Peter Ahn

Lead Pastor

As the pastor of Metro, Peter brings years of real-life experience in the television industry, a vision for a relevant church culture, and a passion for the poor and the oppressed. Peter completed his Master of Divinity at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, CA and has returned to the NJ/NY area to plant a church that would reach the next generation.
Peter and his wife Jenny are proud parents of their daughters Christina, Kayla and son Christian.

Abe Kim

Young Adults Pastor

Abe Kim, a born and bred NJer, is currently on staff with Metro as the Community Pastor. He currently oversees the Young Adult Ministry (YAM), and Newcomers and New Believers ministries. He recently graduated from Princeton Theological Seminary with a Masters of Divinity. He also has a undergrad degree in Finance from Boston University and was actively involved with campus ministries like Intervarsity Christian Fellowship. Abe is also happily married to Ashley Kim. If he’s not at church, you can find him watching/playing basketball and football, reading some books, or listening to good sermons.

Suah Hwang

Director of JAC [Justice Advocacy & Compassion]

Suah can never figure out what to say when asked where exactly she is from. She has spent a chunk of her life in Korea and Guatemala, but has now found relatively permanent residence in the town of Englewood, NJ (holler!) with her “super dreamy” husband, John, and their two hilarious dogs, Toby and Jazz. Suah received her Master’s Degree in Social Work at Columbia University and is putting her degree to good use while working as a Heart Transplant Social Worker at New York Presbyterian Hospital. To maintain her sanity while juggling two jobs, Suah likes to bake, eat what she bakes, then go rock climbing to burn off the calories. Positive thinking is Suah’s strong suit as she was hit by a truck when she was four years old. She figures, everything good that’s been in her life since is a bonus.

Shirley You

Pastor of MetroKids! [Children’s Ministry]

Shirley has a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Rutgers’s University. She also has a Master of Arts degree in Christian Education from Princeton Theological Seminary. Prior to joining Metro Community Church, she served as the Director of Children’s Ministry for Pilgrim Church in Paramus, NJ.
Shirley and her husband Evan are proud parents of their son Ethan and daughter Evelyn.

Ancy Post

Pastor of MetroMerge [Junior High Ministry]

Pastor Ancy was born in India, but grew up locally in Teaneck, NJ. She is a woman of many gifts, having received both a B.A. in Physical Therapy and an Advanced M.A. in Developmental Disabilities at New York University, in addition to her M. Div. at Alliance Theological Seminary. Pastor Ancy has an unrivaled passion for the youth, which is so clearly visible in her work with Metro’s Merge Ministry for middle school children. She particularly loves being able to witness, first-hand, the youth growing in the love of Christ. She currently resides in Mahwah, NJ with her loving husband, Scott, and their beautiful baby daughter, Parker. When she’s not working as a Physical Therapist or serving the youth at Metro, Pastor Ancy loves to spend quality time with her family, whether it’s by taking Parker for a walk around town or watching a movie at home with her husband. She has also been converted into an avid NASCAR fan by her husband and enjoys cheering on her favorite drivers on TV. There are many things Pastor Ancy loves about being a part of Metro, but her absolute favorite is the welcoming community that always makes her feel right at home.

Clayton Chan

Pastor of Metro X [High School Ministry]

Having recently relocated to Palisades Park, NJ after having spent his childhood in the suburbs of Massachusetts, Clayton is now a lonely Patriots fan among a sea of Giants and Jets fans. Clayton graduated from the University of Massachusetts with a double major in Economics and Religion. He then continued his education by completing his M. Div. at Princeton Theological Seminary in 2011. Clayton’s love of children and youth led him to accept a position as Metro’s dedicated youth pastor. An avid sports fan, Clayton spends most of his free time cheering on his favorite sports teams or playing basketball, but he equally enjoys curling up on the couch and watching his favorite chick flicks. Clayton feels at home in the third culture atmosphere at Metro as he himself is bi-cultural, being both of Chinese and Korean descent. He feels so blessed to be a part of the staff and community at Metro Community Church where he can witness, firsthand, how God is using His people to serve and love his children all around the world.

Young Lee

Worship Director

Originally from Queens, Young has called Palisades, NY his home for the past 14 years. He followed his passion for music by pursuing a degree in Contemporary Writing and Production at Berklee College of Music. His talent landed him a spot on a band and led to his performing at notable gigs such as the Warped Tour. When he’s not praising God on the keyboard as part of Metro’s awesome worship team or composing (soon-to-be) hit songs, Young likes to spend his time at the gym pumping iron. He also spends many hours immersed in schoolwork as he works to complete his M. Div. at Alliance Theological Seminary. He is so excited to be a part of the Metro Staff where he is surrounded by a diverse group of people from whom he learns new things everyday.

Lisa Ra

Director of Underground Groups [Small Groups Ministry]

Originally from the “Seoul-ful” heart of South Korea’s capital, Lisa now resides in Palisades Park, NJ with her loving husband, Paul, and their huggable, lovable children, Samantha and Caleb. Having majored in English at Vassar College, Lisa continues to love reading in her free time, particularly enjoying works of classic fiction. She is a shy introvert who has a keen ability to find beauty in the ordinary. She has recently begun taking photographs of her children, finding joy in capturing each laugh and giggle—and even the occasional tear. Lisa values meaningful connections and is so grateful that Metro provides a casual, relaxed forum in which to meet diverse people from all walks of life. She truly believes that, if willing, one will find the world is full of opportunities to serve and grow.

Jenny Lee

Operations Manager and Associate Director of MetroKids

Jenny was born in Flushing, NY, but spent half of her life in Seoul, Korea. Even though she’s only lived a chunk of her life in New Jersey, she feels that her love for the place makes her a true Jersey Girl through and through. Jenny attended Syracuse University (Go Orange!) and graduated with a degree in Hospitality Management—a degree that helped her land a job working for a large hotel chain prior to joining Metro full-time. Her natural ease with and love for children, along with her attention to detail and fearless policing tactics, make her the perfect Associate Director for MetroKids and Operations Manager. When she’s not busy leading MetroKids on Sunday or keeping the office running during the week, Jenny likes to wind down by cooking or baking fantastic treats for her friends and family.

Timm Chartier

AIM Media Producer

Timm’s journey halfway around the world from New South Wales, Australia to Teaneck, NJ brought him to Metro Community Church where he currently serves on staff as Metro’s media producer. Aside from his education and experience in all forms of media production – including filmmaking, photography and graphic design – Timm also currently works for a major video game publisher in NYC, making him the perfect person to oversee all of Metro’s digital media. While juggling two jobs is a struggle, Timm finds that working for the “J-Man” is much more fulfilling and worthwhile than simply working for “the man”. He especially loves the process of communicating with people on a deep, spiritual level through the use of audio and visuals. When he’s not working, Timm loves to relax with an Xbox controller in hand – playing the latest in interactive entertainment – his true, God-given passion.

Damaris Friedrich

Director of Christian Education

It’s difficult to miss Damaris when you’re at Metro because she’s at least a head taller than any other woman at church. Damaris, a native German, moved to the U.S. in 2008 and has been a part of Metro ever since. Besides her love for her husband, Ronny, and daughter, Lina—and, of course, Jesus—Damaris loves spending time hanging out with people and animals, going to retreats and conferences, singing, playing board games and listening to audiobooks. She also loves spending time in the great outdoors. Before she joined the staff at Metro as the Director of Christian Education, Damaris was a full-time mom (i.e. COO of the Friedrich Household). In Germany, she taught 1st to 9th grade students. Her favorite thing to do at work is to empower people and enable them to grow into the people God created them to be. Want to get to know her better? Invite yourself over to her house. She’s known to cook a mean German meal!

Angela Robinson-Whitehurst

Metro’s AIM Cultivator and Head of AIM Performance

Born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida, Angela moved to New York to pursue a career in the Theatre, where she has since made a living as a professional artist for eighteen years. She has worked on Broadway, Off-Broadway and at Regional theatres throughout the country, as well as traveled the country in several national tours. She is a part of the Grammy Award-nominated Broadway Inspirational Voices, a mass choir comprised of professional Broadway performers. One look at her, and it’s easy to credit her successful career entirely to her beauty, but anyone who’s had the privilege of working with Angela knows all too well that her exterior does not come close to encapsulating her talent, leadership and heart. Angela is married to the wonderful Scott Whitehurst, and together, they founded The WhiteRobin Group—a consulting firm for young artists. Angela is a graduate of Florida A&M University and The William Esper Acting Studio. She is a true believer that if you choose a job you love, you will never have to work a day in your life. When she’s not working her magic as Metro’s AIM Cultivator and Head of AIM Performance. Angela enjoys long road trips, mentoring other artists, journaling and finding and restoring old furniture. She is thrilled to be a part of Metro—a church that values the arts and acknowledges the valuable connection between creativity and the Creator.

Michael Zavada

Recovery Ministries

Michael is a loyal Bergen-ite, having grown up in Teaneck and settled down in New Milford, where he currently lives with the love of his life, Pam. Michael’s Master’s Degree in Social Work from Fordham University and thirty years of experience in the field of publically-funded mental health have prepared him to be the Director of Recovery Ministries at Metro. When he’s not in the office, Michael loves to read, write, take long walks and get together with family and friends. He is always so encouraged by the passion and commitment of the staff in serving the Lord, and he is thrilled to be part of a community that responds constructively to human brokenness and struggles.