Pastors and Staff

Jesse Meekins, Senior Pastor

Jesse joined the pastoral staff at Lafayette Federated Church in 2024. Before that he served for 17 years in a number of other pastoral and ministry roles, both here in the United States and abroad. Through it all, his enduring passion has been “Getting people into God’s Word and getting God’s Word into God’s people.”

In 2007, Jesse married the love of his life and forever partner in the Gospel, Catherine. Together they have six growing kids: Emmit, Aletheia, Eden, Verity, Selah and Justus.

Jesse has a B.A. in Philosophy from Messiah College; an M.Div. from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School; an M.Th. from the University of Aberdeen; and is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Groningen.

Glenn Cohrs, Executive Pastor

Glenn has been an Elder at Lafayette Federated Church since 2007. In 2010, after finishing a 26 year career in law enforcement, he was asked to serve on staff as the Administrator/Director of Family Ministries. In February of 2016, Glenn assumed the role of Pastor of Administration and Adult Discipleship. After serving as Interim Senior Pastor for the past few years, Glenn was given the position of Executive Pastor in 2024. Glenn married his high school sweetheart, Diane, in 1989. They have been blessed with four sons, James, Michael, Matthew, Jonathan and three wonderful daughter-in-laws Janessa, Betsy and Hope. Diane also has a heart for ministry and serves in the music ministry, Vacation Bible School, and other children’s ministries.

Glenn has a degree in criminal justice from County College of Morris and bachelors degree in Biblical studies from Newburgh Bible College. Glenn is now pursuing a Masters degree in Pastoral Ministries from Colorado Theological.

Glenn enjoys spending time with his family, camping, fishing and going to Hilton Head Island in South Carolina. Glenn enjoys assisting with the various children’s programs (especially VBS), teaching an adult Sunday School Class, Men’s Bible Study and especially the times he gets the privilege to preach.

Ryan Drew, Pastor of Students

Pastor Ryan “came home” to LFC on April 1, 2009. Having grown up at LFC, he sees the opportunity to serve here in ministry as a blessing and an opportunity to pour back into the church that had a profound impact on his life.

In 2001 he graduated from Taylor University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Christian Education. Since then, Pastor Ryan has served in two other churches. He has had the privilege of seeing many junior high and high school students transformed by the power of the Gospel and establish their spiritual identity in Christ that will carry them into adulthood.

In July of 2000, Pastor Ryan married his wonderful wife Kimberly. They met while at Taylor and she shares his same passion for youth ministry. Ryan and Kimberly are blessed to have four children, Abigail, Jayden, Cooper, and Elizabeth.

His interests are playing a wide variety of sports including golf, ultimate Frisbee, and volleyball. Other interests are eating really good food, playing the guitar, and playing with his kids.

Pierre Lawrence, Director of Music

Pierre and his family have been attending LFC since December 2020. Pierre was born and raised in Egypt. He moved to NJ in 2012. Pierre has a Bachelor of Arts degree in jazz piano performance from Rutgers University.

Pierre met his amazing wife Dina in Egypt. They both grew up there until Dina’s family moved to New York in 2000. After Pierre moved to the states, they got reconnected. In July 2016 they got married and God blessed them with 3 children, Grace, Hannah, and Jacob.

Pierre loves hanging out with his family, playing music, chess, and other board games.

Pierre’s life verse is, “Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places. To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments.” Habakkuk 3:17-19

Sue Bates, Director of Children’s Ministries

Sue Bates and her husband, Steve, started attending LFC in 2017. In January 2022 she came on staff to serve as Director of Children’s Ministries. Sue grew up in Hunterdon County, NJ and went to the College of St. Elizabeth in Morristown for Business Administration. She has served in Christian Education for 35 years, most recently chairing the Committee at a church in Milford. She is passionate about sharing God’s love with children, and helping them to be “rooted and built up in Him” (Colossians 2:7).

Sue met her husband Steve at her church in Mansfield, NJ. They were set up by the Pastor and his wife, who happened to be Steve’s parents. They were married in 1984 and have three grown children: Sarah, Lindsey and Shawn.

Sue loves crafting (she disappears two weekends a year to craft with friends), cruising, snorkeling, and swimming.

Olga Llerena, Ministry Assistant

Olga has been serving at Lafayette Federated Church for the past 16 years and has worshiped at LFC with her family for the past 21 years. Her three children, David, Corrine and Sarah, have brought her great joy.

After graduating from Berkeley College in New York City, Olga assisted executives in the financial/insurance industry for twenty years. She now enjoys providing administrative support to the pastoral staff and the congregation. Her life verse, Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”, has always encouraged her to serve the Lord with determination and enthusiasm.

Gloria Williams, Secretary

Gloria and her family have been worshipping at Lafayette Federated Church since 2010. She is chairperson of Mercy Ministry and The Well Food Pantry. She is married to Mark. They have 4 children, Andre and daughter-in law, Jennie and grandson Eli, granddaughter Zoey, daughter, Delaina and twin grandsons Jaiden and Julian, son, Monroe, with the Lord, and daughter, Elizabeth. One of Gloria’s guiding scripture verses is Philippians 4:5 “Let your forbearing spirit be known to everyone-the Lord is near”.