covenant Presbyterian Church and its people. I particularly appreciate the vast number of people that regularly serve the church and each other. I have enjoyed the opportunities to serve over the last seven years. I particularly enjoy settings where I get to facilitate discussions about how the gospel applies to everyday life. I have had the opportunity to help lead a Sunday School class several of the last summers and have been co-leading a home group for the past four years. These experiences are one of the reasons that I believe God has given me the spiritual gifts and talents to be a church officer. The prospect of serving as an elder in this specific congregation is exciting and humbling; and I am excited about it!
What are few fun facts about yourself?
In my twenties I went sky-diving, rafted on class five rapids in West Virginia, and skied on double black diamond ski slopes in Colorado. I am pretty tall (6’6”) and like that I can see across the whole sanctuary on a Sunday morning! I enjoy mountain biking as well as playing soccer and ping-pong. I am a fan of the Virginia Cavaliers and the Pittsburgh Steelers. I have driven a moving truck across the country twice. I think I’m pretty funny, and my kids disagree.
Elder Candidate
David Lee (35) grew up primarily in the suburbs of Cincinnati, Ohio. He moved to the valley in 2010 and studied geography at JMU. He is the Geospatial Information Systems Coordinator at Shenandoah Valley Electric Cooperative and Assistant Director of Appalachian Forest School. In 2015, David bumped into his now wife, Stevie, outside Shenandoah Bicycle Co., kicking off a 14-hour first date that included four generations of Shickels and ended with an awkward handshake. After marrying in 2017, David joined Covenant. He and Stevie began to serve in nursery, help with youth group, and David co-led a Sr. high boys’ bible study. The two continue with CPYG, but have stepped back from other ministries. They have two daughters, Jane (almost 3) and Maggie (3 mo), and one child they look forward to meeting in glory.
Give us a brief history of when/how you came to faith in Christ
I grew up in another denomination. As a teenager, I began to question the things I was expected to believe. Finding no sufficient answers, I left the church. The Lord protected me through a decade of wandering and sin, ultimately bringing me to a place of deep conviction and dissatisfaction in my mid-20s. I made a plan for how I would improve my life and before I took a first step, He moved my feet – like a marionette’s – in another direction. He lifted me out from my mire, showed me my wife, and surrounded me with earnest Christians. My questions from adolescence came back like I had never stopped asking. This time, Stevie gave me my first Bible, a copy of “The Reason for God,” and the people around me supported my wrestling. Over the course of a few months in 2016, the Lord refuted my arguments, quieted my doubts, removed my guilt from me, and satisfied my heart in Himself.
What is your internal sense of call to the office? What do you love about the fellowship at Covenant Presbyterian?
I have been loved well by this church and her members. That stems from the faithfulness of Christ through those He has called to lead and care for Covenant over her history. I was humbled to be nominated last year. Over the course of candidacy there have been a number of events and challenges competing for my attention and energy. I’ve struggled with feelings of insecurity and inadequacy, had sick family members, supported employees, welcomed a new child, and so on. When it has seemed reasonable to say no to pursuing this role, my answer has been yes. The more I learn about church office, the more I appreciate the officers who have cared for me and the more I want to support them and care for our body alongside them. This is a weighty calling that I cannot answer from my own resources, but the Lord has brought me here. I trust that He will continue to grow and equip me for His purposes and glory.
What are few fun facts about yourself?
I am not great at, but greatly enjoy riding bikes, cross country skiing, and rock climbing as time allows. I believe in the Oxford comma. My dream job would be designing and building custom bicycles suited to individual riders. I belabor purchasing decisions because I generally don’t care for new things and want to avoid buying the same thing twice without getting full use out of the first one. To that end, I am in the market for a new Bible – black letter, leather – prioritizing portability and longevity. If you have a recommendation, please reach out.
Deacon Candidate
Daniel Long has lived in the Valley since 2004 and is a Detective Sergeant in the Criminal Investigations Division of the Harrisonburg Police Department. Both he and his wife Jessica grew up as friends on the mission field in Botswana, Africa. They married in 2002 and have been members of Covenant since 2004. They have four boys (Micah 13, Manny 12, David 10, and Joshua 6) and are in the process of adopting their 5th, Gracynn (16 months). For many years Daniel was involved in our After School Program (now Kids Club) and can currently be found helping in the toddler nursery during first service. Daniel and Jessica are also licensed foster parents with Children’s Services of Virginia.
Give us a brief history of when/how you came to faith in Christ
I came to faith at about age 19 while living Africa. This was after graduating high school and living for a time with my parents. I was baptized by the pastor of that church, a man from Swaziland.
What is your internal sense of call to the office? What do you love about the fellowship at Covenant Presbyterian?
I became a police officer with a desire to sacrificially serve others, to protect and seek justice for those who have been wronged and thereby positively impact my community. I still have that same God-given desire but now feel called to extend that service of others to my church family. Covenant has been our home for 20 years and has been a place where my family and I have been fed spiritually, have grown in faith, and have experienced Gods kindness through His people. I have witnessed the Godly leadership of Christ-following men, and I believe that God is also calling me to serve in this way through the role of deacon.
What are few fun facts about yourself?
In my spare time I like to work on home projects and one day hope to ride motorcycles again.
Deacon Candidate
Matt Reidenbach is a native of Philadelphia, having grown up in its suburbs in Glenside, PA. He graduated from Grove City College in western Pennsylvania with the great blessing of meeting his wife, Rachel, there. They met at a Pittsburgh Pirates baseball game with mutual friends, were engaged in 2006 (on tax day!), and married in June 2007. He worked in public accounting for 3 years and went back to school to earn a PhD in Accounting from Drexel University, graduating in 2013. He has been an accounting faculty member in the JMU College of Business since moving to the Shenandoah Valley in 2019. He and Rachel joined Covenant in 2020, and he serves as a home group leader, in children’s church as a sermon leader (and previously a Sunday school teacher), and facilitates a men’s Bible study on Tuesday mornings. Matt and Rachel have three children who were all born in PA: Jeremiah (12), Liesel (10), and Kaleb (8).
Give us a brief history of when/how you came to faith in Christ
I grew up in the church and was blessed to have parents of strong faith in Christ to lead me toward Him. While I always sensed that I was His, I asked Jesus to be my Savior in middle school on a youth retreat. As I have matured in faith, I have benefited immensely from wise pastors and fellow believers who have pointed me toward Christ and upheld me in prayer.
What is your internal sense of call to the office? What do you love about the fellowship at Covenant Presbyterian?
As the son of a deacon in the PCA, I observed the joy of service in how my dad and mom reached out to others in the church and many people’s lives were blessed by the Spirit using a faithful giver. They instilled in me the importance of serving others – particularly through acts of mercy. While it can be costly to serve, it is truly greater to give than to receive (Acts 20:35). I am excited to potentially serve with the diaconate in a church body that reflects the global church and a diversity of life experiences. Seeing the heart of our deacons serving and caring for our church is truly exciting!
What are few fun facts about yourself?
I am a rabid Philadelphia sports fan (who sometimes needs to be reminded of a proper perspective) and enjoy spending time outdoors biking, kayaking, and relaxing by a fire pit. I spend a lot of time with my kids during their activities – especially soccer, basketball, baseball, and ballet. I enjoy and have experience playing several musical instruments: bass guitar, tuba, and dabbling with guitar and upright bass. Finally, while I’m not a country music fan, I would love to learn to play pedal steel guitar (or at least piano like two of my kids).
Elder Candidate
John Stevens grew up just outside Raleigh, NC for his entire childhood before migrating north to attend the beautiful slice of heaven known as Virginia Tech. There, John got a master’s degree in math education, but most importantly, it is where he met his wife, Alexis. They married in the summer of 2012 and then promptly moved to Harrisonburg for Alexis’s job as a math professor at JMU. John taught high school math for nearly 10 years before taking a year-long crack at broadcast meteorology for WHSV. Now, John serves as a trainer and outreach coordinator for JMU’s Information Technology department, which fits his strengths to a tee. John and Alexis have a 7-year-old son, Connor, who is in First Grade at Redeemer Classical School. John and Alexis became members at Covenant in 2015 and have loved serving for many years in youth ministry. Currently, John helps co-lead the Senior High boys Bible study as well as the Rocktown Homegroup; he is also in rotation for running projection for Sunday worship and loves to help each summer at VBS.
Give us a brief history of when/how you came to faith in Christ
I came to faith in Christ my freshman year at Virginia Tech. I grew up in a secular home, and though I went to a Christian high school, the head-knowledge of Christ I had gained did nothing to change my heart. So, when I went off to college, I easily buckled under social pressure and dove headfirst into the party culture. But as the year went on, I began to hate who I was becoming, and in the Lord’s kindness, He put several believers in my social orbit. One day while sitting in Chemistry class, God burdened my heart to reach out to a believing friend, and after class I asked her why she believed. After a few weeks of talking and study, the Holy Spirit changed my heart, and I put my trust in Christ.
What is your internal sense of call to the office? What do you love about the fellowship at Covenant Presbyterian?
When I first heard that I was a nominee, I was floored; I couldn’t understand it. When I look at our current officers, who I respect so much, I know that I do not even come close to the kind of men that they are. As I’ve walked through this process, these men have taught me that it is only through Christ that any of them are where there are; those whom Christ calls, He equips. Over the past year, God has grown in me a desire to serve the church, my true family, in this capacity. I truly love the people at Covenant Presbyterian, their hunger for truth, and the unbelievable kindness shown through everyone’s acts of mercy. We are grateful every day for God leading us here, and I want to serve this church faithfully in whatever manner I am called to do so.
What are few fun facts about yourself?
I love hockey, and I am an avid Carolina Hurricanes fan. I had the privilege of being in attendance when the Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup in Game 7 of the Finals in 2006, and that will hook you for life! In the little free time that I have, I also love to read and go on hikes, as well as doing a little recreational video editing for family events and vacations. As a former meteorologist, I do not believe that talking weather is small talk, especially when snow is on the way! One additional fun fact that I guess not many people know is that I’ve only been pulled over once in my life, and it was while driving a golf cart. Ask me about it sometime!