Our Staff
Pastor Chris is originally from Columbus, Ohio and grew up in the United Methodist Church where he was confirmed at age twelve.
In 1990 he was appointed as a local pastor at Memorial United Methodist Church and has been in pastoral ministry since then. Pastor Chris and his wife Elizabeth are passionate about Christ’s church and have seen God’s blessings over their service and ministry.
He is a graduate of Nyack College where he met Elizabeth and pursued a Bachelor of Arts in Missions. He then moved on to Drew University and obtained a Masters Degree in Divinity.
Being wrapped in nature and hiking are two of Pastor Chris’ favorite hobbies. He also loves spending quality time with his grandkids.
His vision through God for Trinity Church is that we would worship and pray together as a community.
He believes that as Christians prayer is an effective discipline that we should practice. He is also passionate about loving people into the arms of Jesus.
His main goal is to finish strong like Caleb who at 85, said he felt just as strong as when he was 40 years old.
Christopher Yount |Senior Pastor
Mandie Salmon |
Pastor of Discipleship and Family Ministries
Mandie is our new Pastor of Discipleship and Family Ministries as of December 2021. She is responsible for the development and oversight of children, youth and family ministries at Trinity. She provides vision, organization, and leadership of our volunteers to disciple children to know, follow, and serve Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
Mandie has over 7 years of experience working with youth in ministry. She is recognized for effective communication skills and inventiveness, providing legendary levels of service, and consistently going above and beyond the call of duty.
Mandie is the Founder and Director of “As I Am Ministry,” responsible for pioneering conferences for youth, selecting and training leadership teams and creating programs that help bring youth closer to God.
Education:
Bachelor of Arts in Communication Arts from Gordon College – Wenham, MA
Associate of Science in Biblical Studies from Boston Baptist College – Boston, MA
Licensed Evangelist
Ryan Dafgek |
Worship Arts Director
Ryan Dafgek is our Worship Arts Director. He is responsible for developing and leading our worship music ministry and overseeing our worship technology teams.
Ryan has been serving in music ministry for over a decade and has held the role of Worship Arts Director for 3 1/2 years at South Church in Hartford. Brought up in the church by his parents, Ryan’s first foray into music as a child was singing hymns. When he isn’t working on music or events for Trinity Church, Ryan works as an Operations Team Lead at The Music People Inc. in Berlin, CT. He also loves to spend time with his wife Ashley and son Jackson at their home in Wethersfield, CT. Ryan is excited for what the future brings at Trinity, and hopes to grow the worship and tech team, as well as write more personal worship music inspired by the church family. He is honored to lead the church in worship and prays that all might have an encounter with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
Sandy Alexander |
Administrative Assistant
Sonja Swedberg |
Bookkeep
Sonja Swedberg is the bookkeeper for Trinity Church and Trinity Christian Preschool. Her responsibilities are paying the bills, preparing the payroll, and preparing reports for the various ministries of the church and school. She has a BBA in Accounting from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. She lives in Windsor and has three daughters and seven grandchildren.
Chris Hensley |
Custodian
Chris works hard behind the scenes at both the Church and the school, to make sure our facility is in the best working condition and is clean and pleasant for the staff, the children, the worshipers, and visitors.
Nancy Dagenhart |Preschool Director
Nancy Dagenhart serves as the Director of Trinity Christian Preschool, bringing a wealth of experience and passion for education to her role. She earned her undergraduate degree from Eastern Connecticut State College, followed by a Master’s degree from Central Connecticut State College and a Sixth Year certificate from Phoenix University.
Nancy has dedicated her career to teaching, beginning in 1974 as an elementary school teacher in Stratford and Windsor. Over the years, she has taught fifth and sixth grades, served as a math interventionist, and worked as both a math tutor and coach.
Outside of her professional life, Nancy is a proud mother to her daughter, Katie, and a loving pet parent to her cat, Tippy Toes. In her spare time, she enjoys gardening and sewing blankets for children affected by sex trafficking. She is also actively involved in her church, where she enjoys both attending services and serving her community.
Nancy has participated in several mission trips, including trips to Costa Rica and Biloxi, Mississippi, following Hurricane Katrina. She has also volunteered locally with Habitat for Humanity.
Since accepting the position as Preschool Director, Nancy believes that serving God and nurturing preschoolers is the most fulfilling aspect of her educational career. Her commitment to education and her heartfelt service to others truly embody the spirit of Trinity Christian Preschool.
John Wesley |
Church Communications Director
John Wesley is the founder of the Wesleyan movement and the host of “Church Happenings.” His responsibilities include delivering the most up-to-date information on Sunday Mornings. John Wesley maintains his youthful plastic glow by adhering to a rigorous exercise regiment mostly consisting of bobbling his head. His hands are also stuck to that book.