Our Team

Staff

SENIOR PASTOR

Rev. James Kessler

I was born in Columbus, Ohio but grew up mostly in Orlando, Florida. I always knew that there was a God and felt a compulsion to know him ever since I stumbled on to my mother’s episcopal prayer book when I was 6 or 7.

I met my wife Laura my freshman year at Covenant College. We’ve been married since 1999 and we have two daughters, both in school here in Oyster Bay.

My personal interests include cooking, writing, playing basketball, watching baseball, correcting grammar, playing the guitar, arguing with my wife about which of us is more competitive, and watching the British Baking show with my girls. I love museums, music, interesting restaurants, reading about Grant’s Vicksburg campaign, T.S. Eliot’s poetry, Tom Waits’ lyrics, Annie Dillard’s prose, Frederick Buechner’s sermons, and Herman Bavinck’s Dogmatics. I cannot draw, at all.

I believe in the Holy Spirit to make me a better man, the redemption of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God the Father. I believe in the power of the Church to change the world.

ASSISTANT PASTOR

Rev. Martin Han

Pastor Martin joined the NSCC Staff in 2010. He is bivocational, currently also working for the Department of Defense as a Contracts Team Leader. In 2017, he reentered the Air Force part-time as a military chaplain in the Reserves. He is married to Kimberly and is father to Abigail Noel, Ethan Martin and Isaac Luther. Abby is a nationally ranked swimmer, and Ethan and Isaac are amazing boys with special needs. Martin’s favorite foods are pizza (he feels strongly that only NY pizza gets to be called “pizza”; everything else needs more words, like “Chicago deep dish pizza”) and soup dumplings (especially Joe’s Shanghai, and he doesn’t care about it being a tourist trap). Martin leads our Home Group ministry, our Journey Group discipleship program, and our Sunday Adult Bible Study. Martin also preaches about once every 4-6 weeks.

Rev. Tae Cho

Tae Cho was born in Seoul, South Korea and immigrated to the states when he was nine. He first lived in Elmhurst N.Y. then moved to Northern New Jersey during high school. He graduated from Philadelphia Biblical University (Now Cairn University) with a Bible/Youth Ministry degree, and then graduated from Westminster Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity. While he was in seminary he was a pastoral intern at Jubilee Presbyterian Church as college and youth group for three years. Upon graduating from seminary he joined pastoral staff at the First Korean Church of Brooklyn as English ministry pastor/youth pastor, overseeing the Education Department. He is married to Wisdom and is father to Enoch, Chole and Asher. Tae’s hobbies include: snowboarding, basketball, football, ultimate freebie, baseball, skateboarding, and rollerblading. He is a die hard Yankees fan.

PASTOR TO YOUTH AND FAMILIES

WORSHIP DIRECTOR

Charles Alvarenga

Charles joined the NSCC staff in October of 2019. Over the past ten years, Charles has served as a worship leader in churches throughout Long Island and NYC. He studied vocal performance at Nassau Community College and graduated from Nyack College with a Bachelor of Music in vocal performance.

Charles believes that the local church is Jesus’ plan to redeem and restore sinners and his passion is to lead the church in singing songs that cause the word of Christ to dwell in us richly.

CHILDREN’S MINISTRY DIRECTOR

Michaela LaBelle

Michaela grew up in Las Vegas, Nevada. In 2022, God brought her and her family all the way to Long Island, NY. She became a member of NSCC in December 2022 and joined the NSCC staff in June of 2023. Michaela studied Elementary Education at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and has over 30 years of children’s ministry experience. She is excited to use her talents to serve the Lord and the families of NSCC. Michaela enjoys doing yoga and spending time outdoors and enjoying delicious cuisine with her husband Greg and her two kids, Lucy 13 and Owen 9.

Elders

(An ordained office of teaching, leadership, and care)