Our Staff
Rev. Mary Beth Mardis-LeCroy
Pastor & Head of Staff
Pastor Mary Beth loves being the pastor at Old Greenwich Presbyterian Church, a church where true hospitality, founded in Christ’s own welcome, is extended to all people. In a world where tall walls of suspicion so often separate us from our neighbors, Pastor Mary Beth believes with every ounce of her being that the church must hold forth the promise of a genuinely welcoming, genuinely reconciling community. She is grateful every day to share this vision with Old Greenwich.
Mary Beth grew up mostly in South Carolina, but attended schools in the Northeast (BA from Yale University and M. Div from Princeton Theological Seminary). Before landing in New Jersey in January of 2020, Mary Beth served as associate pastor at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Des Moines, IA for 3 years; and as pastor at St. Paul’s United Church of Christ in Madrid, IA for 10 years. She worked as a hospice chaplain at Hospice of Central Iowa for 2 years between her two pastoral calls, and directed a bluegrass/gospel band for the Saturday evening service at Plymouth Church in Des Moines “on the side” for well over a decade while in Iowa.
She and her husband Matt (also a Presbyterian pastor!) have three children: Ellie, Wil and Calvin, and one cat, Abelard. Mary Beth enjoys spending time with her family, attempting to play music of all kinds, walking or jogging (let’s be honest, walking), praying with monks, and seeking out the best cannoli in the Lehigh Valley.
Katie Rienzo
Office Manager & Director of Communications
Katie Rienzo began serving as Old Greenwich Presbyterian Church’s Treasurer in January 2022, and her work has evolved to include directing our communication - both inside and outside of the church - and managing the administration of the church and church office. Katie has a background in adult education and training, which includes helping students of all ages become more comfortable with technology.
Katie joined Old Greenwich Presbyterian Church in 2009, is a member of the choir and has served as a deacon as well as on the last Pastor Nominating Committee (the Pastor Nominating Committee is the group that leads the congregation in discerning who will serve as pastor).
Growing up in South Florida, Katie is grateful for being able to experience all four seasons in New Jersey, and mostly mild winters. She and her husband Justin have lived in the Northeast since their marriage in 2000 and are the parents to twins Mimi and Francis. In her spare time, Katie enjoys exercising, making music, cross stitching and reading.
Tom DiGiovanni
Director of Music, Organist/Pianist & Assistant Choir Director
Tom has been at Old Greenwich since 2008 as organist and accompanist. Currently he serves as the Music Director, Organist and Director of the Youth Music Programs.
Tom studied orchestral conducting with Maurice Peress at Queens College (New York) and received an undergraduate degree in computer science and music from Lafayette College (Easton, PA). Tom is the director of choirs at Phillipsburg High School (NJ), and is the founder and artistic director at Orchestra360.
Tom is active as a collaborative pianist in the area, performing with instrumentalists and singers on a broad range of music, spanning the centuries and crossing stylistic boundaries. He is also a piano instructor and departmental accompanist at Lafayette College.
Betsy Gaston
Assistant Music Director & Choir Director
Betsy Gaston has been leading the Old Greenwich Presbyterian Church Chancel Choir since 1986. She grew up in Riegelsville, Upper Bucks County, PA. She holds a BS in Music Education from Elizabethtown College (PA) and has extensive training in the area of World Music Drumming. Betsy taught all grade levels of public school music for 20 years before retiring in 2019. Betsy has conducted and sung with the Chancel Choir and several festival choirs in Vienna, Austria; Stowe, Vermont; Philadelphia, PA; Kaiserslautern and Heidelberg, Germany; the Lorraine Cemetery and the American Cemetery in Normandy, France.
Since 2009, Betsy has helped to plan and host an annual Greenwich Choral Festival featuring renowned sacred choral composers such as Joseph Martin, Pepper Choplin, Patti Drennan, Heather Sorenson, Lloyd Larsen and Brad Nix. These workshops have attracted singers from NJ, PA, NY and MD.
Betsy lives in Northampton, PA, with her husband, Bruce, who is also a retired teacher, and a violinist. They frequently perform together in church. They have two adult sons, James and Matthew. Betsy’s mother, Edith Slamp, who is also a member of the church and the choir, resides with them.
Betsy and Bruce enjoy attending concerts and shows locally, where Bruce is frequently a pit musician. They also enjoy taking day trips, and yearly trips to Florida and Virginia to visit friends and family. They are huge animal lovers and have had 3 fur babies over the past 28 years, though right now their nest is empty.
Harry & Joan Pursel
Sextons
Joan grew up as a true farm girl in SW North Dakota. Harry grew up in Phillipsburg, NJ, and attended college at North Dakota State University, and that is where they met! Following Harry’s military Army service of 18 months in Germany (the best honeymoon ever) they returned to Phillipsburg and made roots in this area.
Harry and Joan have three children: Sonda, Darren and Kyle. Sonda, Craig and daughters, Sydney and Leah, live in North Carolina; Darren, Mia, Elizabeth and Ryan live in Texas; and Kyle, Lauren and daughters, Elli and Morgan, live in Virginia. What great places to visit! Harry and Joan are looking forward to many more visits with family.
The Pursels are retired but are not ready to be idle! Their sexton job is to maintain the church and the church property. Joan and Harry like to say that the job also gives them things they like to do: ride a tractor, mow grass, garden, cook and bake, attend events and enjoy extra socialization.
Joshua Miller
Media & Communications Assistant
Joshua has been working at Old Greenwich Presbyterian Church since October of 2023. He is a sophomore at Phillipsburg High School (Phillipsburg NJ). At school, Josh is part of the Forensics (debate) team. A Scout since he was around 8 years old, he is now working towards his Eagle Award in Boy Scouts.
Josh has been part of Old Greenwich since he was a baby; he is now one of the church's Deacons!
Josh has one brother and two sisters, a dog, a snake, two hamsters, and somewhere between two and twenty fish.