Called and Equipped
Jesus is our Shepherd-King and the people in this congregation belong to him. He calls and equips different people from among his congregation to help lead his church. That happens through teams of elders and deacons, volunteer leaders, pastors and paid staff.
Church Council
A team comprised of elders, deacons, and the Sr. Pastor who oversee the day to day and long-term life of Pleasant Street. They discern together who God wants us to be, and how we can live Jesus’ life in our community.
Elders
men and women who serve Jesus by caring for and guiding the life of our congregation. They nurture our faith in Jesus through worship, they care for us when we are wounded, they celebrate the good things that God is doing in our lives. They are best described as shepherds.
Deacons
Men and women who serve Jesus by empowering care and showing mercy. They provide confidential help for people in need – whether the needs are social, emotional, physical, financial, or spiritual – and whether the people are part of our congregation, our community, or across the world. Deacons help us to notice gifts that God has given to us and they lead us into how to use them for the needs of our community.
In addition there are a number of ministry teams that help steward, develop, and implement ministry at Pleasant street.
Pastors & Staff
Reverend Matthew Burns
Senior Pastor
As the Senior Pastor, Matthew has two roles among us. Matthew shepherds the lives of those in our community by listening to stories and being present in ours. And he helps shape our life through preaching, teaching and leading us into God's Story about Jesus.
Matthew is a graduate of Calvin University (BA in Rhetoric and Communication, Minor in Religion), where he learned that he loved to read; and Calvin Theological Seminary (Masters in Theology and Masters of Divinity), where he learned to love the Church.
Husband and glad father of four, Matthew likes to be out hiking, learning to make things from wood, or on the ice playing hockey. He's pretty sure that one day he'd like to have a dog.
Kate Martinka
Director of Children's Ministries
Kate loves God, loves kids, and loves helping kids grow closer to God.
A love for children and teaching led Kate to earn an Education Degree from Framingham State University. She has 13 years of experience directing Children's Ministry, and many more years working and volunteering with children of all ages.
Kate enjoys camping, hiking, biking, and kayaking with her husband and two sons. She also loves adventures like ziplining and rail-bikes. Not only does Kate love spending time in nature, but she loves observing and taking photos of nature too.
Steve Martinka
Worship Leader
Steve has a passion for music, liturgy, and how we fit into God's world.
Since age 11 Steve has been making music, and has been part of Worship Ministry music teams in churches for the past 14 years. He also has been working as an auto mechanic for the past 20 years.
Steve is a husband and father of three kids. He loves the outdoors, camping, kayaking, reading, and videogames. And he always orders the large coffee.