Pastor Josh gard | DIRECTOR
Pastor Josh was raised in a Christian home and attended church regularly growing up. He heard the Gospel as a child and professed faith in Jesus. His faith was strengthened when, in junior high, he had questions about his beliefs and was given books to read. He has been passionate to grow in his knowledge of the things of God ever since. In his office hangs a question: What is your only comfort in life and death. The answer begins: That I am not my own, but belong with body and soul, both in life and in death, to my faithful savior Jesus Christ. Josh believes this to be true and desires others to find the same comfort and hope.
Pastor Josh joined NLCS in September of 2023. He has a love for children and is passionate about teaching! He received a BA from Multnomah University in 2003 and began serving as a pastor in rural communities. After 20 years of pastoral ministry in rural communities, Josh completed his Master of Divinity through Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Josh is excited to use his experience and training in education to help children know the Lord and thrive.
Lorena Beedle | Three Day PreK Teacher
Lorena moved to the Portland Metro area with her father and graduated from Reynolds High School. She served in the military for 8 years of active/reserve duty where she was a field nurse and earned her degree as a civilian nurse. She then worked 11 years as a Licensed Practical Nurse working in areas from Aesthetic Medicine to Hospice.
In 2006 she married Brandon and became a mom of two. Alaina, who is 16 and Zackary who is 11. Feeling God called her to be a stay at home mom she focused on raising her children to know and love God, during this time she volunteered for 10 years volunteering at her children’s schools and as a Unit Leader/Troop Coordinator in American Heritage Girls.
In November 2022, she began working part-time as an aide and became the 4’s teacher in March 2023. Her accumulated experience as a nurse, mother and background in AHG has taught her valuable lessons in how to teach your child(ren) that they are created for a purpose and are loved. Lorena’s goal is for your child(ren) to be excited to come to school, to feel loved and be in a Christ centered environment. She’s excited to teach and watch your children learn their preschool goals, develop Christ-like character and serve others as Christ did.
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11
Jaycie Sprecker | Threes teacher
Born and raised in San Diego, California Jaycee moved to attend college right after high school. In 2021, she earned her Bachelor’s in Psychology degree from George Fox University. From October 2020 until April 2022, Jaycee worked as ABA/Behavioral technician working with children with autism. She started at NLCS working part-time as an aide in October 2021 and became a 3’s teacher in September 2023.
Growing up in a christian home she was fortunate to grow up surrounded by family and friends who were believers. She came to faith at 14 but stepped away from wanting to know Jesus. However, was reintroduced by a family member not only to the importance of seeking Jesus, but the beauty and freedom in living life and eternity with Him and knowing His love for us. Today, she attends New Life Baptist Church, where she, along with her husband serve as youth leader.
Being the oldest of 4 kids, my experience in childcare started young. Throughout high school she babysit for multiple families. During her experience as an ABA technician, she was also able to work with children of multiple ages in their homes and schools. This experience provided multiple skills for working with children, such as using play as a teaching tool and behavioral intervention techniques. Jaycee enjoys working as an aide and teacher for NLCS, stating that her favorite part about teaching is sharing excitement with the students when they learn or discover something new. She also enjoys singing songs and creating crafts with the kids. “My hope for each student is that they will enjoy their experiences at NLCS and begin to know God’s love for them.”
Jeannie Miller | Five Day PreK teacher
I am married with two beautiful children, a dog, and two kitties. Teaching the PreK class started with me aiding for our Fours and Threes classes in 2022. Shortly after starting I was asked if I would be interested in taking lead as PreK teacher. I gladly agreed!
This was a childhood dream come true. I have always loved working with kids! Before becoming a mom, I enjoyed being a nanny and spending time with my nieces and nephews. Now having two children of my own, I have done my best to teach, not only scholastics, but also how much God loves each one of them. Both of my children have attended NLCS and, as a parent, I have always loved knowing they were receiving not only a beautiful education, but were being loved on like I would if I were there with them.
As long as I can remember, I have gone to church. Knowing God loves me and is there for me always is something I love passing on to each child that comes into my class. I find my greatest joy in teaching children is watching each one of them grow. Growing in their learning, but most importantly, seeing their love for God grow.
Amber Benham | Kindergarten teacher
I have been a teacher for over twelve years. I began teaching because I love kids and want them to grow to be the best people that they can be. I started in a public school and then transitioned into a faith based private school setting over the past 5 years.
I gave my life to the Lord when I was 8 when a family friend invited us to church. As I became an adult I strayed away from the Lord. I married a man who was not a Christian but, two years into our marriage, my family friend took my husband to church and he never turned back. His dedication and transformation led me to recommit my life to Christ soon after. I have now been married nearly 26 years and have two boys and a girl.
I love children and believe what the Bible says about them in Proverbs 22:6 - “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it.” The Bible states, “Rejoice in the Lord always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-17). This is what I did to find my calling as a teacher. Do not be afraid to ask God what he wants you to do, The answer may surprise you but God knows his calling for each of us. I'm happy to be here to teach your children and feel I am right where God wants me.
Lori Sutton | Assistant Director & Classroom Aid
I am so blessed to get to work with the NLCS staff and the students here as an aide and assistant director. It is absolutely incredible to watch how much the kids grow, learn, and blossom over the course of each year. I always learn quite a bit too!
While I’ve been helping care for kids in various ways since my first job as a summer babysitter of three boys (ages 3-8), I actually received my education from the University of Washington in Mechanical Engineering (GO DAWGS!). I married a fellow mechanical engineer (he’s super amazing by the way), obtained my Professional Engineering license, and worked with my husband in that field until the first of our 3 beautiful girls was born. The older two, who are former NLCS kids themselves, were baptized a few years ago at the same church I was baptized in as a 9 year old right here at New Life (way back then it was called Brookwood though)!
So, why am I here at NLCS instead of back in mechanical engineering cubicle land? Easy. For 20+ years I’ve been teaching weekly in Sunday School from babies to 3rd grade, but when I had my own kids I developed a passion for early education, not just because scientific research says it’s important, but because I’ve seen in my own kids what a difference it makes. I count myself privileged to be a part of laying an academic and spiritual foundation in these precious little ones.
Michele Meaney | School Aid
Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! Psalm 34:8
My path to knowing Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior was a circuitous one. Given my great appreciation for a good detective story, it’s fitting that God would give me many clues over the years to solve the case of the hole in my heart.
I grew up in the Bay Area in a secular home and I wandered for years and years futilely using the world to sustain me. Just prior to the 2020 lockdown, my husband, Jeff, was invited to church by his brother who had recently been saved. With my husband embarking on his path to Jesus and the lockdowns stripping away all the distractions I had filled my life with, I realized how empty I was. I began watching sermons online and stumbled onto apologetics. During the summer of 2020, I started attending church for the first time in my life. A few Sundays in, the pastor preached on the Holy Spirit; I felt my heart burning and knew it was God inviting me to let go of it all and trust Jesus. I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior and my husband and I were baptized together at New Life Baptist Church on 4/25/21.
After earnest prayer asking the Lord to use me, I was blessed with the privilege of teaching our 3s class. Then, blessed again with the birth of our 3rd child immediately following that school year. Since then, when taking breaks from my primary vocation as stay at home mom, I try to stay in service to NLCS anyway I can. NLCS has been such an enormous blessing to our two older children and we can’t wait for our baby to join the 3s class in 2025!