Our Staff

Jonathan Lugo came to NEU Church Planting just as NEU was beginning and at a time when COVID threatened to slow our church planting efforts. Yet in God’s Providence, Jonathan and his family were able to visit New England and Central Falls in July 2020. Having done so, he and his wife Tere sensed God leading them to move from their home in Puerto Rico and plant a church in New England.

Prior to moving, Jonathan had planted one church and pastored another for five years in Puerto Rico. Jonathan, Tere, and their three children moved in May of 2021. He began a two-year pastoral apprenticeship while starting to build relationships in Central Falls, RI. By the fall of 2023 Iglesia Cristiana Centrados en el Evangelio was born. NEU is thankful for the Lugo's hard work, not only in planting a church, but also in establishing a pattern for how NEU plants churches across New England.

Tereangeli Lugo was born in Yauco, Puerto Rico and earned a degree in Elementary Education, graduating in 2006.  Tere also worked in the financial aid office of the Mayaguez Campus of the University of Puerto Rico.

Now, since moving to New England to plant a church with Jonathan, Tere is using her education degree in Central Falls, RI as she teaches children and reaches out to families. Tere has been called on to lead seminars with school Moms, has led Bible studies with women in the city, and since the founding of Iglesia Cristiana Centrados en el Evangelio, she now serves as a deaconess at the church. Tere and Jonathan have two sons and one daughter.

Elizabeth Berry serves NEU on Central Falls Church Plant team as a Women’s Worker, and also as a staff writer. Elizabeth has a Bachelors in Social Work from Florida State University and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Counseling at Westminster Theological Seminary. Having served at her home church in Florida and then overseas, Elizabeth is passionate about discipleship relationships. She also enjoys writing and filmmaking and is an advocate of foster care and adoption.

Christian Michael grew up in Virginia and values life with his wife, Cassie, and their son. A U.S. Army veteran, Christian’s commitment to service informs his work. Before entering ministry, he dedicated himself to social work, focusing on homelessness and street evangelism. Christian holds a Bachelor of Divinity in Urban Ministry from Grimké Seminary. He is eager to serve as a pastor in Dorchester, Boston, MA.

In 2025 NEU Church Planting adopted Pastor Dexley Dorcely and Faith Community Church in Providence. Dexley grew up in Fall River, MA and in his early years of ministry he served as a youth and children’s pastor in Fall River. Prior to assuming the role of Lead Pastor, Dexley served as the Associate Pastor at FCC alongside John Ames. Before moving into full-time vocational ministry Dexley worked as a mechanical engineer. Dexley is married to Brianna and they have two children.

NEU has had a long relationship with Faith Community Church, which is located just a couple of miles from our offices. We are glad to have Dexley as part of the NEU family!

Chip and NEU Church Planting have been friends since the beginning of NEU. Then NEU had the blessing of adopting Chip and his church into the NEU family. Chip is the pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church in the Hill, New Haven, CT. Chip has been a college professor, a teacher, a program designer, and a grant writer. Chip is the author of numerous academic articles and two books. Chip is a graduate of Gordon-Conwell Seminary. He and his wife Lisa have four adult children.

Micah Lang reached out to NEU Church Planting in 2025 and we quickly developed a warm partnership. Their whole church has eagerly embraced their adoption into the NEU family. 

Micah and his wife Felicia have three children and have been at RHC since 2020. Micah grew up as a pastor’s kid, went to Boston for art school, and then sensed God leading him into pastoral ministry. 

Micah brings a heart rich with reflection and thanksgiving for the work of the gospel. He likes to preach it, live it, and write about it. Even as we hope to support and encourage Micah and RHC, we also know he will contribute to NEU as he teaches, writes, and encourages his brothers and sisters at NEU Church Planting family.

We met Frankie Cruz through Don George, both of whom were students at Grimké Seminary at the time. Frankie is from Detroit where he and his wife Grace and their five girls live. Frankie knows the streets of the inner city well and is eager to serve with Christian Michael in Dorchester.

Frankie will be a Pastoral Resident in our Haynes School of Ministry for two years as he prepares for what we hope will be many years of fruitful ministry for the sake of Christ and his church.

The Dorchester church plant is in its early stage of building relationships in the neighborhood, raising funds, and doing the careful work of listening, learning, and loving this historic community.

Jhorman Rivera met Jonathan Lugo at the Church Planting Weekender in Washington, DC. We later met with Jhorman, learned about his planting work in Worcester, MA, and heard about his heart for training other laborers for church planting in New England. Jhorman and his wife, Diana, come from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, where they were married and graduated from seminary. Jhorman has planted and pastored in the Dominican Republic and in the US.

He is currently revitalizing the English-speaking congregation of Pleasant St. Baptist Church, establishing a Spanish-speaking congregation there as well, and also helping to plant a Spanish-speaking church in East Boston. We are thankful for the experience and vision Jhorman brings to the NEU family.