North Point is a church plant of Christ the King EPC in Westfield, MA, a particular church in the EPC. As a church plant, the North Point Leadership Team submits to the authority and oversight of the pastor and elders of our planting church. When we become a particular church in the EPC ourselves, we will call our own pastor and elders. Our Leadership Team consists of:

David Cook (Assistant Pastor for North Point Church Plant) came to ministry as a second career after spending many years working in Telecommunications Research and Development as an Engineer. David was first exposed to Christianity as an adolescent in Suburban Sydney, Australia, but the Gospel did not take root until many years later through a chance encounter on a hang gliding hill in Northern California. David is married to Patti whom he met while they were both living and working in New York City. They have two young children and live in Danvers. David has an M.Div. and an M.A. (Counseling) from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary. In addition to his ministry at North Point EPC, David is a counselor working in all areas of marriage and family therapy.

Paul Brink (Leadership Team Member) came to North Point after worshipping for about three years at Christ Church Episcopal Church in Hamilton. For most of his life, however, he has been a member of the Christian Reformed Church, a sister denomination to the EPC. Paul has been blessed to have known all his life that he belonged to God. Paul and Jenn have been married for nearly 20 years (yes–they got married in college), and have three children: Jesse, Erin, and Annika. He is Associate Professor and Chair of the Dept. of Political Science at Gordon College, where he teaches and writes in Political Philosophy and Comparative Politics.

Chris Gilbert (Leadership Team Member) makes documentaries in Beverly, and teaches journalism, adjunct, for Gordon College. He first believed in Christ at age 21, and entered urban ministry with Fusion Australia, Inc. For 20 years, he led school RE programs, regional outreach, employment training for juvenile offenders, and traveled with Aboriginal Christians in outreach to urban white communities. He wrote regularly for the Sunshine Coast Daily, and Australian religious press, and magazines. Soon after he met Jo Kadlecek; he moved to the US in early 1998; and they married in early 1999. For five years, he was one of four Fellowship Group Directors at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan, and completed a Master of Arts in Religion degree at Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia. The journey with Jesus began by realizing Christ was alive, resurrected, and that meant he was in charge, even if most didn’t think so. For Chris, building worshipping Christian community is the highest of callings, in fulfilling the prayer, “Thy Kingdom come…”

Jo Kadlecek (Leadership Team Member) is the senior communication writer and member of the communication arts faculty at Gordon College, a multi-denominational liberal arts college in Wenham, MA. She has taught at retreats and in classrooms throughout the country, is the author of several books (fiction, Bible studies and memoir), and lived in urban neighborhoods for 20 years. Jo has been married to Chris Gilbert for over 10 very interesting and adventurous years. She first learned of Jesus Christ through Young Life in Colorado where she grew up and will always be grateful for youth ministries like it that introduce suburban teens to the abundant life Christ offers (John 10:10).

Donna Petter (Leadership Team Member) Dr Petter has held the faculty position of Assistant Professor of Old Testament at Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary since 2006. With a B.A. (University of the Nations, Kona, HI); M.A.R., and M.A. (Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary); and M.A., and Ph.D. (University of Toronto, Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations) Dr. Petter brings to North Point more than 20 years of extensive teaching experience, having taught biblical studies on four continents. She has also contributed to various Old Testament publications, including Vetus Testamentum and the Dictionary of the O.T. Historical Books (IVP). Her research interests include Biblical Hebrew grammar and syntax, Hebrew exegesis, women in the Bible, and Ancient Near Eastern religions. Dr. Petter’s doctoral dissertation compares the book of Ezekiel with ancient Mesopotamian lament literature.

Dawn Bowers (Administrator) Dawn grew up on the move as her family was a military family until they settled in central Pennsylvania when she was 14. After receiving a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Penn State University, Dawn worked for Big Brothers/Big Sisters in Florida, Covenant House in NYC, and the Minority Admissions Office at Penn State. She got a M.A. in Public Policy from Regent University in Virginia Beach, VA, and then helped start a church mentoring program in Delaware. She then worked several years as a social worker and trainer for Children’s Services in Cincinnati, OH. It was there that she met and married a great guy, James, and they now have three fun-loving kids: Jude, Tate, and Macy. Dawn became a follower of Christ at a young age and has felt pursued by God throughout her life. She and her family now live in a little house in the woods in Gloucester, MA.