Leadership

Since 2017, Pastor Jay has served as the sixth Pastor of Good Shepherd. Originally from Chile, he studied in Argentina, Germany and Philadelphia and has served in various capacities in several congregations as: Youth Director, Contemporary Worship Leader, Mission Developer and Pastor. He serves the wider community leading worship at Crane’s Mill Retirement Community and writing for the denomination. Pastor Jay sees the Christian life as an opportunity to worship, bless and proclaim; as we worship God together, we bless the world with our gifts and proclaim that Jesus is Lord to all the world. 

He is married to Caroline, a Presbyterian pastor, and together they raise their children, Isabel and Sebastian, in the church. You can find Pastor Jay at the Glen Rock Inn leading Bible study, picking up his kids at school, or at the Glen Rock Fire Department where he volunteers as firefighter and Chaplain. An avid musician, Pastor Jay can often be found playing his bagpipes on Sunday afternoons.

Guy Christopher Dobson has been playing the piano since before he can remember. He began playing the organ at the age of 13 and began his career as a church musician soon after being accepted into the Westchester Conservatory's Bachelor's program for Piano in 1978. He has served as organist and choirmaster for many congregations in the New York metropolitan area, played several recitals, and worked with both the Westchester Boy's Choir and the Young People's Musical Theater. He has studied with Leonard Raver, Dennis Keene, and Jack Hennigan and he earned a Master of Music degree from the Manhattan School of Music in 1994. He has also enjoyed a parallel career in libraries. Starting the summer before high school as a library page he went on to earn a Master of Science from Columbia University's School of Library Service. He is currently the Director of Technical Services at the Drew University Library. He lives in Ramsey with his wife, Kim, and their dogs (Token and Saga) and cats (Minou-Bob and Beau). Their children, Conor and Andy, are each twenty-something and busy launching their careers. Conor is working as a park ranger in New York and Andy is attending the Culinary Institute of America studying baking and pastry arts.

As Church Office and Communications Manager, Amy's role includes marketing and administrative responsibilities. You can find her in person at the church office Monday through Friday from 9:15-1:15 or by email, Amy received her Bachelor of Arts degree as a double major in English and Psychology from Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania where she graduated cum laude. She is passionate about playing a behind-the-scenes role in keeping organizations running smoothly. Her background spans senior living, retail, and mental health services. As a woman of faith, Amy feels especially blessed to have the opportunity to work in a church environment. She lives in Hawthorne with her husband Jim and their two children (6 year old James and 3 year old Mackenzie) and a dog named Mo. In her free time, Amy especially loves to be with family, garden, read, and do projects around the house. Her favorite Bible passages are Lamentations 3: 21-23 and Psalm 91.

Chris and his wife, Anne Marie, have been members of Good Shepherd since they moved to Glen Rock in 2001. They were immediately attracted by the quality of the services, the welcoming atmosphere of the congregation, and quality of the music program. Their daughters, Emily and Rebecca, are currently in college. Both received their First Communion and Confirmation at Good Shepherd and are happy to call it “Our Church”. Chris spent several years coordinating the Communion Assistants, as well as teaching Sunday School. In 2019, Chris officially joined the Church Council as Education Chair, before serving Vice-President in 2022.

Vin, our two sons, and I moved back to New Jersey from Atlanta in 2012. We took our time choosing a church and ultimately settled on Good Shepherd because it just ‘felt right’. Since joining, we have been part of a wonderful church family that truly does worship, bless, and proclaim. As social ministry chair, I look forward to working with the congregation to continue to bless those in our community and beyond.

Having been a member of Good Shepherd as a child and then returning to raise my own children here some years later, I have witnessed many changes in the congregation, the church buildings, and church activities. The events of the past few years have been especially challenging for our sense of community. As I return to the Church Council as chair of the Congregational Life Committee, I look forward to joining you all in creating and reimagining activities and events that promote and extend the concept of community at Good Shepherd. What would you like to see? Let's make it happen!