New Life Church Staff & Leadership

New Life Church is blessed to have a number of men and women with loving hearts who give of their time and energy to serve God through providing leadership and direction for the ministries of the church. Shown below are some of the men and women who help make New Life Church a city on a hill in Calabash and beyond. To contact one of these leaders, click on this contact New Life Church link, complete and submit your inquiry, and we'll forward to the appropriate person.

New Life Staff

Our New Life staff is composed of a combination of full and part time employees who use their gifts to enhance the worship, fellowship, and outreach ministries of the church. These staff members work in partnership with one another and other leaders, ministry coordinators, and volunteers to help New Life Church flourish for the glory of God.

  • CHRIS GREGORY

    PASTOR

    Chris Gregory became the pastor of New Life Church in September 2021.    He and his bride of 25 years, Reba, are blessed with seven children (ages 9-21).  


    Chris received his Masters of Divinity at Reformed Theological Seminary.  Each Sunday he shares expositions from God's Word, verse by verse, and each message is filled with challenges and encouragement. In addition, Pastor Chris has demonstrated his love and concern for the individuals in our congregation, and we are excited about what God is doing at New Life Church. 

  • mICHAEL cANINO

    mINISTER OF pASTORAL cARE / eLDER

    Michael Canino is an elder at NewLife Church and also serves as our Minister of Pastoral Care. Michael and his wife, Robin, have lived in Carolina Shores since moving from New Jersey in December 2019.  where he was an assistant pastor for 12 years at First Baptist Church of Blackwood, New Jersey, where he taught Sunday School and assisted in pastoral care. His testimony of faith, ministry experience, and love for the Scriptures make him a vital member of the session at New Life Church.  Click here to listen to Mike’s amazing testimony.


  • charlene schutte

    administrative assistant

    Charlene Schutte - after retirement and moving from Ohio to SC with her husband, Ed, she began attending New Life Church in 2018 and became a member in February 2020.  She accepted the position of Administrative Assistant bringing with her years of valuable experience in office management and technical skills.  In addition to carrying out the administrative duties of the church, Charlene serves on the Fellowship committee, coordinates the Mercy Meals Ministry and sings in the choir.  Charlene and her husband, Ed, live in Little River.

New Life Leadership: Elders & Deacons

Elders and deacons are elected officers who oversee the various ministries and operations of New Life Church. Elders provide spiritual and directional oversight for the church, shepherding and leading the church through God-centered, biblical, gospel-driven teaching, guidance, and nurture. Deacons (in partnership with the ministry coordinators below) oversee the mercy ministries of the church, coordinating the use of church resources, material and human, so that our church and our neighbors tangibly experience the love of God.

  • Barry blalock

    deacon

    Barry and his wife Joanna moved to Ocean Isle Beach in 2024 to enjoy the "beach life" in retirement. They feel so blessed to have found New Life Church. Their Reformed Faith background continues to grow through New Life Church's ministry and mission. In addition to truly loving their church life, they also enjoy walking on the beach and spending time with their kids and two grandsons.

  • rick burd

    DEACON

    Rick and his wife Cathy have been married for over 30 years.  After living in Arizona for 25 years, they moved to Calabash in late 2024. They found New Life Church by doing a google search for Reformed churches in the area.   As Rick says "We came, we heard, we stayed. It is my honor to be serving as a Deacon for this marvelous family of believers."  Rick's hope is that his tenure as a Deacon will glorify God and serve our community of those of ‘like-precious faith.’ 

  • Cliff cleaver

    deacon

    Cliff is a Deacon at New Life Church.  He and his wife Nancy have been married 54 years, have 2 children and 5 grandkids.  Having come from different denominations and moving from Pennsylvania to Calabash in 2019, they began attending New Life Church.  It wasn't long before they made it their home and became members. Both Cliff and Nancy are actively involved in the praise team and choir.

  • eric dunkelberger

    deacon

    Eric Dunkelberger's life as a Christian began in 2019, when he converted from Judaism, accepting Jesus Christ as his Lord, Savior and King, and was baptized at New Life Church Calabash.  Eric now serves the church as a Deacon.  In addition, he and his wife Janet, are the representatives for New Life Church Calabash to the South Brunswick Interchurch Council (The Lord's Food Pantry) as well as the Christian Recovery Centers, Inc.

  • Rod Hughes

    Elder

    Rod Hughes is an Elder at New Life Church. Before becoming an elder, Rod served as a deacon for three years.  His gifts for mercy ministry are evident in the sensitivity he has to the needs of others and the numerous ways that he offers himself in service to people in the congregation and in our community. His background in finance makes him a valuable steward in the area of finances for NLC. Rod and his wife, Dianne, live in Sunset Beach.

  • randy hutsell

    deacon

    Randy and his wife Corrine are recently retired and have made Calabash their full-time residence. They have been married for 15 years and have a blended family with grandchildren, nieces and nephews. In their previous church, Randy served on a building planning committee and was part of various ministries serving the church and community. They are grateful to be part of the New Life family and excited to see what God has planned for our church and grow in his fellowship.

  • stEve kerns

    Elder

    Steve Kerns is an Elder at New Life Church.  Since coming to NLC, Steve has demonstrated his gift of mercy.  His desire is that we continue to preach the Word in all its power and truth. In previous churches, Steve has served as pianist/organist, music director, building chairman, and as an elder.  Steve plays and sings on the Praise Team as well as the choir.  He and his wife, Julie, live in Calabash.

  • Peter McGraw

    Elder

    Peter is an Elder at New Life Church.  Born and raised in Minnesota and having served in the US Navy for 4 years, he then spent 40 years working in the medical field; retiring from the National Institutes of Health in 2016.  A ‘born again’ Christian at 30 years of age. With prayer, meditation, and scriptural studies of various kinds being an important part of his life. Peter and his wife Elaine married in 2011, moved to Little River, SC in 2019 and joined New Life Church in 2023.  Peter continues to follow in our Lord and Savior’s footsteps, and as an Elder, desires to emulate His servanthood.

  • don setliff

    deacon

    Bio Pending

  • ed spiva

    elder

    Bio Pending

  • reverend trent thornton

    elder

    Trent is an Elder at New Life Church.  He and his wife, Sharon served as missionaries for over 37 years with The Christian and Missionary Alliance.  In 2018 they purchased their retirement home in the Farm in Carolina Shores, though still traveling and working as missionaries. After retirement in 2023, they chose New Life Church to be their church home where they have found biblical preaching and community connection through the many bible studies and small groups. Trent and Sharon have 3 sons and 12 grandchildren.

  • Dennis Yurcisin

    DEACON

    Dennis Yurcisin is a deacon at New Life Church.  Dennis is another individual who is always there to lend a helping hand.  A former law enforcement officer, Dennis heads up our security team as well as our  first-aid team.  He and his wife, Sammie, live in Carolina Shores.

New Life Leadership: Ministry Coordinators & Leaders

Ministry Coordinators join with the Deacons to encourage, develop, and harness the resources of the church in the service of the needs of others. Ministry Coordinators are point persons who help lead, facilitate, and coordinate various worship, fellowship, outreach, and hospitality ministries of the church and provide tangible compassion in our church, in our communities, and in our world.

  • robin canino

    Welcome Center coordinator

    Robin Canino coordinates our Welcome Center at New Life Church.  Robin is a great prayer warrior, and she can usually be found near our entrance door each Sunday morning as she warmly greets people as they arrive.  She has a gift for making newcomers feel welcome.  Before retiring, Robin worked as a scheduler for a dental practice for 23 years.  She and her husband Michael were married on January 1, 2005, and they now reside in Calabash.

  • Eric & Janet Dunkelberger

    Food Pantry Ministry Coordinators

    Eric and Janet Dunkelberger coordinate our partnership with the South Brunswick Interchurch Council sponsored food pantry. As a couple, they have served in this role for several years. The Dunkelbergers lead New Life Church's participation in the ministry of packaging food during the week and then its dispensing on select Saturdays throughout the year.  Eric and Janet live in Shallotte.

  • Dianne Hughes

    fellowship Meals coordinator

    Dianne Hughes coordinates our Sunday semi-monthly fellowship meals and special dinners at New Life Church. Dianne's demonstrated passion for welcoming and connecting with others flows into this ministry of hospitality at NLC. Eating together is a practice we emphasize, and Dianne and her committee facilitate hospitality and fellowship. Dianne is married to Rod and they reside in Sunset Beach.

  • cHARLENE sCHUTTE

    Mercy Meals Ministry Coordinator

    In addition to acting as the Church Administrative Assistant, Charlene Schutte oversees our Mercy Meals Ministry.  These meals are prepared or purchased by members of the congregation to help others going through an illness or other difficult time.  Charlene is a real "go-getter'", has lots of experience in planning and coordinating, and always gets the job done. Charlene and her husband, Ed, live in Little River.

  • ELAINE SPRINKLE

    Choir Director

    Elaine serves as the choir director for New Life Church.  Elaine loves music and enjoys helping groups of people blend their voices together to praise God.  She has served in this role for a number of years, going back to the Sunset Beach Community Church days.  Elaine and her husband, Bill, live in Calabash. 

  • SARAH JOHNSON

    CHURCH PIANIST

    Sarah serves as church pianist for the praise team and for the choir. She has played keyboards, sang, and composed Christian music for the past 54 years in varied denominational churches and Christian outreach groups. Sarah and her husband, Jed, moved to the Farm at Brunswick in Carolina Shores in 2019.