who we are
A church not for ourselves but for the good of Brooklyn.
We believe Brooklyn has a long, beautiful story—one that’s still being written by the many people who call this borough home. And we believe that the gospel can be a transformative part of that story.
Redeemer Brooklyn was launched in 2025 as part of the Redeemer Network that has been committed to a gospel movement in New York City since 1989.
Meet our staff
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Senior Pastor
David has called New York City home for over 20 years. After graduating from NYU and beginning his career as an investment banker, he felt called to ministry and earned his M.Div. from Westminster Theological Seminary (where he also met his wife, Ann) and he’s currently pursuing his D.Min at Fuller Theological Seminary. For over a decade, David served in various pastoral roles at Redeemer Downtown. Now, he has the privilege of leading the first Redeemer church plant outside of Manhattan in Downtown Brooklyn, where he and Ann live. David loves to golf, is a huge sports fan and thinks food is one of the best ways to bring people together!
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Ministry Director
Brendy Garcia is a native Floridian with Caribbean roots and over a decade of experience in church leadership—which means she’s seen just about everything, and handled it with grace.
She brings a rare blend of strategy and heart to her work: equal parts systems thinker and people person. Brendy has a knack for turning big vision into clear, actionable steps while making sure no one gets lost along the way. With a background in communications and counseling, she leads with both structure and empathy—helping teams stay aligned, healthy, and genuinely excited about what they’re building.
Off the clock, you’ll likely find her sipping chai tea, visiting a museum, deep into a documentary, or casually dissecting the latest podcast episode like it’s a full-on team debrief.
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Ministry Manager
Originally from the Midwest, but for the past 4 years Ephraim has called Brooklyn home, and has a passion to create spaces for people to feel like they belong. For the past 8 years, Ephraim has worked in various full-time ministry roles, specializing in operational excellence, ministry development, and spiritual formation. He continues his pursuit of operational excellence as a student at Baruch for his Accountancy MBA. Ephraim is married to his lovely wife, Ashton, and they are parents to their baby girl, Winnie, and their dog, Ruby. If you see Ephraim on a Sunday or want to reach out to grab a coffee, he loves meeting new friends and having conversations.
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Worship Director
Originally from Seattle, Carlin has called New York City home since 2017. He’s thrilled to step into the role of Worship Director at Redeemer Brooklyn. For five years, Carlin served on the music ministry staff at Redeemer Downtown while earning a Bachelors in Piano and a Masters in Music Education from NYU. Carlin is eager to create a welcoming worship space at Redeemer Brooklyn for everyone — whether you’ve been walking in faith for years or are just beginning to explore Christianity. Outside the church, you can find Carlin freelancing as a pianist or on adventurous travels with his wife, Esther.
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Children’s Ministry Manager
Maria started her career producing fashion shows in California to working as an apparel account executive in NYC. She eventually traded high heels for homeschool to raise her two kids. Now living in Prospect Park South with her husband and family, Maria enjoys curating (and searching for) the perfect afternoon tea, painting and crafting, and redecorating her apartment like it’s HGTV-ready. For Maria, children’s ministry is about creating spaces where kids feel safe, cherished, and inspired to experience the beauty of God’s love and the joy of following Christ. She considers it a privilege to walk alongside the next generation as they grow in their faith.
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Pastoral Resident
Originally from São Paulo, Brazil, Gustavo has called Brooklyn home since 2019. He moved here with his wife, Ha Na Choi, just six months after their wedding, and they’ve embraced Brooklyn’s thriving community ever since. An electrical engineer and M.Div student at Westminster Theological Seminary, Gustavo is passionate about walking alongside others in their faith journeys and sharing life together. He loves playing guitar—although he’ll be the first to admit he’s a terrible singer! Always up for exploring new coffee shops, Gustavo would be thrilled to meet you for a cup of joe, hear your story, and share a meaningful conversation—whether it’s about life, faith, or even Brazilian music.
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Ministry Intern
A pastor’s kid from the Midwest who now calls Brooklyn home, Ashton is no stranger to church plants and is thrilled to witness what God is doing in and through Redeemer Brooklyn. Ashton has been an actor since the age of 13 and earned her BFA in Musical Theatre from the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, drawn to the arts by the beauty often found in its togetherness. That same draw to connection eventually led her to pursue an MA in Counseling: Pastoral Care from the Rawlings School of Divinity at Liberty University. Ashton is passionate about empowering others through care, creativity, and authentic community.
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Children’s Ministry Coordinator
our NETWORK
Learn more out our Redeemer Network of Churches.