Elder Team - ValleyPoint Church

New Elder Candidate Process

One of the tasks of ValleyPoint’s Elder Ministry Team is to review elder candidates who are in good standing with the church. Elders shall be active members of the church, fulfilling the qualifications as listed in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:6-9.

According to our church bylaws, the elders (board of directors) care for the church and have been entrusted to seek the will of the Lord Jesus Christ as found in the scriptures. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the church shall be led by the Lead Pastor, directed by the staff, and ruled by the Elder Ministry Team. The term “Elder Ministry Team” shall mean board of directors. The lead pastor is responsible for the daily business of the Church. The elders are God’s provision for the care of the Church’s total welfare.

The Elder Ministry Team shall consist of the lead pastor, and the total number of elders shall be at least five. Each elder, other than the lead pastor, shall hold office for seven years, beginning with three years of active service, one year of required elder inactivity, and another three-year period of active service. During the year of inactivity, the elder shall not have Elder Ministry Team voting rights nor responsibility for Elder Ministry Team actions.

Current elder Steve Woodworth steps into a sabbatical season (one year of inactivity). Greg Teal completes a seven-year term. We are grateful to Greg for the many years he has given in service as an elder. Paul Brewer, Lou DiCanzio, and Dan Wright rejoin the team after their sabbatical.

After much prayer, an application process, and an interview, the Elder Ministry Team presents candidates to the church for 30 days of prayer and review by the church and then membership ratification. The Elder Ministry Team recommends that the membership of ValleyPoint Church validate Davency Leroy (pictured) to serve officially as an elder.

New elders, affirmed by the church membership at the annual meeting, begin their term in June. Please pray for our church leaders and plan to attend the annual meeting on Tuesday, May 19th at 6:30 p.m.

It is the Elder Ministry Team’s pleasure to introduce the following candidate.

Davency was born and raised in Gonaïves, Haiti, and lived in Delaware for about 15 years before moving to Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, in 2022. Davency has been married to his wife, Funke, for eight years, and they have three children—two girls and one boy, ages six, five, and two. The family began attending Valley Point Church in 2023, a few months after moving to Chadds Ford.

Davency works in data and technology within the financial industry, where he focuses on leveraging data to support strategic initiatives, including advancements in AI.

Davency’s spiritual gifts include service and evangelism, where he seeks to support the church body through faithful presence, dependability, and care for people in both ordinary and difficult seasons. Davency is comfortable engaging in meaningful conversations about faith, sharing the hope of Christ naturally, and pointing people toward a growing relationship with Jesus through both word and example. Serving with the production team, Davency has a passion for worship.

Davency’s life verse for 2026 is Romans 8v31. “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”

We will have a membership confirmation for Davency Leroy as part of our annual church meeting on Tuesday, May 19th, at 6:30pm in the Main Building. Please use this time to pray for our candidates and their families. If you have questions or concerns, please speak to any of our current elders (John Cummings, Chris Good, Eric Koehler, Bob Lannetti, Joseph Monsalvo, Owen Martin, Greg Teal, or Steve Woodworth. The membership meeting will also include church updates and a time of prayer. We look forward to a great evening together.

Meet Our Elder Team

Leadership has been critical since the church’s inception. In Titus 1:6-9 and 1 Timothy 3:1-7, Scripture describes both what church leaders should embody and how they should function. Leadership that is servant-oriented, sacrificial, Spirit-led, and guided by Scripture captures the essence of biblical leadership.

Practically at ValleyPoint Church, the Lead Pastor is responsible for the daily business of the church, and the Elder Ministry Team cares for the spiritual quality and doctrinal integrity of the church. Specifically, Elders shall:

+ Settle all doctrinal questions; establish and implement church policy; exercise general oversight of all operational, business, and financial property matters.

+ Shepherd the members of the church by spiritually knowing, feeding, leading, and protecting; lovingly lead by example.

+ Oversee the preparation of an annual budget for the next fiscal year.

“This is a trustworthy saying: If someone aspires to be an elder, he desires an honorable position” (1 Timothy 3:1). We are thankful for our elders and the leadership, shepherding, and love they provide for our church family.

After prayerful reflection and study, ValleyPoint’s Elder Ministry Team has chosen to view 1 Timothy 3v1-7 and Titus 1v5-9 (texts that have generated much faithful study, prayer, and conversation) as a guiding framework for selecting godly, qualified men to serve as elders. We hold this position humbly, knowing other churches and leaders interpret these passages differently. We respect those views and remain committed to grace-filled, respectful dialogue. This decision comes from a place of prayerful conviction, not from a desire to limit or exclude. In all our decisions, we seek to model love, unity, and charitable orthodoxy as we follow Jesus together.