OUR STAFF

Mike Speegle – Lead Pastor

Mike was born and raised in Stockton, CA. He grew up in a nonreligious family. In his early twenties, while working as a butcher, he became a follower of Jesus. That decision led to a change of direction and purpose in life.

He went back to community college (San Joaquin Delta College) for a year while continuing to work as a butcher, then attended and graduated from Pacific Union College in the beautiful Napa Valley in California. There he met his wife Lorie. He’s pastored in Las Vegas, NV; Moab, UT; Lake Tahoe, CA; Atlanta, GA; Colorado Springs, CO; the Sacramento, CA area; and in Washington state before coming to New Hope in 2013.

He has two grown sons, two fantastic daughters-in-law and three grandsons. He serves as our lead pastor, is the primary speaker for our worship services, works with our Executive and Finance Committees, and leads our staff and church to live out God’s kingdom wherever we are.

Chelsy Tyler – Student & Volunteers Pastor

Chelsy was born and raised in Miami, FL. As she was growing up, her family moved around a couple of times before finally settling in TX, which Chelsy calls her second home. She was raised a Seventh-day Adventist Christian, but didn’t really commit to following Jesus until a caring adult at church really showed her the love of God in her middle school years. That commitment to follow God eventually led to an unexpected calling to go into ministry.

She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in theology from Southern Adventist University in TN. There she met her husband Corey. They don’t have any kids but hope to have a dog (or two) one day!

She pastored in Arlington, TX before coming to New Hope in 2019. She now serves as our Student Ministries and Volunteer Ministries pastor, working with high school students, young adults, and volunteers to pursue deeper intimacy with and service to God.

Andre Arrais – Worship & Outreach Pastor

Andre was born and raised in Brazil in a pastoral family. Upon finishing high school, he decided to study Law at the Adventist University of São Paulo. During his fifth and final year of Law School, Andre had a strong conviction that God was calling him to become a pastor and give up his future as a lawyer. After graduating with his Law degree in 2009, Andre married Natalia (his Law School classmate) and started his Theology degree (Master of Divinity) at Andrews University in 2010.

After completing his studies in 2014, he received a call from the Texico Conference to pastor in New Mexico. In 2018, he started serving as the Young Adult Director for the same conference. During his time there, Andre and Natalia were blessed with two beautiful children: Noah and Stella.

In August of 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Andre accepted the call to serve at New Hope. He described the selection process as being one of the most clear manifestations of God’s providence in his life.

In his free time, Andre enjoys playing music, exercising, cooking, and being outdoors with his family. He is also a member of the duo band “Os Arrais”.

Kasper Haughton Jr. – Online & Administrative Pastor

Kasper calls the great state of Texas home as a first generation American. His parents immigrated from Central America in the early 80’s and settled in San Antonio where he and his brother grew up. Church was always an integral part of family life and many week nights were spent running around the worship center while parents were in choir practice or meetings. By teenage years he began to find his passion for serving behind the scenes in production and running church tech. In college, after finishing three years of pre-med psychology, he felt impressed that God was calling him in a different life direction of full time church ministry service.

After graduating from Southern Adventist University with a B.S. in Religious Studies and minor in Psychology, he went on to intern as youth pastor for Central Coast Community Church in New South Wales, Australia. Afterwards, he completed his Masters in Divinity at Andrews University.

Kasper has served over 11 years in ministry as children’s pastor, youth pastor, church technical director, and church conference digital media and communication director. His passion is to leverage twenty-first century tools to more efficiently foster a more relevant experience of faith and community. He serves as our pastor overseeing online church and administration.

Shiphrah “Shiph” Fepulea’i – Family Ministries Pastor

Currently a doctoral candidate of the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary at Andrews University, Shiph is passionate about her dissertation work at the intersection of rest and burnout.

Before joining New Hope in 2024, Shiphrah pastored for over 13 years in the Southeastern California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, where she served most of those years as an associate pastor of Campus Hill Church in Loma Linda. On August 26, 2023, she made history as the first woman of Pasifika (Pacific Islander) descent ordained to pastoral ministry in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Her father, Pastor Aleni Fepulea’i, offered the ordination prayer.

She likes lavender, soursop, and Samoan chocolate.

Gracie Nieto – Administrative Coordinator

Gracie was born and raised in Laurel, MD. She was brought up as a Seventh-day Adventist and attended Atholton Adventist Academy from kindergarten through 8th grade, then attended Reservoir High School. While at Atholton, she was baptized and became a very active member of the church and her church group. In her high school years, she met her husband Bentley and started attending New Hope more actively and eventually became a part of our community full time, eagerly bringing friends who had never experienced church.

In her free time, Gracie enjoys listening to music, being active, creating art, doing makeup, and traveling.

Here at New Hope, Gracie serves as our Administrative Assistant as well as the event coordinator for the young adult ministry.

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OFFICE HOURS

Monday – Thursday: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Friday: 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.