Pastor Douglas Elsey joined the New Haven Seventh-day Adventist Church as the Senior Pastor in January of 2009.
Pastor Elsey graduated from Newbold College in England with a Bachelor of Arts in Theology in 1991. After coming to the United States to marry his wife Sherri, whom he met while she was studying at Newbold, he became the Youth Pastor at the Redlands, California, SDA Church in 1992. He and Sherri have three children; Marcus, age 9, Lyndsey, age 6, and Kaleigh, age 1.
Pastor Elsey earned his M.Div degree at Andrews University in 1997 and returned to the Redlands Church for another three years before being called to be the senior pastor at the Yucaipa (California) Adventist Church in 2000. From there, he was called to be the pastor of the Mt. Ellis Adventist Church in 2005. A member of his youth group from the Redlands congregation, Luke Self, served as his associate pastor. Beginning in 2005 Pastor Elsey also began serving as chaplain for Mt. Ellis Academy in Bozeman, Montana. He continued in these duties until his call to New Haven SDA Church.
Pastor Michael Halfhill
Associate Pastor
College: Iowa State University, Union College and Andrews University
Major: Journalism & Mass Communications, Theology and a Masters in Pastoral Ministry
Pastor Michael Halfhill joined the New Haven Seventh-day Adventist Church in the summer of 2002 as the church’s youth pastor. Pastor Michael worked years ago as a Rock & Roll Radio Disc Jockey. His life forever changed when he started studying the Bible during his college years at Iowa State University. He was baptized on April 24, 1999, fully intending to continue his dream of being a radio DJ. God had other plans. As 1999 ended, Michael left the radio biz and moved to Lincoln, NE with his new bride, Jeanette, and went to college to become a pastor. While attending Union College for two years, he worked as the part time youth pastor of Piedmont Park Church. Pastor Michael worked with New Haven’s youth for three years and then appeared to be headed back to school to Andrews University. The Lord changed everyone’s plans, and Michael became the first ever Associate Pastor for New Haven. He now focuses on outreach, the young adult ministry, and completing a Master’s Degree from Andrews. He and his wife, Jeanette, along with their son and daughter, Ethan and Johanna, look forward to their future sharing Christ’s love with others. He enjoys sharing his favorite Bible verses with others. "Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 1:6).
Pastor Chanda M. Nunes
Associate Pastor, Youth
Pastor Chanda M. Nunes—was born in the Great White North, but never had the privilege to live in an igloo, ride a dog sled to school, or end every sentence, with “eh?”
Raised in the multicultural metropolis of Toronto, Canada, Pastor Chanda is number 2 of 4, and loves her brothers dearly, (even although she had to wear her older brother’s hand-me-downsJ).
Pastor Chanda recognized her call to ministry at the age of 9, and credits many church leaders who acknowledged this—and took a risk on her as a young person, by assigning her various leadership roles. As a result, she has grown a passion for preaching, youth ministries, outreach, missions, evangelism, and leading Praise & Worship.
Pastor Chanda is a graduate of Canadian University College (Religious Studies, minor Biblical Languages), Andrews University Theological Seminary (Master of Divinity), and is currently working on a PhD in Organizational Leadership. Pastor Chanda also holds associate degrees in Private Investigation & Paralegalling.
In her free time, this former undercover private investigator, enjoys emailing, “facebooking”, chatting it up on the phone with friends, cooking, interior decorating, traveling, and spending time with her black gold fish—“Toto”.
Since arriving in Kansas, Pastor Chanda has been in search of the perfect ruby red slippers…well high heels, size 6.
Pastor Douglas Elsey
Pastor Michael Halfhill
Pastor Chanda M. Nunes