About BFMC
Thanks again for visiting! Take a minute or too to learn a little more
about our church, our culture, and who we are at BFMC.
Culture
BFMC is a place where everyone is welcome, because everyone matters to God. It seems like these days we’ve become not so good at enjoying life, but rather have become experts at enduring life. Worship at BFMC is joyful, casual, yet very thoughtful and meaningful.
God’s Word teaches us that whenever we enter into His presence, we will leave differently than how we arrived; more like Jesus.
History
The first Society of the Brockport Free Methodist Church was in 1861. Since then, after many seasons, we are thankful to be used by God to carry out our mission in this world.
Our Staff
Dee Hansel
Associate Pastor / Main Office & Family Life
Dee Hansel
About Dee:
I grew up in Barre and didn't move far from there, I live in Albion now. I met my husband Al at McDonalds, we both worked there. Our family includes our three children Randi, Ryan and Janie and our three grandchildren Teigen, Liam and Kennedy, our two dogs Mia and Finn and our two cats Sampson and Cleo. I didn't grow up in the church, I became a Christian in my twenties. I felt called into ministry in my late 40s. My passion is intergenerational ministry. I love to see the young and the not so young learning together and from one another and enjoying the company of each other.
Dee: Pizza Hut or if I'm feeling "fancy" - Olive Garden
Katrina Tinkous
Early Childhood Director / RSG Preschool Director
Katrina Tinkous
About Katrina:
I grew up as a pastor's kid. We spent most of my childhood first in Findley Lake, NY and then in Holley. I met my husband in Holley, and we started dating our senior year. Although I went to Roberts Wesleyan College for education, and he went to Albany College of Pharmacy, we stayed together and married in 2004. We have two boys and two dogs.
Katrina: Depends on my mood - Red Lobster, 58 Main, and Texas Roadhouse
Mary Wright
RSG Preschool Chair
Mike Proud
Adventure Zone Director
Mike Rivera
Executive Pastor
Mike Rivera
Mike: Red Robin
Mike: playing disc golf, watching movies, playing video games
Mike: oh wow, I love conversations so... theology, bible, strategy stuff, the geek universe (see above), football (Da Bills), my kids!
Mike: that we continue becoming a church that loves God, loves one another, and loves the stranger
Nicole Utz
Worship Leader
Nicole Utz
About Nicole:
I grew up a Pembroke Dragon in Genesee County. I attended GCC, SUNY Geneseo and SUNY Brockport where I earned my Permanent Professional Teaching Certification in Elementary Education for N-6 and Special Education for N-12. I have been teaching for 24 years, most of those years as a Byron-Bergen Bee in 6th grade. My husband Jared and I have 3 children, Natalie, Naomi, and Joshua, who keep us very busy!
Q: You get to pick the restaurant - where are we going?
Nicole: Bad Apples or Nosh
Q: What are some of your favorite ways to relax?
Nicole: On the beach with a book!
Q: What topics could lead to long conversations that you would enjoy?
Nicole: Future plans, good food and restaurants, musicals and books
Q: What is your hope for BFMC?
Nicole: My hope for BFMC is to have a meaningful worship experience in which people have a genuine and personal encounter with God and leave equipped to share His love with others.
Nyan Kaminski
Serve Director & Digital Ministry
Nyan Kaminski
About Nyan:
I grew up in Holley and attended college at SUNY Oswego getting a B.S. in Zoology. I relocated to Illinois for a decade for my career. Life threw in some plot twists and I returned to Holley with my three sons. I began to not only attend church for the first time, but started my second career at BFMC, learning all about God's love and joy. We are not a blended family with my 3 sons, 4 step kids, and 3 step-grandkids scattered between NY and Georgia.
Q: You get to pick the restaurant - where are we going?
Nyan: Pizzeria Unos - deep dish is the best!
Q: What are some of your favorite ways to relax?
Nyan: reading - especially historical fiction + nonfiction, or sitting in the pasture with my goats.
Q: What topics could lead to long conversations that you would enjoy?
Nyan: talking about animals or the local dirt track racing scene
Q: What is your hope for BFMC?
Nyan: Life hits all of us hard at times, I pray that BFMC continues to filter into our communities and we as a church can touch one life at a time - sharing love, forgiveness, hope, and healing with others.
Penny Norton
Associate Pastor / Discipleship
Penny Norton
Penny: Beef and Barrel in Olean, NY
Penny: Walking in the woods or by water, walking with Dan anywhere, knitting, spinning wool, reading on my wooden swing under the oak tree.
Penny: How God has and is working in your life, good books you’ve read lately
Penny: That as we experience God’s love more and more we will reach out into our neighborhoods and communities to share that love with our neighbors and with those who have never heard of God.
Rick Rouse
Lead Pastor
Rick Rouse
I grew up in Endicott NY and graduated from Union Endicott HS. After I graduate I attended Eastern Nazarene College and graduated with a degree in Social work. Following my graduation my wife and I moved to New Paltz NY where she completed her degree in Music therapy. While in New Paltz we lead the teen group and it was in New Paltz we felt God called us to pastoral ministry. After Pam graduated we headed for Kansas City to attend Nazarene Theological Seminary. Our first assignment after seminary was to plant a church in Amherst NY (we were there 18 years) and following Amherst we helped revive a church in Akron NY (we were there for 24 years and helped plant 6 new churches) That bring us to the next stop in ministry Brockport FMC.
Q: You pick the restaurant … where are we going?
A: Brick House Restaurant in Amherst
Q. What are some of your favorite ways to relax
A: Watch sports, play golf, play pickle ball with my family
Q: What topics could lead to conversations you enjoy?
A: Hearing how people processed their past, talks about God & faith, telling funny stories about our life
Q: What is your hope for BFMC?
A: That we would reach our God given potential to disciple all ages, find relationships and point more people to Jesus
Our Mission
To know Christ and make Him known
by loving God and loving people.