Staff

Jeff Holmes
Designated Pastor
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After working for ten years in Southern California, Jeff finally came to his senses and moved to Gilroy in early 2007. Marci, his wife and Caleb his son of 7 both agree it is the best thing they’ve done in a long time. While in San Diego, Jeff was working as an associate pastor for Mission and Worship working with teams that were passionate to reach their community and help bring God’s Kingdom to a hurting world. In Gilroy, God has connected Jeff and his family to an entire congregation committed to doing the same thing. His years working with families at La Jolla and earning doctoral degree in youth and family ministries as well as his work with homeless issues, HIV/AIDS in Africa and working with the poor in Mexico have laid a foundation for God’s next step for both he and his family here. The move has also brought opportunities for him to pursue his hobby of cycling as well as many new adventures for his family. For more detailed information feel free to visit my family web site at http://web.mac.com/gpcjeff/iWeb/Site/Welcome.html

Lynn Viale
Director of Spiritual Formation
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Lynn is on our “Front Porch,” welcoming guests and helping them find their place in the life of the church. She enjoys helping people take their next step of faith, through membership classes, other learning opportunities, and providing one-on-one day-long retreats, “A Day of Listening to God” to help people discover how God is at work, and at play, in their lives. Lynn has exercised her gift of hospitality for over 18 years at GPC in her previous role as Director of Outreach. She has introduced hundreds of people to the church and has led a great many to become members of GPC. Lynn has shared her insight at seminars on evangelism, church growth and spirituality.

George Minerva
Parish Associate
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George has some history with Gilroy Presbyterian Church. He started as an intern doing youth ministry and lead a young married couples group as he and Vicki were newly married. They’ve just celebrated thirty years of marital bliss, during which time George went from intern to the assistant pastor, associate pastor and then parish associate. After running the Stephen’s Ministry program, George sensed a calling into the counseling world and now shares a good part of his week working in a local medical clinic as a counselor.Through it all, George’s passion for helping people understand the Bible and grow hasn’t stopped. He’s currently leading discipleship groups to help people go deeper in their faith as they get to know God and discover how their life is part of an exciting big picture.

George and Vicki have two daughters, Natalie and Lindsey who are thrilling them with their forays into college and adulthood. George enjoys music, riding waves,a good book, good food and conversation.

Trevor Van Laar
Director of Family Ministry
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Coming soon...

Namra Pourroy
Junior and Senior High Youth Director
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Namra’s popularity and rapport with junior and senior high school students is evident in the success of the youth programs at Gilroy Presbyterian. She’s a bridge between the generations and an advocate for teenagers. Namra has an adventurous spirit, a great talent in connecting with teenagers, a degree in child development and experience as a children’s aide. She has led the youth of GPC on a mission trip to help families in Mexico for 6 years. Namra has been a part of this church family for 40 years.

Linda Ramirez
Director of Mission
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For Linda, becoming Mission Leader is a culminating event and “the most significant call” she has had on her life. A native Gilroyan, Linda came back to Gilroy and GPC as an adult after getting her degree in Information Systems Management from USF and working as a project manager and process engineer at HP. She has been using her gifts at GPC ever since, envisioning and carrying out new ways of reaching people for God. Now as Mission Leader, Linda’s desire is to create opportunites for service that will move people in the GPC community forward in their faiths “out of the Back Door” to experience their callings to the Gilroy community and beyond.

Linda is married to Luis, and they have two kids: Kelsey and Ryan, and a dog, Toby. In her spare time, Linda enjoys working out, movie editing, photography, funny movies, and eating Kelsey’s yummy chocolate chip cookies.

Becky Whiteside
Worship Producer / Project Administrator
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Before coming to GPC, Becky worked for Nob Hill Foods, Bonfante Gardens Theme Park and H&R Block in the fields of marketing, human resources graphic arts and tax preparation. In her other job as "Domestic Engineer," she is kept busy with a house or car full of teenagers and maintaining the "family calendar". She has been married to Bret for over twenty years, who works as an optics engineer in Silicon Valley. They have three children, Josh, Rachel and Amber. She is enjoying the joys and challenges with her work and ministry.

Sandy Fritts
Office Manager
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As office manager, Sandy sees her role as the bearer of the Good News. She has worked at various Christian organizations for 25 years, and has been using her communications skills and creativity at Gilroy Presbyterian Church for three years.

Rachel Barrentine
Associate Music Director (Contemporary Worship)
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Rachel has been leading worship for retreats, camps, mission trips, and churches since she was in high school. While studying Music Education at Azusa Pacific University, she became the first female chapel worship leader at APU. After graduating in 2000, Rachel moved to the Bay Area, where she is originally from, and began ministering at Church on the Hill in San Jose as Music Assistant. During this time she recorded her first album of original songs. After a few years, Rachel was called to Fresno where she ministered for two years as Youth and Worship Pastor.

After much prayer, Rachel decided to go back to school to pursue a career/ministry in Nursing. She is currently in the Nursing program at Evergreen Valley College in San Jose, with one more year to go. She hopes to incorporate ministry into Nursing by sharing the love of Christ with her patients and coworkers. Rachel and her husband Derek are excited to serve and partner in ministry with Gilroy Presbyterian Church.

Art Duenas
Facilities / Custodian

Art is responsible for the care and maintenance of the church grounds and facilities. He has been a part of the GPC community for many years, and provides valuable support to the various ministries of the church by setting up rooms, providing equipment and helping to make things happen!