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 Jim
Schneider, Sr.
Senior Pastor
Pastor Jim and his wife Louise, founded Pleasant Valley as a
Southern Baptist church in November 1961 with 48 charter
members. While the size of our congregation has changed
over the years, we’ve always been known as a welcoming,
open-armed church where people cannot help but notice that God
is present here. Pastor Jim is our founding pastor and the
only senior pastor in our church history. He has navigated
us through many seasons of growth and change, including our
transition to a non-denominational church in 1996.
Pastor Jim and Louise have three married children.
Their daughter Jody is married to Pastor Jim Smith, our
Associate Pastor. Their son Jim is married to Catherine; Jim is the
apostle over
New Hope in Christ Fellowship (Rutland,
VT). Their youngest son, John, is married to Ellen; John
is the founder and CEO of Agile
Delta.
He has three grandchildren: Jenah, Jocelyn, and Lilly.
Pastor Jim holds an associates degree from Southwest Baptist
College (now University), a BA in Psychology (with a minor in
History) from Oklahoma Baptist University, and a Master of
Divinity from Midwestern Seminary. In 1975, Pastor Jim was
selected to speak at the Southern Baptist Convention.
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Jim
Smith
Associate Pastor
Jim was born and raised in California and is one of four
brothers. He joined the US Navy shortly after graduating high
school in 1981. Jim's Navy experience put him in the
commercial nuclear power field, where he worked for over 18
years as a nuclear chemist. In 1997, Jim began
volunteering in the youth ministry here at Pleasant Valley.
By June of 2000, Jim made a major career change by coming on
staff here and is our full-time youth pastor. In January
or 2010, Jim shifted into the position of Associate Pastor where
he uses the leadership, technical, and administrative skills he
gained through his secular career to facilitate change at
Pleasant Valley.
Jim has been married to his wife Jody
since 1984 and has two beautiful daughters.
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Annette
DeGrazio
Worship Director
Annette is a native of Rhode Island and was raised in a French
Catholic home. She attended Catholic schools as a child,
and seriously considered becoming a nun before she had a change
of heart and got married to her husband, Mike. They moved
to Connecticut in 1973 and a year later and gave her life to the
Lord as a result of a comment by a lab technician drawing her
blood before gall bladder surgery.
As our Praise & Worship Leader, Annette has a passion for & is
responsible to lead worship during our corporate services.
She also teaches piano to several students.
Annette and Mike have three awesome children, and three very
special grandchildren.
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Christine
Tassone
Office Manager
Born in Rome, NY, Christine moved to Connecticut while in middle
school. After graduating high school, she began working in
a dental office until coming on staff at Pleasant Valley in
2002. She was led to the Lord by our Senior Pastor's wife,
Louise, in 1998. Christine is responsible for all things
administrative here at the church: from organizing files and
calendars, to preparing sermon notes/PowerPoint presentations,
to answering phones and assisting visitors and vendors.
She is supported by her loving husband, Robert, and her
miniature dachshunds: Lily and Daisy.
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Robin
Depot
Custodian
Robin has lived in Groton all of her life; she has been a wife
and mother since 1980. She has worked as a secretary for
the Block Island Ferry, as a paraprofessional in the public
school system, as a Cafe Manager for Cornerstone Bookstore, and
as a Teacher Assistant at Fairview Child Development Center
before coming on staff as our custodian in 2008.
She gave her life to the Lord during 8th grade and has been
living for Him ever since.
Robin and her husband Gil have been serving as volunteers in the
youth ministry since 1998. They have two adult boys: Jacob
and Joel.
Robin is responsible for the general cleanliness and care of our
facilities, so when you see her tell her what a great job she's
doing.
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