Church Office Phone: (985) 626-4375
Fax: (985) 626-4391

Pastor, Greg Cruice,
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Greg has been the pastor at New Covenant since August, 2001. He and his wife Janis have been married for almost 26 years and have three children, Lauren Cruice Rogers, married to Jeff and mom to Graham; Lindsey Cruice Bogan, married to Alex; and Justin, a Junior at Fountainebleau High School. He is a native New Orleanian, who, after 15+ years in the business world, felt a call to seminary. Greg and his family moved to Decatur, Georgia where he attended Columbia Theological Seminary and received a Master of Divinity degree. HE currently is working on a Doctorate of Worship Studies through the Robert Webber Institute for Worship Studies.Following seminary, he served as a pastor for four years of Norcross Presbyterian Church prior to coming to New Covenant. Greg loves living in Mandeville and can usually be spotted “out and about” at local places like local coffee houses, Darryl's Deli, where the Fried pickles are named after him. He is known throughout the community and has served previously on as a Commissioner of Pelican Park, a local public sports facility. He is a past District Governor of the Louisiana, Mississippi, West Tennessee District of Kiwanis International. He also enjoys fishing, golf, and spectator sports like baseball, football, and basketball.

FAVORITE THING TO DO: Be with my family doing anything they like to do. I do wish my wife would like to fish –it would mean my son Justin would get to do that more often and we’d probably have a boat.

FAVORITE FOOD: Anything with fresh seafood in it!

FAVORITE MUSIC: Christian music by David Crowder, Todd Fields, or Kurt Dubose

THREE PEOPLE you’d love to dine with: Jesus, my wife Janis’ dad (I never got to meet him and he was supposedly a funny guy!), and my wife! (Even though we eat dinner together almost every night).

I LIKE TO: Laugh! Create! Envision! Think bigger! Throw lots of spaghetti at the refrigerator of life even if most of it does not stick! Be with people! Share Jesus in many ways.

GREATEST THRILL IN MINISTRY: Baptizing the boy who hit fourth and was the star of my baseball team in Norcross, GA –he was 9 …. A true gospel meeting culture experience.

A TIME WHEN YOU KNEW GOD”S PRESENCE: Multiple part answer, sorry! When God brought Janis into my life; the birth of all three of my children; when our daughter Lindsey almost died three years ago and by the grace of God she was given a miracle and resurrection!

BIBLE VERSES THAT MEAN A LOT TO YOU: JOHN 3 – verse 16 and more! ACTS 2 – ending of chapter that describes the early church; I JOHN – We love because Jesus first loved us; PSALMS; 1 Chronicles –the prayers of David.

SOMETHING CRAZY YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO: Host Sports Center, do color analyst work for a professional sports team or have a cooking show on the Food Network geared towards bubbas like me who know  nothing about cooking but should be cooking for their wives  anyway … I think it would exponentially grow their ratings!

DO YOU WATCH MUCH TV? Some. Networks I watch are Fox News, ESPN, Food Network, real estate flip shows, adventure shows where guys survive in the wild (even if they are prepped for it!) … Love to watch House, CSI (Vegas and Miami my favorites!), Survivor  … I guess that is more than some!

A PIECE OF ADVICE YOU WOULD SHARE WITH EVERYONE IN THE WORLD : As Jesus said, place your treasures not in the things of this world, but rather in the treasures of His Kingdom!

Associate Pastor, Hunter Gray,
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Hunter Gray is the associate pastor of Discipleship, Life Groups, and Care Ministries.  He is originally from Baton Rouge, LA.  Hunter is married to Jacelyn and they have two children.  Hunter earned his bachelor’s degree from Louisiana State University and his master’s of divinity from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.  Hunter worked for a couple years after LSU in the construction industry. After his time of working in petro-chemical plants Hunter and Jacelyn discerned their call to full-time ministry. Back down in the south Hunter is grateful to be serving his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, as a pastor.  Hunter’s passions are teaching God’s Word and ministering to people who need God’s care and helping others to do the same.  “I love to be with members as God reveals His love, faithfulness, grace and mercy even in the midst of distressing times. God is always in control.” In his spare time Hunter loves being with his family, the outdoors, and hunting.

Director of Children's Ministries, Candy Pendleton,
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Candy has been a resident of Covington for almost seven years and has been a member of New Covenant for approximately 6 years. Candy is a teacher at Sixth Ward where she teaches gifted reading and math classes for first to fifth grade. She has a married daughter, Jeanna, who lives and teaches in Covington and a married son, Jeff, in Walker. Candy has four grandsons, who she loves spending time with. She is an active member of the NCPC chancel choir. Her hobbies include reading, cross-stitch, quilting and, most recently, working with stained glass.

Children's Ministries Assistant, Jennifer Saweikis,
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Jennifer and her husband, Matt, and their children have lived in Mandeville for two years. She originally grew up in the southwest suburbs of Chicago and started her family in Plainfield, Illinois. The Saweikis family moved to Louisiana due to Matt’s relocation with McDonald’s Corporation. Matt and Jennifer have three children, Matthew, Haley, and Steven. Jennifer spends a great deal of her free time volunteering at her children’s schools. She enjoys singing in the chancel choir at NCPC and participating in the Parents With Young Children Life Group. Her hobbies include reading, gardening and exercising.

Instrumental Worship Director, Cliff Summers,
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Cliff was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama in a music-filled household. He began guitar lessons at eight years old and spent his high school years playing both praise and secular music anywhere and anytime he could. He attended Auburn University’s School of Electrical Engineering and moved to New Orleans in 1990 to begin his engineering career. He currently works full time for a local engineering consultant, Project Associates, Inc. in Metairie. In his spare time Cliff can usually be found playing Christian music around town both solo and with a local praise band, Two or More. His passions are songwriting, Christian music, performance and bicycling. Cliff lives in Kenner with his wife, Faith and three children, Amanda, Jacob and Emily.

Director of Music Ministries, Jeff Rogers,
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Jeff Rogers grew up in Springfield, IL. He left after high school to study in Los Angeles and Baltimore where he received a Bachelor's degree and Master's degree from the Peabody Conservatory of Music, specializing in classical guitar. Jeff has performed as a soloist across America and Japan, and also performs as part of chamber music ensembles and jazz groups. Jeff also teaches guitar and bass privately to students of all ages, and in all styles of music. Jeff and his wife, Lauren, are the proud parents of Graham.

Accompanist, Barry Ellis,
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Barry has been providing us with inspirational music as piano accompainist since June 2003. He lives in Mandeville with his wife Madeline and daughters Caroline and Elaina. Barry has been playing music for churches for nine years. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Piano Performance and a Master's degree in Piano Performance and Pedagogy. He teaches private piano lessons at a local music school, and serves as an adjunct instructor for Delgado Community College.

Communications Ministries, Vicki Satterlee,
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Vicki was born and raised in Montgomery, AL where she grew up an avid Auburn fan. After graduating from college with a degree in Communications, she began a career in graphic design and has branched out into web design over the last few years. A self-described internet junkie, she can usually be found on her mac reading up on everything from politics to potty training. Vicki and her husband, Bob, live in Madisonville with their three children, Vivian, Nick and Olivia.

Communications Ministries, Janis Cruice,
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As part of the communications team, Janis is responsible for the weekly bulletin, the monthly publication of the Journey and also for most aspects of the visuals used during Sunday morning worship. Janis has been involved at NCPC helping with the children’s ministry, leading a life group and being involved with the Presbyterian Women. She is also a Presbyterian elder. Janis and Greg have been married 26 years and have three children. Lauren is married to Jeff Rogers and they have a wonderful red-headed son, Graham. Lindsey is married to Alex Boggan and they live in Houston where both of them are employed by Exxon.  Justin is a Junior at Fontainbleau High. In her free time, Janis enjoys reading, sewing and playing with her grandson!

Administrative Coordinator, Claudette Arcement,
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Claudette Arcement was born in Buras, LA. When she was 4, her father was killed in World War II and Claudette moved to the West Bank of Jefferson Parish with her mother, younger sister, grandparents, and young uncle.  Claudette lived in Jefferson Parish until 1976 when she, her husband, Carrol, and their two children moved to Covington.

She has been employed by LA Gas Co.; First Bank; Anderson, Toledano, and Courtney’s Law Firm; and had a long career at Saint Joseph Abbey and Seminary College were she was employed for over 24 years. 

Claudette has been a member of St. Benedict Parish since 1977, and has taught fifth grade CCD classes there from 1977 to 1984.  She is a certified CCD Elementary Catechist, and certified as a Coordinator of Religious Education. Always involved in Parish activities, she was appointed Coordinator of Religious Education in 1996 and served in that position until 2005.

Claudette is happy to be a part of NCPC and will do her best to serve this faith community with respect, kindness and love of GOD!

Administrative Assistant, Mur Kuhn,
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After being raised in New York City, Mur attended the State University in Buffalo, New York, where she earned a degree in Exceptional Education.  She returned to Long Island to teach at a facility for children with Cerebral Palsy.  A year later she returned to Buffalo to marry “another Presbyterian” and continue her teaching career.  Graduate work at the University of Wisconsin at Madison in Early Intervention for Children with Cerebral Palsy further enhanced her education.  She was employed by the Cerebral Palsy Association of Western New York for thirty-nine years as a member of an Early Intervention Team catering to young children with handicaps and their families.  

Mur and her husband were blessed with three daughters and subsequently grandchildren who have been a joy and comfort.  Her retirement years were spent in Longmont, Colorado, where she lost her soul mate in 2001.  In 2006 Mur became a Louisianaian to be near her youngest daughter and her young family.  Mur’s spiritual journey began by way of her parent’s nurturing and continued throughout her life by significant enablers along the way.  She has been an ordained elder since the 1970’s and active in the Presbyterian Church, as well as Presbyterian Women.  Mur feels blessed to have become part of New Covenant and all it has to offer through God’s grace.

WEEKDAY SCHOOL STAFF
School Office Phone: (985) 626-1627
Director of Weekday School (ext. 120), Diane Ferguson
Secretary (ext. 119), Terrice Moore (ncpcwkds@bellsouth.net)