Staff Members

Gabe Gilliam
Teaching Pastor • (408) 867-1000, ext.240

Gabe joined the SFC staff as the Teaching Pastor in early 2012. A passion for God's Word and its creative application to our daily lives is a driving force for Gabe in ministry. Gabe completed his MDIV degree while studying at Gordon-Conwell seminary and is currently enjoying Doctoral work at Fuller Seminary. When it comes to preaching, Gabe finds great meaning in the story of the boy who shares his lunch with Jesus from John chapter 6. Ultimately, Jesus' miracle of multiplying the boy's humble offering into sustenance for large crowds, serves as a perfect metaphor for the role Gabe sees for himself and for the Spirit in his humble offering of preaching.

Gabe married his college sweetheart, Casey, in 2003, and together they have a daughter named Halle and a son named Bennett . In addition to their growing human clan, they are accompanied by a canine named Bauer who still assumes he is human. Gabe and Casey love to travel, play with their children and root for Texas sports teams despite the anger it might evoke from Silicon Valley residents.

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Arvin Engelson
Pastor of Care Ministries • (408) 867-1000, Ext.231

Arvin Engelson has served Saratoga Federated Church since 1978. For many years he was Pastor for Congregational Care, where he cultivated mutual care ministries and specialized in pastoral counseling. Recently, because of his unique combination of skills and experience, Arvin was named as SFC's Pastor for Community Care. In this role, Arvin will lead our congregation's compassionate engagements with human needs in the Bay Area in an outwardly focused ministry.

Arvin and his wife Dale grew up in Santa Barbara, California, and have been married for 32 years. They have three daughters. Parish ministry is a second career for Arvin. Before joining SFC, he was a counselor at a public college in Maryland and a private college in Massachusetts. Arvin did his masters work at Gordon-Conwell in Massachusetts and his doctoral work at Princeton.

When asked to identify a guiding text of scripture Arvin cited Micah 6:8: "This is what Yahweh asks of you: only this, to act justly, to love tenderly and to walk humbly with your God."

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Bill Allison
Pastor of Worship Ministries • (408) 867-1000, Ext.247

Bill Allison joined the staff at Saratoga Federated in January, 2008, and is delighted to lead in the areas of worship and congregational life. Bill is passionate about impacting the world for Christ through music and the creative arts. His life goal of encouraging people to be true worshippers is reflected in some of his favorite scripture verses, John 4:23 & 24: "But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

Bill has been privileged to enjoy past seasons of ministry in Los Gatos, CA for 20 years, Bremerton, WA for 3 ½ years, and Reedley, CA for 3 years, before coming to SFC. His broad background in music of widely varied styles, musical theater, involvement with arts in the community, travel, and love for people have enriched both his artistic and spiritual life. He is partnered in life and ministry with his wife, Diane. Two sons, Chris and Will, complete the Allison family.

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Tim Galleher
Pastor of Youth and Family Ministries • (408) 867-1000, Ext.234

Tim joined the SFC pastoral staff in January, 1996 as Associate Pastor of Student Ministries. Today he provides oversight to Student ministries. Tim's passion is for our students to have an intimate personal relationship with Jesus Christ. 

The mission/vision statement of our ministry to students is the following: "Our ministry exists to reach students, to connect them with Christians, to help them grow in their faith, to challenge them to serve others using their God-given gifts, and to honor God with their daily lives." God has blessed this ministry and we are seeing so many students come to know the Lord and live for Him.

Tim and his wife Cara were married in 1989, and they now have three children. As a family they love going on adventures and having fun. The Gallehers came to SFC after 15 years of ministry in Glendale, California through the Glendale YMCA and Glendale Presbyterian Church. Tim received his MDIV from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena. The theme verses for Tim's ministry are Matthew 22:37-40 (The Great Commandment) and Matthew 28:19-20 (The Great Commission).

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Sally Bryant
Pastor of Adult Ministries • (408) 867-1000, x233

Sally joined the staff in June 2008 bringing a passion to link education with those intentional practices designed to bring us closer to God. While the Silicon Valley lifestyle can encumber the one who seeks a more contemplative approach to a Christian walk, Sally believes it remains a key component of one desiring to be more like Christ. 

Consequently, she looks forward to developing programs to affirm and support people in the most exciting journey ever taken: the journey to become more like Christ. Her love of education has been expressed through her pursuit of a Masters Degree in Educational Administration and a Doctoral Degree in Education with an emphasis on Organization and Leadership. She served for eleven years as an instructor and dean at two Christian colleges. From there, her journey took her to the corporate world of high tech where she was responsible for managing a global training program and directing marketing communications. She sees all of these experiences as preparation for being a part of staff at SFC and the unique calling available to her in this position.

The words of Jeremiah 29:11: "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future," come to her mind as she considers those she seeks to serve. It affirms the goodness of God she has come to know in her own life. It is her prayer that many will continue living in the light of that goodness and on into the future designed uniquely for each individual.

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Joey Coray
Director of Worship • (408) 887-6581

Joey joined up with SFC as the Director of Worship in June, 2012. He has a passion for using different mediums of creativity to help draw attention to Jesus. Joey loves contemporary worship music; however, he has a strong interest in southern gospel, rounding out his approach to leading church music. He earned his B.A. in Music Ed and Vocal Performance from San Jose State University. Halfway through his journey of studying choral music, Joey could sense God's pull for him to pursue full-time music ministry. He has been a full-time minister since 2007. Joey was recent married to his bride Kelsie on February 23, 2013. He is enjoying the new adventure of sharing his life with such a wonderful woman. 

Joey's favorite scripture passage is Romans 12:1-2, "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God-this is your true and proper worship." A large part of Joey's identity is who God has crafted him to be as a creative person and a musician. He sees that he is called to point these gifts in the direction of God's purpose, as an act of worship. 

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Jerry Bruce
Sr. Director of Administration • (408) 867-1000, x249

Jerry has been a member of SFC since 1972. He has served SFC as a Deacon, Trustee, Elder, Treasurer, Sunday School Teacher and small group leader. Jerry has been on staff since 2001. Prior to joining SFC staff, Jerry's career included being an auditor, controller, treasurer, CFO and consultant at various high tech firms in the area. 

Jerry has been married to Mary Jane since 1980 and they have three children — Joshua, Shannon and David, and a daughter-in-law Lacey. Jerry enjoys applying his gift of helps here at SFC and at The King's Academy where their children attended middle and senior high school.

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Ruthie Koch
Interim Director of Children's Ministry • (408) 867-3456

Ruthie joined our staff as the Interim Director of Children's Ministry in November of 2011. She and her husband Jim have been members at SFC for over 30 years and have enjoyed leading the summer college group, singing, leading worship and teaching in their years here. They have two sons, Daniel and Jonathan and a daughter-in-law, Jaffrey. 

Before serving at SFC, Ruthie has served three different Christian schools, teaching several different grade levels as well as music and drama.

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Marguerite McAfee
Director of Community Life

Marguerite McAfee finds great joy in serving and equipping others to serve in the body of Christ. Her life verse is Romans 12:1: "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship."

Her work in the corporate world, as well as her partnerships with non-profit and for-profit organizations that promote education and leadership development, both locally and in the wider world, are experiences that provide a rich framework for her current role as Director of Community Life at Saratoga Federated. Marguerite lives in Saratoga with her husband and two daughters.

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Malia Clark 
High School Program Staff
(408) 761-9364 

Yvette Lee 
Jr. High Program Coordinator

Packey Ng
Accounting Manager
(408)867-1000, x241

Diane Hartsell
Production Assistant

Robyn Swan
Assistant to Senior Pastor 
Children's Ministry Assistant
(408) 867-1000, ext. 240

Diane Allison
Ministry Assistant
(408)867-1000 x238

Mary Norton
Assistant Director, Accompanist

Barbara Silverstein
Grief Ministry Coordinator
(408)996-0142

Melinda Chase
Ministry Associate 
Staff Wedding Coordinator
(408)867-3041

Olivia DCosta
Ministry Assistant
(408)867-1000 x246

Nicki Mierzejewski
Communications Coordinator
(408)867-1000, x250

Yvonne Wong
Accountant
(408)867-1000 x257

Gary Dugan
Accompanist