Leadership

Hi! I love being a pastor at First Covenant Church. It’s a great privilege, and I am humbled by the opportunity to help people grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ. What a great God we serve!

A little about myself…I am a Kansas native, having grown up on a farm outside Clyde. I have been married to my wife, Nancy, since 1990, and have three wonderful children.

I have served churches in Indiana, Illinois, Canada, and now Salina. It’s hard to believe but I’ve been at First Covenant since December of 1996, and have been lead pastor since October of 2005.

I enjoy family time, camping, the outdoors, sports (just about any), music and reading. If I could spend one day doing anything I could, you’d find me in the mountains, hiking with my family.

If you see me at church or around town, please introduce yourself. I’d love to meet you!

I feel blessed to have been called to serve as the Executive Pastor at this church in 2014. What a joy to partner with God and this congregation in helping people “go deeper in Christ and further in mission.” God invites us to go deeper in our love of Him and each other and further by sharing His heart for every person and His hope for our world. I have a passion for helping people and teams discover and develop their potential in the Lord, and to help the church become a mobilized mission group making a real difference in people’s lives.

While I was born in Iowa, I spent most of my growing up years in Kansas (Wichita, Topeka, and Salina). I went to Kansas State University - go Wildcats! My wife, Diane, and I have been married since 1990 and we have two pretty great children that I will gladly tell you about if you ask me.

Initially, out of college, I worked in sales and management in the business sector for many years. Surprisingly and joyfully, God called me out of my professional pursuit to ministry as a pastor. I greatly appreciate what I learned as a businessman in terms of organizational leadership and understanding the environment, expectations, and stresses that many professionals face today. I have served as a pastor in the Evangelical Covenant Church since 2000, serving churches in Kansas City, Omaha, and now Salina.

I enjoy playing and watching sports, especially playing golf. I like to go on movie and dinner dates with my wife and a good board or card game with friends. I am an avid reader and especially enjoy good history books – let me know if you find a good one. My favorite vacations are time in the mountains or at a beach.

I look forward to meeting you and hearing what you are passionate about. Please let me know if I can help you as you seek to go deeper in Christ and further in mission.

Hi!  My name is Tyler Henoch and I am the Pastor of Discipleship & Young Adults here at First Covenant.  I started in this position in July of 2021.  Currently I am in the process of obtaining my Master of Divinity online through Luther Rice Seminary.  Before joining the team here at FCC I served as the Director of Youth and Family Ministries at another local church here in Salina for eight years.  I attended Sterling College in Sterling, Kansas where I received my bachelors in Sport Management and played on the baseball team.  Salina has been my home for many years.  I was born and raised here and graduated from Salina South High School in 2006.  

My wife Holli and I love our new church family here at FCC!  We have three wonderful children.  Cutter, Reece, and Breck.  We enjoy spending time together whether it be playing games to going to the zoo.

My hobbies include anything baseball, hunting, fishing, and cooking while listening to good music.  My passion in ministry is evangelism and building disciples.  We all have a calling to serve Christ and when we find that calling and practice it, amazing things happen!  Anytime I get to meet with individuals or families is a blessing!  Helping people find God’s will for their life and helping them build their personal relationship with Christ and others is a strong calling within my ministry.  

What is up!!! My name is Melissa Kyle and I am the Youth Director here at First Covenant Church. I love the taste of coffee, the smell of campfire & pine, and the feel of a warm cozy blanket (mainly because I am always cold)! I have been serving here at FCC for 11 years and I absolutely LOVE it. I love building relationships with students and walking alongside them as they begin their journey in asking questions about faith, and Jesus. My husband (Ben) and I got married in 2012, and have 2 kids, Ember who is 4 yrs old, and Autumn, our baby in Heaven. As a family we love camping, hiking, being in nature, and when the mountains call, we go! I also love taking pictures & have a side photography business. It is a great way I get to meet new people & invite them to church. I can’t wait to meet your student and walk beside you as parents/guardians as you navigate the teen years.

Hello! My name is Leslie and I am the Director of Children’s Ministry here at First Covenant. My desire is to be used by Him for His glory and to encourage kids to know Christ as their Savior. I enjoy getting to share my love for Jesus with children and families.

My husband Jayme and I are from Minneapolis, Kansas and it is where we raised our daughter and son. We now have added a son-in-law and two grandchildren to our growing family. Together, we enjoy going to the lake, doing puzzles, and traveling. We also enjoy meeting new people, seeing God’s amazing creation, and helping people rebuild their homes after being impacted by natural disasters.

I have worked with youth in public schools as a teacher, coach, and librarian. However, I suspended my career in education to pursue a degree in ministry with an emphasis in intercultural studies. This gave me a wonderful opportunity to participate with students in vision trips, disciple them, and help them grow in their faith. This helped to put a desire in me to work with kids full-time again, but this time inspiring them to pursue God and serve and love others.

As Children's Ministries Assistant my role is planning and coordinating Sunday School for ages 2- 5, creating service opportunities for preschoolers and their families, partnering and resourcing parents, and working closely with the Children’s Director. My favorite part of ministry is planning play-to-learn centers for the preschoolers! I have been in ministry at FCC since 2000.

My husband Chuck and I have been married since 1994 and have two grown sons, Eli and Noah. Watching sports with my family, gardening, walking my dog, and being healthy are some of my favorite activities

As the Nursery Coordinator my role is to create a welcoming environment for our youngest attendees of the church. I work hard to create a clean, structured environment for the children of the church, while also organizing volunteers to provide childcare during the second and third services. My favorite part of being the Nursery Coordinator is building relationships with the children as well as their families. I have been with FCC since 2019.
My husband Brennon and I have been married since 2014 and have two young children, Oliver and Lydia. Our family enjoys being outside, while my hobby is quilting in my free time.

Born and raised in the great state of Texas, I became the Director of Worship Ministries at FCC in the summer of 2010. It is great to work at a church where people are passionate about worship, discipleship, and reaching the lost.

To sum up my life in a few short sentences… I graduated from Hardin-Simmons University (Abilene, Texas) with a bachelor's degree in Church Music in 2004 and a master’s degree in Composition and Theory in 2007. Hardin-Simmons University is also where I met my beautiful wife, Kandi. We were married in the summer of 2004 and have five children Desiree, Ryker, Cayman, Tannin, and Raley. As I stated earlier, I have spent most of my life in Texas and have served as a Worship Pastor in several different denominations including the Methodist, Bible, Baptist, and now Covenant denominations. My passion is to write music for the churches that I serve in both the classical and contemporary genre as well as leading others in worship.

If you are gifted in any of the creative arts (music, drama, dance…) and have a heart for worship, please don’t hesitate to contact me about being a part of our worship ministry. Our goal is to build a Creative Arts Program that trains people in the worship arts and creates opportunities for them to minister to others. I look forward to hearing from you.

Hi, my name is Jennifer Chlumsky and I am the choir director here at FCC. I grew up in the Covenant Church in McPherson Kansas. After graduating from Elyria Christian High School I went on to receive a degree in music education from Tabor College in Hillsboro Kansas, and a Masters of Music with an emphasis in Choral Conducting from Kansas State University in 2012. I became the choir director at First Covenant in the fall of 2008. I am thrilled to be a part of each of the worship ministries at FCC.

Hi there! My name is Eric Swenson and I became the Technical Director in fall of 2020. Beginning with my first attempts at audio engineering when I was a teenager,  I have felt particularly blessed  when I use my technical abilities to glorify God, so it is very exciting for me to have this opportunity that allows me to serve the church with these gifts. The AV team in the back works alongside the worship team in the front to create the best environment possible for praising God. Perhaps it will be running the slides, running the cameras, or operating the sound board, no matter what it ends up being, know that we are here to serve first, worship second, and then use technology third. If you have experience/passion/interest for that kind of thing,  we have a place for you!

Hi, I’m Julie Pipp. I have been blessed to be the Office Manager here at First Covenant since 2016. I am all about planning, organizing and implementing the everyday tasks at the church. I have a great office staff that helps execute daily projects.
I grew up in Des Moines, Iowa and attended Northwestern College in Minnesota with a Bachelor’s degree in Office Administration.
My husband Dan and I have been married since 2008. We have two adult children, Zach who is married to Alcy and Hannah who attends Colorado Christian University.. When I am not working, I love to spend time hiking, flower gardening, or planning our next outdoor vacation adventure.