Meet The Team
Rev. Jason Elder
Janice Grace
Organist, Choirmaster
Rev. Jason Elder
I accepted the call to become the minister of The Reformed Church of Poughkeepsie in 2016. The congregation’s openness to robust diversity drew my attention and I was convinced that their drive to be a neighborhood church that serves selflessly would be a rewarding experience.
The congregation is responsive to community needs while also staying attuned to global issues through our partnerships. The congregation has a long-standing history of high-quality beautiful, soul-lifting music and an openness to creative ministry. They seek to honor God Sunday – Saturday and each worship service is relevant, friendly, generous, and grace-focused.
I am a native of Mississippi and from a small community of farmers and factory workers. I received a Bachelor of Biblical Studies from Blue Mountain College. I hold a Master of Divinity from Golden Gate Theological Seminary (now Gateway), in Marin County, California. While in the Bay Area, I focused on theological and intercultural studies, church planting, and helping people with little to no Christian background take initial steps in their faith.
My wife, who teaches art in a local public school, and I married in 2001. We have three kids who love living in Dutchess County.
I have served as President of the Classis of Mid-Hudson. I currently serve on the board of the KSwish Foundation, a non-profit that helps children and families impacted by cancer by utilizing one of my passions, basketball.
One last word. What kind of person and minister I am and hope to be?
I believe the gospel is good news for all people. No one should face religious discrimination or harm based on gender, sexual, ethnic, socio-economic, or any other point of diversity.
Psalm 139:14 states, “We are fearfully and wonderfully made.” The Hebrew word for “fear” means “to revere,” “to respect,” or “to stand in awe of.” You are created with great reverence, respect, and awe, and that highlights the profound and careful manner in which God made you. You deserve a minister and congregation who will likewise show the same care.
It would be a joy to have you visit us in person on Sunday mornings at 10 am.
If you’d like to have a conversation with me beforehand, so you can get to know me first, we can set up a conversation over the phone or Zoom. Email me at jelder@poughkeepsiereformedchurch.com and let me know.
Janice Grace
I float between two musical worlds: Secular and Sacred.
Throughout junior high school, I studied piano and classical organ with Mr. Charles Boehm at Trinity Lutheran Church in Hicksville, NY. As a student at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ, I studied organ with Dr. George Markey and Joan Lippincott, and in 2011-15 with David Enlow in NYC.
In my 20’s, the call of the Pop world was so strong I walked away from my classical roots and liturgical training. I enrolled at NYC's The New School and immersed myself in contemporary songwriting, singing, producing and engineering; fulfilling my need to control every aspect of my musical expression.
A detour, in the form of clothing and fabric design studies, presented itself in the mid-1990s. First at NYC's Parson's School of Design for tailoring, then at the Fashion Institute of Technology where I studied pattern-making and draping for 2 years.
I had a Pop Rock band in the 2000’s and performed in NYC's China Club, Cheetah, Downtime, Acme Underground, CBGB's, The Elbow Room, Kenny's Castaways, The Bitter End, and Hard Rock Cafe on 57th St.
During the summers of 2012-14 I returned to Westminster for 'Choral Conducting Intensive’ with James Jordan and faculty @ The Conducting Institute.
Since 2012 I’ve been blessed to be the Organist and Choir Director at Poughkeepsie Reformed Church.
If you can read music and sing please consider joining us for Thursday night choir rehearsals @ 7:30pm. We sing Traditional and Contemporary Choral music.