Ministries
Ithaca, New York
Marcus Buckley
Ministry Director
Beginning his career in ministry as a church pianist while in college, Marcus took a position as lead pastor the year after his graduation from Stetson University. For nearly 30 years he has pastored churches in Florida and South Carolina while also serving as a police chaplain. During this time, Marcus completed his Master of Divinity degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and earned his Doctor of Ministry from North Greenville University. In addition to pastoring and preaching in a broad variety of contexts, he has also hosted Christian talk radio programs, taught college classes, contributed numerous articles to a variety of publications, and has authored two novels with a third forthcoming.
Marcus began as Ministry Director in February 2023, along with his wife, Lea Ann, who serves as the CU Vita Administration/Ministry Associate. They have three children, Emma, Victoria, and Brandon, and four dogs. In his free time, Marcus enjoys tinkering with anything and everything related to automobiles.
Lea Ann Buckley
Administration / Ministry Associate
Growing up in a pastor's home, Lea Ann was involved in ministry from an early age. She spent 20 years in the banking and medical professions before joining her husband, Marcus, on staff at Oasis Church, in Ormond Beach, Florida as the Administrator and Ministry Coordinator for nearly 7 years.
Lea Ann joined Christian Union in February 2023. She and Marcus, who is the Ministry Director for CU Vita, have three children--Emma, Victoria, and Brandon--and four dogs. In her spare time, Lea Ann enjoys gardening, exercise, outdoor activities, and is an HGTV aficionado.
Since 2011 CU Vox has worked to bring spiritual transformation and renewal to campus by seeking the Lord, growing in knowledge and love of His Word, and thoughtfully engaging Dartmouth with the gospel.
The ministry faculty at CU Vox teach intellectually rigorous Bible courses, disciple students one-on-one, and coach students to develop as Christian leaders.
CU Vox also offers conferences and retreats each semester and a weekly leadership lecture series called The Vine, which features great worship, talks from compelling speakers, and space for students to grow together in fellowship.
Hanover, New Hampshire
Tim Pillsbury
Ministry Director
The son of two Dartmouth graduates, Tim Pillsbury grew up in Hanover, New Hampshire as the second oldest of seven children. After graduating from Hamilton College he became a teacher at Trinity-Pawling School, an all-boys boarding school in Pawling, New York. He coached Varsity tennis and ski racing, ran the school’s weekly newspaper, and advised his students in addition to his teaching responsibilities.
Tim began to seek God about a career change, and after seven years of teaching God opened a way for him to become Associate Pastor at Wellspring Worship Center in West Lebanon, New Hampshire, the church he grew up attending, where he spent five years before coming to Christian Union.
Tim seeks to make God relevant to every person he meets, combining a pastoral heart, knowledge of scripture, clarity in teaching, and strong administrative skills to do effective work for the kingdom of God. Tim and his wife have two young children, and live in Meriden, NH.
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Justin Yim
Christian Union Ministry Director at Harvard Law
Justin grew up in NYC as the youngest son of a pastor, church planter, and missionary. After graduating with a degree in Psychology from the University of Rochester, he received his M.Div from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. While finishing up his seminary degree, he served at Bethany Church in New Hampshire for the next 11 years, as the Associate Pastor of Worship, Young Adults, and Youth. He also met his wife, Melissa, during this time, and in 2007, accepted a call to Grace Fellowship Church in the Capital District of NY, near Albany, to launch their first multi-site location, as Lead Pastor. For the next 11 years, he helped launch and oversee 4 locations, as the Executive Pastor of Multisites.In over 22 years of experience with the local church, Justin’s passion has been to invest and develop the next generation of leaders for God’s Kingdom, by grounding them in the truth and power of God’s Word. He brings a vast diversity of experience in many aspects and levels of leadership, and is eager to contribute wherever God seems to lead.
He and his wife have 4 beautiful children—Sydney, Austin, Cooper, and Sawyer—and currently reside north of Boston, where they hope to make an impact on their local community for Christ.
Since 2013 CU Gloria Law has worked to bring spiritual transformation and renewal to campus by seeking the Lord, growing in knowledge and love of His Word, and thoughtfully engaging Harvard with the gospel. The high-caliber ministry faculty at CU Gloria Law teach intellectually rigorous Bible courses, disciple students one-on-one, and coach students to develop as Christian leaders.
CU Gloria also offers conferences, regular prayer gatherings, and book groups each semester, providing space for students to grow together in fellowship.
Since 2008 CU Gloria has worked to bring spiritual transformation and renewal to campus by seeking the Lord, growing in knowledge and love of His Word, and thoughtfully engaging Harvard with the gospel.
The high-caliber ministry faculty at CU Gloria teach intellectually rigorous Bible courses, disciple students one-on-one, and coach students to develop as Christian leaders.
CU Gloria also offers conferences and retreats each semester and a weekly leadership lecture series called DOXA, which features great worship, talks from compelling speakers, and space for students to grow together in fellowship.
Cambridge, Massachusetts
James Galvin
Christian Union Ministry Fellow
Jim Galvin is a New England local. He received his Bachelors in Biblical Studies from North Point Bible College in 2004 and went directly into ministry, planting Anchor of Hope Church with Dove Christian Fellowship International. In 2017, Jim transitioned and became the Executive Pastor at His Providence Church in Swansey, Massachusetts. The Lord led Jim in early 2020 to join Connect Church as an Associate pastor overseeing Discipleship, Care, and Counseling. He joined staff with Christian Union in January 2024.From house church and micro church contexts to mega church and multi site church contexts, Jim has found his passion in helping people hear from the Lord and find freedom in Christ. Pastoral care and counseling have earmarked his ministry.
Jim is married to Beth and they have five children. Jim is an active hockey player and finds a creative outlet with woodworking. He loves the outdoors, and most vacations you will find the Galvin family camping, climbing and rappelling in the mountains, kayaking on a river, or wakeboarding in the ocean - every moment is full of adventure!
Fady Ghobrial
Christian Union Ministry Fellow
Fady Ghobrial was born and raised in Cairo, Egypt. His family moved to the Boston area in 2002. He earned his Bachelor’s in Urban Studies from Worcester State University. After a radical encounter with Jesus during college he quickly sensed a call to ministry and began to serve at his local church. He holds a Master of Divinity from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and is ordained with the Southern Baptist Convention. Fady attends and serves at the Arabic Baptist Church of Boston, where his whole family came to faith, and where he teaches the youth and leads worship. When not reading books, Fady enjoys cooking with his wife Renée, watching superhero movies and discussing theology over black coffee.
Sadie Sasser
Christian Union Ministry Fellow
Sadie Sasser is originally from south Arkansas and was raised in a home committed to following Jesus. She sensed a call to ministry during her high school years and received her Bachelor’s degree in Biblical Studies from Ouachita Baptist University in 2016. After a gap year of ministry in Fraser, Colorado, she moved to Wilmore, Kentucky to pursue her Master of Divinity at Asbury Theological Seminary.
Upon graduating in 2021, Sadie worked for Asbury in development and recruiting until transitioning to the Women’s Ministry Fellow role at CU Gloria in September 2023. Sadie is most interested in helping people discern the voice of God and live in the freedom that the Gospel brings. She also loves having lively conversations about philosophy, culture, and how the two impact Christianity in the United States.
Outside of ministry with Christian Union, she enjoys reading, hiking and camping, listening to music, singing, and spending quality time with people around good food.
Since 2002 CU Nova has worked to bring spiritual transformation and renewal to campus by seeking the Lord, growing in knowledge and love of His Word, and thoughtfully engaging Princeton with the gospel.
The high-caliber ministry faculty at CU Nova teach intellectually rigorous Bible courses, disciple students one-on-one, and coach students to develop as Christian leaders.
CU Nova also offers conferences and retreats each semester and two weekly leadership lecture series called Encounter and TruThursday, which feature great worship, talks from compelling speakers, and space for students to grow together in fellowship.
Princeton, New Jersey
Mike Vincent
Christian Union Ministry DirectorMike Vincent grew up just outside San Diego, CA. He graduated from Princeton in 2010 with a degree in Sociology, played varsity volleyball, and was heavily involved in the beginnings of a new campus ministry called Princeton Faith and Action (now CU Nova). He was a part of CU’s first Seeking God Lifestyle emphasis, was a part of the resulting move of God on Princeton’s campus, and was personally transformed. He then interned with Christian Union at Princeton for two years after graduation
Qwynn Gross
Christian Union Ministry Fellow
D. Qwynn Gross began a vibrant relationship with God after a missionary trip to Toluca, Mexico, in 1986. She has worked in various administrative ministerial roles and has provided leadership to several areas of ministry including worship, small groups, and intercessory prayer. Qwynn is the co-founder of Hope Cathedral in Jackson, New Jersey. She is known as an inspiring and practical teacher and has created several resources as well as authored books on spiritual devotion: A Pattern for Prayer, A Guide to Consecrated Living, and Teach Me To Pray. She is a conference host and a sought-after speaker at women's conferences, workshops and retreats. A graduate of Bennett College in Greensboro, North Carolina, Qwynn is married to Trevón, the lead pastor of Hope Cathedral. The two have three children: Trevón, Jr., Dianna, and Sarah.
Jake Thomas
Christian Union Ministry FellowBio coming soon.
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Contact the Christian Union staff by email using the following email convention: Firstname.Lastname@ChristianUnion.org
Princeton, New Jersey
Christian Leadership Development Program
Princeton Faith and Action (PFA) is a student organization focused on Christian leadership development, and resourced by Christian Union.PFA provides in-depth study of Scripture, Christian leadership training, fellowship, and support for Christian students as well as resources to help non-Christian students learn about Christianity. Open to all students, Princeton Faith and Action's main activities include intellectually rigorous Bible courses, a weekly lecture series, called Encounter, conferences, and various outreaches on campus.
In addition, Christian Union owns and operates the Melrose Center at Princeton.
Christian Union Faculty
Christian Union's role is to resource students at Princeton by offering mentoring, discipleship and leadership training. Meet the Christian Union faculty team that works with Princeton students. Please contact the Christian Union faculty by emailing: Princeton@ChristianUnion.org.
[ Photo: Princeton University, Office of Communications ]
