“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” -John 13:35
The staff at Hope Church believe in loving one another as Christ has loved us. Below, you can read about each leader and role. Please feel free to reach out with questions or needs (email us below), and we will be in touch. To contact us by phone, the church office number is 303-744-1026. We look forward to hearing from you!
Tara Farrell | Ministry Coordinator
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As Ministry Coordinator, Tara organizes events, Sunday morning volunteers, and other special projects at Hope Church, working closely with the Lead Pastor Dean Wertz. Tara works to build and encourage community relationships within the congregation and bring new ideas to existing programs like Hope Groups and communications. She also volunteers as a part of our Preaching Team.
Tara Farrell is currently a student at Denver Seminary enrolled in the MA in Counseling for Clinical Mental Health. She also holds a BS in Biblical and Educational Studies from Liberty University. Born and raised in Colorado Springs, CO, she has almost 8 collective years of ministry experience, including over 2 years at Hope. She and her husband Peter Farrell live in the DU area, and have been attending Hope for over 4 years. Tara is an enthusiastic encourager who enjoys anything artistic and fun – including reading, writing, drawing, painting, playing guitar, recording music, photography, and attending concerts.
Jon Koneman | Worship Tech Coordinator
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Jon grew up in the Platt Park neighborhood and began attending Hope Church during his high school years. Early on, he had a love for music and led worship in his teen years both at church and for a Christian group at school. Jon assisted Hope in the tech booth in his Junior and Senior year. Following his time at South High School, he attended Western State University where he received his BA in Business and Economics degree.
After college, he began helping Hope again; this time with new equipment and a tech upgrade in the booth. Jon was up for the challenge of becoming Hope’s Worship Tech Coordinator as he enjoys learning and taking on new adventures. He loves snowboarding during the winter and playing golf in the summer. He and his wife, Rebecca have two Corgi dogs and a darling baby boy, Wells.
Becky Newquist | Children’s Ministry Director
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As Children’s Ministry Director, Becky is passionate about supporting families who desire to build their household on the solid foundation and hope found in Jesus. Her vision for Children’s Ministry is that it would come along side, encourage, and equip parents as they invest in raising up the next generation of disciples. Becky has been a part of the Hope family for 15 years and has experienced the value of being a member of this particular body of believers through several seasons of life. In addition to her role at Hope, Becky is also a licensed clinical social worker, helping children and adults find hope and transformation through professional counseling and healing prayer. She earned her Masters in Social Work at the University of Denver and her undergraduate degree from Bethel University in St. Paul, MN. Becky is grateful to be doing life with her husband, Jason, and two young children, Claire and Thomas. They love sharing meals with their neighbors, going on adventures in the mountains, gardening, biking, playing at the park, and having impromptu dance parties.
Joel Noble | Worship Leader
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Joel enjoys serving as the Worship Leader at Hope Church, where he has been part of the music team for several years. He has over three decades of experience in playing the guitar and singing, with music being an integral part of his life’s journey. His passion for a diverse range of musical genres enriches our worship sessions.
Arik Stewart | Executive Pastor
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As Executive Pastor of Hope Church, Arik oversees all business aspects of our organization and serves in pastoral roles like preaching. Specifically, Arik oversees our annual budgeting and daily financial operations, maintenance of our building and grounds including our adjacent rental property and park, and leasing parts of our 31,000-square-foot building to churches and non-profits that align with Hope’s mission.
Arik is a Denver native and began attending Hope with his family in 2003. He began working at Hope in 2014. He holds a business degree from the University of Denver and is currently working for a Master of Divinity degree with a concentration in Biblical Preaching at Denver Seminary. Arik loves photography, especially when traveling with his adventure-buddy and wife, Leah. He has been to nearly all of the fifty states, about half of the national parks, and five continents. He is amazed by the diverse beauty of God’s creation! Arik and Leah welcome Selah in their family in December 2021.
Becky Walker | Communications Coordinator
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As Communications Coordinator, Becky assists Hope with online technical presence and design. She also works closely with the leadership team to help communicate messaging that is clear and God serving. She is committed to sharing God’s love by relaying the good news that is happening at Hope and through the people of the church. Becky has over 30 years of experience in communications, advertising, public relations and non-profit marketing. With a Communications BA Degree from Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, she loves (loves!) using her skills to support the team at Hope. Becky lives in Tampa, Florida with her family and adorable little mini-doxie, Fritz Walker.
Dean Wertz | Lead Pastor
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As Lead Pastor for Hope Church, Dean seeks to abide in Jesus and encourage others to do the same. Dean learned about and was amazed by Jesus was when he was 12 years old. Soon after, he was compelled to become a lifelong learner and follower of Jesus. After high school, Dean moved to Chicago where he earned a BA in Biblical Theology from Moody Bible Institute. After seeing God’s heart for people of all nations during a mission trip to the Congo, he moved to Denver and has since completed his Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees at Denver Seminary.
Dean and his wife Rebecca have three adult children and one grandson – Maggie Kinter, James Wertz and Chris & Kylian Ogunsakin. The Wertz’s live in Platt Park and have been with Hope since it was formed in 1999. Dean enjoys fishing, hiking, camping, organizational leadership and rough carpentry—especially when he can do these things with his family!
Rebecca Wertz | Prayer Coordinator & Facility Use Coordinator
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Rebecca meets individually with people for freedom prayer, and also trains those who are interested in learning how to facilitate freedom prayer. She also leads a prayer group that meets on Monday nights, which is open to anyone who wants to join in prayer or receive prayer. In addition, Rebecca oversees the cleaning, decorating, and renovations of the church, and oversees all events that are hosted at Hope.
The daughter of missionaries, Rebecca was born and raised in Taiwan. She moved to Colorado when she was 15, and has been part of Hope since its beginning in 1999. Aside from painting, one of her favorite things to do is go for long hikes in the foothills. Rebecca and her husband Dean live in Platt Park. She and Dean have three adult children and one grandson – Maggie Kinter, James Wertz and Chris & Kylian Ogunsakin.