Sabbath Grace Fellowship

Lead Pastor

Dr. Terry (Pastor) & Helene Pooler

Pastor Pooler and his wife, Helene, are natives of California and during their 39 years of ministry have served in California, Montana, Virginia, New England and Florida. Dr. Pooler has always dreamed of leading a church that gained a contagious reputation of being the safest place on earth for broken people. Sabbath Grace Fellowship is the current fulfillment of that dream. In addition to his pastoral experience, he has traveled internationally as a motivational speaker and professor of preaching, worship and church music. But his passion is the local church. He believes it is the most important institution on earth to reach and nurture lost people. E-mail: tgpooler@juno.com

Helene Pooler has worked as a RN at Florida Hospital in Labor and Delivery and, more recently, in pain medicine since 1991. Terry and Helene have two grown boys that live in the Orlando area.

Associate Pastor

Joe Escobar (Associate Pastor)

Pastor Joe Escobar joined our SGF Staff on10/1/10 as our associate pastor. Pastor Escobar has an impressive resume of both business and pastoral experience.

Pastor Escobar's ministries at SGF include oversight of our Stewardship, Marketing and Spanish language ministries. In addition he will be using his notable gifts in preaching, teaching, strategy planning and couseling. It is a significant blessing to have someone of such diverse professional skils and a strong passion for the type of ministry that SGF offers to our community.

Governing Boards

The New Testament clearly demonstrates the wisdom of God’s church being led by a plurality of godly leaders. History shows that a concentration of power in one individual can range from ineffectiveness to corruption and ruin. Members of the Staff and the Board of Directors give leadership to the Fellowship.

Staff

On a daily basis and in their weekly meetings, the Staff tackles key issues facing Sabbath Grace Fellowship. These include:
            • Creating, clarifying and disseminating the Vision, the Statement of Beliefs, the Core Values and the Philosophy of Ministry of the Fellowship.
            • Creating and administering the structure of the organization and its ministries.
            • Appointing the personnel who perform the ministries.
            • Serving as a primary support, encouragement and accountability group for Pastor Pooler.
            • Counseling members in conflict resolution, discipline, and restoration of healthy relationships.
            • Reviewing strategic plans created by the other ministry leadership teams.
            • Providing input to the Board of Directors on financial, facility or risk-management issues.
            • Praying, working and waiting until all decisions are consensual.

Staff Members

Suzette Gondera, Volunteer

Favorite Restaurant: Cuban food/ Cheesecake Factory/ Don't like Barbecue Food
Special Interests: Dancing of course. Going to the beach, Boating, Planning parties!!!
Pet Peeve: Negative people, those who refuse to problem solve for a solution.
Career: Nursing patients afflicted with chronic pain.
Favorite thing about SGF: Friendly, non-judgmental, happy, fun church family (and helping my Pastor)
Favorite movie or TV show: Sound of Music, Fiddler on the Roof, Analyze This

Nelson Bacchus, Volunteer

Favorite restaurant: Bahama Breeze- Caribbean Dishes. Don't like "mock" meats.
Special Interests: Cricket, Flag Football, Basketball, Volleyball, Camping and Beach.
Pet peeve: When someone thinks he knows everything - no matter what subject. People who don't get their facts straight before making bold statements
Career: Chief Fiscal Officer for non-profit agency.
Favorite thing about SGF: The People, the Vision, and the Freedom to be yourself .
Favorite move or TV show: King of Queens and Jay Leno.

Mark Goldstein, Volunteer

Favorite Restaurant: I’m a sucker for a great cheesesteak sub, so my favorite restaurant is LaSpada on Lee Rd. in Winter Park
Specical Interests: I don’t have spare time, but when I take a couple hours off I love to go to the theme parks. My favorite place on Earth is EPCOT.
Pet Peeve: Folks that pull out in front of you just to go one block to make a left turn!
Career: I’m a people server who works for everyone I know.
Favorite thing about SGF: Hugs and kisses from drop-dead gorgeous women!
Favorite movie or TV show: I absolutely love Iron Chef on the Food Network.

Joe Escobar, Associate Pastor

Favorite Restaurant:  Italian Cuisine
Special Interests:  History, Reading & classic black & white movies
Pet Peeve:  Agendas in the church
Career:  Gospel Preaching and get Jazzed up by Business
Favorite thing about SGF:  The POTENTIAL
Favorite Movie or TV show: Science Fiction

Terry Pooler, Lead Pastor

Favorite restaurant: Any one that serves up really good Mexican or Italian food. Food I don't like is soggy shortcake in a strawberry shortcake.
Special Interests: Baseball, basketball, football, tennis, scuba diving, model trains, searching for antiques on New England back roads.
Pet peeve: People who pull out in front of me at a snail's pace, then putt along 10 miles below the speed limit.
Career: Trying to figure out how to grow through brokenness and help others do the same.
Favorite thing about SGF: I've never been so free to be real.
Favorite movie or TV show: Hunt for Red October, Jason Bourne movies, Everybody Loves Raymond.

Modean Heaton, Volunteer

Favorite Restaurant:  TGI Fridays
Special Interests:   Physical Fitness & Working with American Cancer Society
Pet Peeve:    People not being on time for appointments
Career:   Retired
Favorite thing about SGF:    Friendships
Favorite Movie or TV show:    Days of Our Lives

Board of Directors

On a daily basis and in their monthly meetings, the Board of Directors tackles key issues facing Sabbath Grace Fellowship. These include:
          • Prepare and approve salaries and budgets for all aspects of the ministry.
          • Be responsible for seeking ways to generate income necessary for ministry operations.
          • Be responsible for communicating with the congregation the financial position and needs of this ministry.
          • Oversee the acquisition and maintenance of equipment and supplies.
          • Oversee the acquiring, building and management of church properties including rental or owned.

Board Members

Nelson Bacchus, Volunteer

Jerry Crews, Volunteer

Favorite Restaurant: Enzio's
Special Interests: Build muscle cars.
Pet Peeve: Dumb people who think I'm dumb.
Career: Retired builder/developer.
Favorite thing about SGF: Lacks control and brainwashing of denominational churches. Very friendly. Messages on target.
Favorite movie or TV show: Informational shows, Formula 1 and NASCAR racing.

Doug Gondera, Volunteer

Favorite food: Italian
Special Interests: Driving my motorcycle, Corvette or boat.
Pet Peeve: Negative people
Career: Manufacturer of specialty chemicals
Favorite thing about SGF: Family non-judgmental atmosphere
Favorite TV show: Cops

Terry Pooler, Lead Pastor

Favorite restaurant: Any one that serves up really good Mexican or Italian food. Food I don't like is soggy shortcake in a strawberry shortcake.
Special Interests: Baseball, basketball, football, tennis, scuba diving, model trains, searching for antiques on New England back roads.
Pet peeve: People who pull out in front of me at a snail's pace, then putt along 10 miles below the speed limit.
Career: Trying to figure out how to grow through brokenness and help others do the same.
Favorite thing about SGF: I've never been so free to be real.
Favorite movie or TV show: Hunt for Red October, Jason Bourne movies, Everybody Loves Raymond.

Jerry Preussner, Volunteer, Chairman

Favorite Restaurant:  Home cooking
Specical Interests:  Model Railroading
Pet Peeve:  Mean people
Career: Pilot
Favorite thing about SGF: Warm, friendly people
Favorite movie or TV show: Monty Python

Joe Escobar, Associate Pastor