Paul Phillips
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
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. Matt is thrilled to be back in Wilmington as our Assistant Pastor. In his spare time, he loves lifting weights, cooking, eating, and quality time with his wife and son (Bridger).
Mark DeCausmeaker
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
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
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.
Carley Fields
Carley was born and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina. She moved to Wilmington to begin her college education at UNCW, where she earned her BA in Recreation Therapy. Carley graduated from UNCW in the Spring of 2018 and made Wilmington her permanent home once joining the staff at Christ Community Church! Carley married her husband, Pierson Fields, in March of 2020.
Rebeca Carpenter
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
Alexandra Caldwell
Lizzy Cooper
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.
Wendy Holdsworth
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
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
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
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
Beth Hykes
Beth Guier
Katherine Caputo
Mariel Davenport
Lauren Merceruio
Charlie Tognotti
