Our Staff & Leadership Team

The Bellingham Covenant Church staff consists of talented women and men who are here to serve our church and the greater Bellingham area.

Relationships are highly important for us, so although we oversee our specific ministry areas, we seek to do so in community with the children, youth, families and adults of BCC.

Lead Pastor
Email Phil
Home town
Abbotsford, BC, Canada
Education
B.A. Trinity Western University, M.Div Regent College, D.Min Fuller Theological Seminary

Family
I'm married to Julie and we have 3 boys, James and twins Nate and Andrew.
Hobbies
Running, Mountain Biking, Snowboarding, Playing Guitar.
Favorite Music
I like a lot of different music. Current playlist right now includes Josh Garrells, Bifrost Arts, Gregory Alan Isakov, The Porter's Gate, The Oh Hellos, and Bon Iver.
Favorite Books
Too many to list. Influential authors include Frederick Buechner, C.S. Lewis, James K.A. Smith, Dallas Willard, Lesslie Newbign, Roberta Bondi, Thomas Merton, Wendell Barry, Henri Nouwen, Marilynne Robinson, and Eugene Peterson.
Favorite Movies/Shows
Current Shows we enjoy include The Office (reruns!), and The Great British Baking Show
I’d Like to Meet
Ignaitus of Loyola, since he was the subject of my dissertation at Fuller. Curious about what he was really like in real life.

Super Hero Power
For sure flying!
Email Phil

Administrative Assistant
Email Kris
HOMETOWN
I grew up in Shoreline, Wa. Grady and I moved to River Falls, Wisconsin when our kids were 5 & 7, and we moved to Bellingham when the kids were 9 & 11.
ABOUT ME
I am married to Grady, who is a 777 pilot! I am the mother of 2 amazing kids, Emma and Jacob.
INTERESTS
I enjoy camping in the great northwest, hiking, bike riding, and just about any activity with the family!
FAVORITE MUSIC
The car radio is always set to Praise 106.5! I also enjoy a lot of music from the 70’s-80’s.
FAVORITE MOVIES
Sound of Music, White Christmas, Run Away Bride, just to name a few.
FAVORITE CHILDHOOD MEMORIES
Going to the family cabin at Lake Katchess. My parents bought this rustic cabin when I was in junior high. Our family would gather there in the summer, we still meet there with our growing families all these years later!
SUPER HERO POWERS
I would love to fly!
Email Kris

Worship Director
Email Adriele
Hometown
Vancouver, BC
Education
Bachelors of Science in Agriculture
About Me
Born and raised in Vancouver, Canada. My childhood was full of road trips and camping with my parents and 3 siblings. In High School I joined choirs and tried every sports team I could find. At the end of High School I discovered my life-long love for being apart of a Worship Team. I met my Husband, Kevin, while we were in college in Canada and moved to Bellingham in 2002, where we have raised our 6 kids.
Interests
Hiking, biking, camping, home projects, hanging out with friends and family.
Favorite Music
I love songs with a great bass line!
Favorite Childhood Memories
Summer camping road trips, reading books with my family, climbing trees
I’d Like To Meet
I'd be interested to meet friends and family of famous people and get an insider's perspective!
Email Adriele

Children’s Ministry Assistant
Email Julie
Name:
Julie Rushton
Hometown:
Lynden, WA
Education:
B.A., B.Ed. Elementary Education, Trinity Western University
About Me:
Follower of Jesus, married to Phil, mom of James, Nate and Andrew, sister, daughter, friend.
Interests:
I enjoy learning new crafts and skills from crochet to laying tiles to refinishing furniture. I love plants, indoors and out. I really enjoy a walk and talk with a friend (but never running, no thanks). I'm also pretty good at finding deals.
Favorite Music/Bands:
The Porter's Gate, Simon and Garfunkel, Feist, and the Ethel Merman Disco album (jk)
Favorite Books:
Jane Eyre, Les Misérables, A Severe Mercy, and many others.
Favorite Childhood Memories:
Many sweet childhood memories from summers at our cabin on Lake Whatcom.
I’d Like To Meet:
My great, great, ... grandparents and relatives who first traveled to the PNW. I'm curious what it was like here a long time ago.
Superhero Power:
Telekinesis, wouldn't that be so helpful?!
Email Julie

Associate Pastor
Email Adria
Name:
Adria Willett-Leonardo
Hometown:
Durango, Mexico, and Catalina, Arizona
Education:
BA in Writing from Houghton College, Houghton, NY
Mdiv from North Park Theological Seminary, Chicago, IL
About Me:
Missionary kid, daughter, sister, wife, friend, pastor, spiritual director in training, #4 on Enneagram
Interests:
Scripture, spiritual formation, justice issues, arts & crafts, hiking, reading, board games
Favorite Music:
Alternative rock, 80s and 90s pop, 90s Christian rock (there IS such a thing!) and classical
Favorite Books:
The Narnia series, The Lord of the Rings, Jane Austen, and anything by Henri Nouwen
Favorite Childhood Memories:
The sound of wind in the pines and the smell of wood fires from the Tepehuan village in the mountains of Mexico; playing “Ghost in the Graveyard” with friends outside our church building (at night, of course); singing in the car with my family on road trips; summer camp
Email Adria

Middle School Director &
Administrative Support
Email Jacob
HOMETOWN
Bellingham
ABOUT ME
I grew up in Bellingham, love all things coffee (Peet’s specifically) and I’m always down for a card game. Currently going to school at BTC for Radiology!
INTERESTS
Photography, graphic design, and coffee.
FAVORITE MUSIC
Some of my favorite artists include DWLLRS, Mat Kearny, Johnny Swim, & Yebba.
FAVORITE MOVIE
The Creator
FAVORITE TV
Parks and Rec, 30 Rock, and Ted Lasso are some of my current bing-worthy shows.
FAVORITE CHILDHOOD MEMORIES
Trips to see family down in Rancho Bernardo, CA, annoying my sister at all times, and getting lost in the Mall of America.
I’D LIKE TO MEET
Amy Poehler
Email Jacob

Facilities Manager
Email Grady
Hometown:
Kettering, OH
Education:
BA Professional Aeronautics; type rated in seven airplanes including five Boeing jets.
About Me:
Husband, father of a son and a daughter, and retired from 32 years of airline flying.
Interests:
Knowing Jesus more fully, reading, music, traveling, and cooking.
Favorite Music:
Varies by genre
Favorite Movie:
Varies by genre
Favorite Childhood Memories:
Christmas, kitchen smells from Mom’s cooking and baking, laying in the grass watching clouds, chasing fireflies, helping Dad wash the car or mow the grass.
I’d Like To Meet:
Adrian Rogers
Email Grady

Youth Pastor & Director of Worship Technology
Email Jeff
Hometown
Loveland, CO
Education
MACF North Park Theological Seminary.
About Me
I’m a Colorado boy at heart.
Interests
Anything Mac related (I’m a nerd, I know), camping in my teardrop camper, photography, video production, movies, music, friends, Boulevard Park!
Favorite Music
Coldplay, Aaron Espe, U2, Zac Brown Band, Mumford & Sons
Favorite Movies
Shawshank Redemption, Gladiator, Braveheart, Starwars, Lord of the Rings, Bruce Almighty, Dumb and Dumber, Band of Brothers, Finding Nemo
Favorite TV
Ted Lasso, 30 Rock, Parks & Rec, and anything on the Discovery Channel or National Geographic Channel
Favorite Books
Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller, Messy Spirituality by Mike Yaconelli, Hurt by Chap Clark, The Giver, by Lois Lowry.
Favorite Childhood Memories
Camping and 4-Wheeling with the family in and around Colorado.
I’d Like To Meet
Tina Fey & Amy Poehler
Superhero Power
Flying!
Email Jeff

Children’s Director
Email Megan
HOMETOWN
Bellingham, WA
EDUCATION
Certificate of Biblical Studies, Covenant Bible College Colorado, Bachelors in Humanities and Social Sciences (Outdoor Recreation)- WWU
ABOUT ME
Married to Justin Mattix, Mom to three kids, Love and hate risk-taking, Love to be outside, Love being with people.
INTERESTS
Anything on the water-boating, white water rafting, kayaking, etc. walking my dog, listening to music, hiking.
FAVORITE MUSIC
Waterdeep, Josh Garrels, Sara Groves, Cat Stevens, Sleeping at Last, Shane and Shane, Johnnyswim, etc….
FAVORITE MOVIE
Hamilton is the last movie I watched that I really enjoyed
FAVORITE TV
Ted Lasso, Running Wild with Bear Grylls
FAVORITE CHILDHOOD MEMORIES
My Grandparents had a boat and when I was young and we would sometimes spend whole summers with them. I loved when we would go fishing, crabbing, boating around the San Juan Islands. We would often run into pods of Orca Whales. I was captivated by the beauty of the Salish Sea, even as a child.
I’D LIKE TO MEET
Shane & Katie Jo Claiborne
Email Megan

Nursery Coordinator
Email Melissa
Name:
Melissa Mueller
Hometown:
Ferndale, WA
Education:
BA in Elementary Education, Tabor College, Hillsboro, Kansas
About Me:
Married to Nick, mother to two boys and a girl
Interests:
Deep-dive inductive Bible Study, making sourdough bread, vacations on the beach
Favorite Music/Bands:
Kings Kaleidoscope, Gray Havens, LOVKN, Mat Kearney
Favorite TV Shows:
Parks and Rec, whatever comedy I’m currently making my way through
Favorite Books:
Anything written by Jen Wilken, especially Women of the Word
Favorite Childhood Memories:
Growing up on a farm, having picnics in the hay field in the summer and feeding cows in the cozy barn in the winter, playing at Birch Bay with family and friends
I’d Like To Meet:
Jen Wilkin
Email Melissa