Meet our team
Lead Pastor Jeff Spencer
Associate Pastor Pat Pramuk
Jesus has blessed me so very much. The following is a little bit about me and how Jesus as blessed my life. As a little kid I knew that God wanted me to do something in my life. But without the proper guidance I left the Roman Catholic Church searching for answers. In June of 1991 I received Christ Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior at the Northwest Indiana Church of Encouragement (The N.I.C.E Church - now Laurel Church Ministries), under the Pastoral Leadership of Rev. Larry Raftery. Pastor Larry baptized my siblings and myself shortly there after. In June of 1992 Jesus healed me from Grand Mal Epilepsy. I had struggled with epilepsy as long as I could remember, taking multiple types of medication to keep it under control. To Jesus’ glory, I have been free from this illness since and have no need of medication since June of ’92. Praaaaaaaaaise God Glooooooory Hallelujah! Let me testify of Laurel Church Ministries!!! Pastors Lawrence Raftery and Victoria Raftery celebrated 25 years, this year (2015) in their church ministry. I praise God in heaven for them! They have always been and forever will be very dear to me!!! I would not be the leader that I am today if not for their Biblical Teaching, Encouragement, Spiritual Guidance and their Unconditional Love. They are my Spiritual Dad & Mom. And I am "Forever Grateful!" Under Pastor Larry's teaching, I learned to study the Bible in both Hebrew and Greek. On May 6, 1997, my beautiful wife, Pamela and I had our first date and shortly after invited me to Ross Baptist Church. I joined Ross Baptist that night pending baptism the following Sunday. Shortly after I told Rev. Steve Faith Ph.D., Pastor, that God had called me to preach the gospel. He immediately took me into his office and opened the Bible and instructed me on how to read out of the Bible and not into it. He started coaching me, looking up words in Hebrew (OT) and Greek (NT). He gave me a new understanding of the Word of God. He showed me how I could study it myself and not just rely on others to tell me what God was saying. On January 25, 1998 I preached my first sermon on the 91st Psalm. On September 26, 1998 during a special called business meeting, under a unanimous decision, I was licensed by the First Southern Baptist Church of Ross to preach the Gospel and to perform all aspects of the ministry. On February 20, 1999 Pamela and I married at New Hope Missionary Baptist Church in Hobart where I was serving as Interim Pastor/Minister of Music. I have also always been involved in music. I attended VanderCook College of Music in Chicago to be a music teacher as a vocal major. I have been blessed to have had 9.5 years of vocal training (3.5 Opera). I love to preach through sermon and song and leading a congregation in worshiping our precious Savior. To help lead saints (those saved) into the presence of Almighty God through good Christian Music ~Awesome! On Sunday, January 27, 2013 I was ordained in the Gospel ministry at Woodmar Baptist Church - Hammond, IN. under the direction of Pastor John W. Clement. Rev. Jeff Spencer, Pastor of New Hope Baptist Church - Hobart, IN preached my Charge. I was privileged and honored to serve under my friend, Pastor Charlie Arms of Momentum Church Launch Team! Was part of the event Trunk or Treat at the Lake County Fairgrounds 2015. There were over 25,000 people in attendance (a "Conservative estimate" by the Lake County Sheriff's Office.) To God be all the Glory! I was privileged and honored in March of 2020 to return to New Hope's Baptist Int'l as Assistant Pastor under my dear friend and Lead Pastor, Jeff Spencer. Launch of L.O.V.E, Fellowship, Launch of New Hope's Kids Club and Divergent Youth.
1. Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/patpramukpastor/
2. Youtube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCrwj_TH8N-YbS8U55rjaBw
LIFE VERSE
"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38-39