STAFF & ELDERS – Christ Community Church

Paul Phillips

Senior Pastor
phillips@cccwnc.com

Paul was born in Fort Benning, Georgia. He earned his BS in Sports Management from Furman University and worked for the Atlanta Braves Public Relations Department. In 1987, Paul joined Young Life staff and served as the Wilmington area director for 13 years. Paul completed his MDiv at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2001 and became CCC’s founding pastor in 2002. He’s married to Nancy, and they have two grown children.

Matt McFarling

Assistant Pastor of Adult Discipleship
matt@cccwnc.com

Matt was born in Raleigh, NC and graduated from UNC Wilmington with a BA in Film Studies. While in college, Matt was a volunteer Young Life leader and a member at Christ Community Church. Upon graduating, Matt sensed a call to ministry and participated in our Ministry Apprentice Program. A year later, he moved to Charlotte to begin his seminary studies at Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte. While in seminary, Matt met his wife, Alayna, and became the Director of Youth Ministry at First Presbyterian Church in Columbia, SC. In 2022, Matt completed his MDiv degree. In 2023, God called Matt back to CCC as an Assistant Pastor. In his spare time, he loves lifting weights, cooking, eating, and quality time with his wife and two kids.

Mark DeCausmeaker

Executive Pastor
mark@cccwnc.com

Mark has lived in Wilmington for the last twelve years with his bride of 35 years, Carol. He has a BS in Information Technology and an MBA from the University of Phoenix and is currently pursuing a Masters in Religion through Reformed Theological Seminary. Mark has worked for Reeds Jewelers for the past 23 years and is currently the Director of Multi-Channel Sales, where he oversees Ecommerce and Consumer Credit. He began attending Christ Community Church in 2006 and he served as Treasurer for two years before being called to serve as an Elder for the last six years.

Sharon Radford

Children and Family Ministries Director
sharon@cccwnc.com

Sharon was born and raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina. She worked part-time at CCC for two years in the Children’s Ministry and Tutoring Program before coming on as full-time staff in August of 2016. She taught in both public and private schools for twenty years. Sharon and her husband, Max, have three children.

Louisa Belk

Church Finance Director
louisa@cccwnc.com

Louisa is a Wilmington native and graduated from UNCW with a BS in Accounting and Computer Science. After graduation, Louisa served for 8 years as a Systems Programmer for the NC State Ports Authority supporting the Accounting department in computer operations and reporting. She also worked for several years for ePlus Technology as a contractor, training individuals in Microsoft Office products and Quick Books. For the last 17 years Louisa served as the Technology Director for Myrtle Grove Christian School. Louisa and her husband Geoff have been married for 32 years and have three children. They joined Christ Community Church in 2003 and have served in K-5 Sunday school, the tutoring program, women’s ministry, and on mission trips to Haiti and Romania.

Rebeca Carpenter

Hispanic Ministries Director
rebeca@cccwnc.com

Rebeca was born in El Salvador and moved to Wilmington as a high school student 30+ years ago. She is married to her husband of 27 years and has three daughters. She holds a BA in Psychology, a Master’s in Social Work, and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Rebeca’s passion is devoted to working with the Latino community, providing trauma informed mental health therapy that is person-centered and strength based. Her personal desire is to share the love of God.

Hannah Redenbaugh

Tutoring Program Coordinator
hannahr@cccwnc.com

Hannah was born and raised in Wilmington, NC. She graduated from UNC Chapel Hill with a BA in Global Studies and a BA in Hispanic Literatures and Cultures. Shortly after graduating, she married her husband Austin and began an MAT at UNC in Elementary Education, which she completed in May 2022. She is thrilled to return to Wilmington and come on staff full-time to work to expand the tutoring program that she volunteered with in high school.

Alexandra Caldwell

Tutoring Program Middle School Coordinator
alexandra@cccwnc.com

Alexandra is a Wilmington native and started attending CCC her senior year of high school. She graduated from UNC Wilmington in 2018 with a BA in Elementary Education. Right out of college, Alexandra started teaching in the public school setting and married her husband Anderson. She has been involved at CCC for many years working in all areas including the tutoring program, worship, and the youth and children’s ministries.

Lizzy Cooper

Hispanic Ministries Assistant Director
elizabeth@cccwnc.com

Elizabeth was born and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina. She earned a BA in Romance Languages with a concentration in Spanish from UNC-Chapel Hill. Prior to working at CCC, she interpreted in the medical field and taught Spanish in schools in both North Carolina and Georgia. She has served as a volunteer in the Tutoring Program since 2013. Elizabeth and her husband, Will, have two daughters.

Carina Sosa Hill

Hispanic Liaison
carina@cccwnc.com

Born and raised in Resistencia, Chaco, Argentina, I embarked on a journey that took me to Holland and Spain at the age of 12, enriching my life with diverse cultures. After graduating with a degree in Elementary Education from the National University of the Northern Argentina (UNNE), I migrated to Wilmington, NC, USA, two decades ago, embracing a new way of life as an adult. My experiences in Argentina and the USA have fueled my passion and purpose in every endeavor, from being a professional interpreter to a certified life coach and a proud minority business owner. As a devoted mother to Amaris Hill, who is now 17 and bilingual, we share a deep commitment to uplifting others both in the USA and abroad. I am dedicated to coming alongside families to nurture safe and supportive environments where growth, learning, and healing can flourish while spreading the love of Jesus to everyone I meet.

Wendy Holdsworth

CCC Medical Clinic Director
wendy@cccwnc.com

Wendy was born and raised in Richmond, VA. She earned a BS in Community Health with a minor in missions from Liberty University. She later moved to Charlottesville, VA, where she earned her BSN in nursing from UVA and met her husband, Jeremy Holdsworth. They have been married 30 years and have 3 adult children. Wendy joined CCC in 2005 and has been involved with small groups, tutoring and women’s ministry.

Sam Holdsworth

College and Youth Director
sam@cccwnc.com

Sam has been attending Christ Community Church since his family began attending in 2005. After growing up as part of the youth group he attended UNCW while serving in various ministries around CCC ranging from volunteer tutor to working as an intern with the youth. Sam met his wife Haleigh early on in college as they served together in the tutoring program at Greenfield Village and with the youth. They were married in 2019 and have continued to attend and serve at CCC together. Sam has spent the last two years teaching Bible Survey and Anatomy and Physiology at Coastal Christian High School and will be coming over from CCHS to join us full-time this summer to work with the college and youth ministries here at CCC as he begins seminary online.

Sam Sawyer

College and Youth Assistant Director
samantha@cccwnc.com

Samantha was born and raised in Spruce Pine, North Carolina, a small mountain town off of the Blue Ridge Parkway. In 2014, UNCW brought her to Wilmington where she earned her B.A. in Environmental Studies. There she met Nick Sawyer, whom she married in December of 2021. Samantha has enjoyed serving the youth and college ministries of CCC as a volunteer, a ministry apprentice and later as a part time staff member. She has spent the last two years working for Proclaim Interactive in marketing as well as being generously supported to outreach and mentor underserved teens. Sam is excited to have the opportunity to return to CCC as a full time staff member in the summer of 2023.

Dan Merceruio

Music and Worship Director
dan@cccwnc.com

Dan was born and raised in Martinsburg, WV and graduated from Shenandoah University with a BM in Commercial Music/Music Production Recording Technology. He worked for a record label for 12 years as the Producer of the label, before deciding to start his own production company. Among other accolades, Dan received a GRAMMY award for his work with the United States Army Field Band on the album, “Soundtrack of the American Soldier”. He relocated to Wilmington with his wife, Lauren, and their three children in 2018. Shortly after arriving, they started attending Christ Community Church and immediately experienced a vibrancy of spirit and a welcoming body of Christ that felt like coming home. Now, Dan is blessed to be able to share his God-given gifts with the church community at CCC, as well as the greater community of Wilmington.

Shelley Thomas

Communication and Connections Coordinator
shelley@cccwnc.com

Shelley was born and raised on a farm just down the road in Currie, North Carolina. After graduating with a BA in Psychology from UNC-Chapel Hill, she and her husband Anthony moved to Wilmington in 2004 and were blessed to quickly find a church home at Christ Community. Shelley has her Masters in Public Health from ECU and for the past six years has worked with a local nonprofit. She and Anthony have three children; in her free time, she likes to swim, bike and run or sit in the sun and read.

Beth Hykes

Young Children’s Ministry (YCM) Coordinator
beth@cccwnc.com

Beth is originally from Pennsylvania and has been attending CCC since 2015. Beth graduated from Penn State University with a BS in Geography. She and her husband Josh have three children. Along with being active as small group leaders, Beth also enjoys participating in MOLO and the women’s Bible study and is excited to be working with the young children and their parents at CCC!

Beth Guier

Young Children’s Ministry (YCM) Assistant
beth.guier@cccwnc.com

Beth is originally from Kentucky but has moved all over the Southeast for my husband’s job. She has been married to Nick for almost 14 years and they have two daughters. They moved to Wilmington just over 3 years and almost immediately joined CCC. Beth graduated from Eastern Kentucky University with a degree in Elementary Education and taught PreK-1st grade in four different states. She also has a Masters degree in School Counseling. Beth is excited to support young moms in the nursery and MOLO group.

Katherine Caputo

YCM Assistant Coordinator & Events
katherine@cccwnc.com

Katherine grew up in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains in East Tennessee. She graduated from Maryville College with a BA in Psychology and The University of Tennessee with a MS in College Student Personnel. She and her husband, Ryan, have been married for 20 years and have lived in all four corners and the middle of the US. They have two kids, Rowin and Rose, and a sweet dog, Lou.

Mariel Davenport

Children’s Ministry Assistant Coordinator
mariel@cccwnc.com

Mariel and her husband, Mike, have been at Christ Community since 2022 and love the focus on the Word of God and the family-like community. Mariel has been an active part of children’s ministry leadership for the last twenty years, both in their previous home church in Wake Forest, NC and in Community Bible Study. She is also active in women’s ministry. She and Mike have two grown sons and a daughter-in-law. who also attend Christ Community.

Lauren Merceruio

Children’s Ministry Worship Coordinator
lauren@cccwnc.com

Lauren grew up in Delaware and received her Bachelor of Music Education from Shenandoah University in 2009. She taught elementary music and high school choir in Virginia for five years. In 2018, Lauren and her husband, Dan, relocated to Wilmington with their three children and began attending Christ Community Church. She now enjoys homeschooling her children, offering music enrichment for the Tutoring Program, and leading children’s worship at CCC singing with children during Sunday School.

Alyssa Cooke

Youth Coordinator
alyssa@cccwnc.com

Alyssa was born and raised in Wilmington, NC. After graduating high school, she attended Presbyterian College for her first two years of college before finishing her education at UNCW. She graduated from UNC Wilmington with a BA in Biology in May of 2023. She began attending Christ Community church in October of 2022 and has enjoyed getting involved in the tutoring ministry and youth ministry during her time at the church. She is excited to be coming on staff as a Ministry Apprentice and pour into the middle school and high schoolers in the youth ministry!