Pastor Hurmon Hamilton
Pastor Hurmon was born in San Francisco and raised in Coushatta, Louisiana. He is married to Rhonda Hamilton, M.D., and they have two children: Jonathan and Lauren. He earned his B.A. in Philosophy and History from Grambling State University and his Master of Divinity from San Francisco Theological Seminary.
For seventeen years, Pastor Hurmon served as Senior Pastor of Roxbury Presbyterian Church (RPC) in Boston, MA. During this time, he also served as an adjunct professor at Harvard Divinity School and Gordon-Conwell Seminary; a lecturer at Yale University; and a guest preacher at Princeton and Boston Universities.
Pastor Hurmon returned to the Bay Area in 2011 and served as the Teaching Pastor of Abundant Life Christian Fellowship (ALCF) in Mountain View, CA for two years. Through his weekly messages, leadership and pastoral care, countless lives were deeply touched, transformed and blessed. Following his tenure at ALCF, Pastor Hurmon led the birthing of New Beginnings Community Church in April 2014, where he passionately serves as Senior and Founding Pastor, leading a large and rapidly growing, diverse church community.
Todd Slechta
Todd is the President of Covenant Ministries of Benevolence, a non-profit organization that seeks to advance innovative Christian initiatives that serve the vulnerable.
More importantly, Todd is a husband, dad to two daughters and sons-in-law, grandpa to his first granddaughter, teacher, percussionist, consultant, soccer fanatic, duffer, preacher, skier, coffee “enthusiast” (addict?), hiker, and novice kayaker!
A gifted storyteller, communicator and facilitator—Todd is a Chicago-born, Canadian-resonating, Ecuadorian-influenced, Colorado-longing, empty nester who is credentialed as an ordained pastor and loves the Old Testament and Jewish thought and theology.
Todd has been a Pastor, Bible College Administrator and Instructor, Elementary School Principal, and an executive in the health care industry in a tenure that has so far spanned 34+ years and garnered experience in all sectors; private, non-profit and public, within three countries on two continents.
He and his wife, Sheryl (a professional educator), celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary and live in Chicago. They attend Uptown Church, a new community of faith serving one of the city’s most ethnically and socio-economically diverse neighborhoods.
James and Brittany Powell
James is often described as “Holy and Hood”. He comes from a broken background, fighting to see other people experience wholeness. Because of childhood abuse and trauma, he found himself leaving church and faith all together at the age of 17. This resulted in James finding himself unsheltered and wrestling with addiction. A couple from a local church invited him to live in their house. It was in that place that he was loved immediately and given the opportunity to grow. This was the catalyst for James rediscovering a loving God in the person of Jesus.
Brittany unashamedly says she is a combination of “Grit and Grace”. She has roots in South Louisiana and was introduced to faith through a church’s kids program. It’s been her life’s purpose and mission to hear as many stories as she can and help people find the gold amidst the dirt that life may have thrown on them. She is a passionate speaker and has traveled the nation sharing her story of Jesus’ love and kindness.
It’s their vision to see a multiethnic and multicultural church living out the mission of Jesus in Las Vegas. A church where good deeds lead to the sharing of the Good News and a hope that what happens here won’t stay here.
James and Brittany Powell
Aaron and Lauren Flores
