hopecentralchurch.org

Church Staff

Our Pastoral Staff

Rev. Courtney Jones

Senior Pastor

The Rev. Courtney Jones (she/her) became Hope Central's settled pastor in November 2025. From February 2020 to October 2025, she served as Senior Pastor of Pilgrimage UCC in Marietta, GA. She grew up in Arkansas, but Boston, in general, and Hope Central, in particular, have long felt like home. She holds a Master of Theological Studies in Philosophy, Theology, and Ethics from Boston University School of Theology (2008) and a Master of Divinity from Andover Newton Theological School (2014). She was ordained at Hancock UCC in Lexington, MA in September 2014 and served Hope Central as Associate Pastor for Children's Spiritual formation from 2014-2018 and Pastor for Children and Community Life from 2018-January 2020. She has a deep love for the Hope Central community and is honored and overjoyed to be back serving this beautiful congregation.

Outside of church, you can find Courtney spending time with family, singing with her chorus community in Voices Rising, or trying to finagle time with friends whenever possible. She loves warm beverages, belly laughs, hearty food, time at the beach, and good books. Courtney and her spouse Auggie (they/them) live with their children, Teddy and Charlie, and their three (very good, if very emotionally needy) rescue dogs, Huck, Bumper, and Chet. Which is to say, Courtney knows more than she ever wanted to about construction vehicles and less than she needs to about dog training. Her heart is full, and her coffee cup is probably empty.

Courtney loves getting to know people, hearing their stories, and seeking a deeper connection to the divine in the process. Please consider sending her an email to find some time together!

Rev. Terry Steeden

Community Minister

Rev. Nina Swift

Community Minister

Our Band

Drummer: Gillian De Lear

Tech Manager

Originally from Menlo Park CA, Gillian De Lear began playing drums at age ten, and hasn’t stopped since. She moved to Boston, MA in 2005 and finished a Bachelor degree in Professional Music at Berklee College of Music. Gillian has played and toured with countless bands during her musical career. She has completed several cd’s, including a cd of original free jazz – duets with her favorite musicians in Boston (2009), “Genie in a Bottle”, a cd of original material for the Gillian De Lear Jazz Quintet (2012), and “On the Up & Up”, with the Jazz Barracudas (2013). Aside from playing in Hope Central’s morning service, you’ll find her playing at the HoJo’s on Boylston St. in Boston, every Tuesday with the David Ehle Trio Jazz Jam.

Bass: Neil Helme

Bass Player and Vocals and Interim Music Director

The story of Neil’s life–long relationship with music is a journey of discovery. Born into a house filled with music, taking piano & violin lessons in grade school, singing in choirs & in garage bands, all the while he was incorporating new musical ideas from as many different sources as possible. In essence, he was forming his personal version of what Gram Parsons would call “American Cosmic Music.”

For the last 35 years, Neil has played lots of music in lots of places with lots of musicians, including the Spring Hill Rounders, and The Demolition String Band.

Piano: Dow Brain

Piano and Vocals

Drummer: Bobby Hall

Drums and Percussion

Bob Hall, originally from Dorchester, MA, is by day, a High School Special Education teacher, but has fit in his love for drumming since he started playing traps [set drums] at eight years old. Bob earned an Instrumental Performance Degree from Berklee College of Music in Boston in 1975. He has played in the bands Starlight Dance Band, Black Tie, Philip Black Sextet, Brass Lantern and On the Road and has taught percussion at several schools. Since 1990, Bob has added to his repertoire a variety of rhythmic sounds using Congas, Timbales, Djembes, Udo, and Doumbeks. In 2001, Bob joined the newly formed “Holy Ghost Trio” at Hope Central Church and has continued to play with them during the Sunday service.

Our Church Staff

Church Manager: Lisa Pilat

ChurchManager@hopecentralchurch.org

Lisa Pilat has been with the church since 2006 as Building Manager and Church Manager/Bookkeeper. Prior to joining Hope Central she worked for Filene’s Department Stores as Divisional Sales Manager for 13 years. She has three children, Lexi, Lilly, and Maddoc. She currently lives in Dedham with her son Maddoc.

Administrative Assistant: Lisa Stanton

office@hopecentralchurch.org

Lisa Stanton joined the staff at Hope Central in November 2021 after she moved to Boston from Beverly MA. Before she came here, she worked as an Administrative Assistant at a mental health clinic for 5 1/2 years on the north shore. She lives with her musical husband, Bobby , two pesky cats, and has one lovely daughter, Lily-Esther.

Sexton: Leonel Cermeño

Originally from Guatemala, Leonel is a father to three girls and a grandfather to six. He has lived in the U.S. for over thirty years, twenty-five of them in Massachusetts. He has been at Hope Central Church for over twenty years.

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