Staff
Dave VanArsdale, Bridge Minister
Dave is honorably retired and now enjoys helping churches when they need pulpit coverage for one reason or another. Dave was with us for a few weeks back in 2017 so he may look familiar to some of you.
His career as a Minister started in Massachusetts and took him around the country to New York, Nebraska, Ohio, Michigan, Arizona and then back home to New England. He currently resides in North Andover with his wife Ellen. Ellen has had a career in the field of Nursing.
Besides having years of experience in the pulpit and leading churches in worship, Dave brings experience in stewardship campaigns, missions, and capital campaigns. His ministry has been centered in compassionate pastoral care and supportive attention to congregational members and the extended church family.
In Dave’s personal time, he enjoys sports, is an avid golfer, traveling, and theater & musical productions. Dave also loves taking long joyful walks with his wife Ellen. Ellen and Dave have three grown sons who now have families of their own and have made Dave and Ellen grandparents.
Kim Love, Communications and Office Manager and
Director of Children and Youth Ministries
Kim manages all aspects of the church office including leasing of the church facility. She is also responsible for planning, designing and publishing church communications, correspondence and production of publications of the church.
Kim also is the Director of our Children and Youth Program which includes the weekly Sunday School program for children/youth, Children’s Church, monthly activities, and other special programming such as the Christmas Pageant, yearly Mission Trips and other special events that may occur.
She has been a North Shore native her whole life and a former member of St. John the Baptist Church in Peabody where she taught Sunday School before college. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish from Gordon College in Wenham. She was able to study abroad in Spain, intern in San Francisco at an elementary school, and join a Mission trip to Managua, Nicaragua. Kim and her husband have two boys as well as their Australian Labradoodle, Kona. During her down time, Kim loves bird watching, poetry and watching live bands with friends and family.
Jackson Carruthers, Music Director and Organist
A native of Northeast Ohio, Jackson Carruthers is a musician of wide-ranging endeavors. As a church musician, he has served congregations of multiple traditions as organist, pianist, and choir director. His musical interests include the music of American pianist-composers, early American hymnody and Sacred Harp singing, the music of Franz Liszt, and ragtime and stride piano.
Carruthers has performed frequently as a classical soloist, collaborative pianist, and jazz musician. He previously served on the faculty of the University of Akron and taught privately in the Northeast Ohio area. Carruthers holds the degrees of Master of Music in Piano Performance from Bowling Green State University and Bachelor of Arts in Music summa cum laude from the University of Akron.
Larry Atkins, Pastoral Care
Larry is a long-time member of the Congregational Church of Topsfield. Larry grew up in the Methodist Church and became a part of the United Church of Christ when he relocated to NewEngland in 1974. He has served in a number of leadership positions in the local church as well as the Mass.Conference of the United Church of Christ.
At the present time Larry is working as group therapy leader in the Senior Adult Unit at Addison Gilbert Hospital, a unit of Northeast Health System. He is also the overnight on call chaplain at Beverly Hospital and spends two days a week as a chaplain at the Hospice of the North shore and Greater Boston.
Recently, he finished a three year course of study preparing for work as a Pastoral Counselor. He is now a Certified Pastoral Counselor through the American Association of Pastoral Counselors.
Larry holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from Tennessee Wesleyan College and a Master of Arts in Education Counseling from Tennessee Technological University. He has completed several courses in Pastoral Counseling from Andover Newton Theological School.
John Arathuzik, Facilities and Grounds Caretaker
John was born and brought up in Peabody. He is the oldest of six siblings. He received his education through the Peabody School System and Northeastern University majoring in Industrial Engineering and Management. He served his country as a member of the U.S. Coast Guard for eight years. After spending over 26 years in Industrial Management he formed and managed his own business in Building Maintenance until his retirement.
John has resided in Topsfield with his wife Dorothy since 1969. Both were blessed with three children and five grandchildren. He enjoys being part of the CCOT Building and Grounds organization where his experience can be utilized to benefit the church.