STAFF

Our Leadership

Our Leadership Team is a partnership, where we serve together to nurture the spiritual life of the church. Our “Leadership” is based on Servant Leadership where leaders serve others with courage and humility to honor God. The focal point of servant leadership within the church is “to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up” (Ephesians 4:12). A servant leader seeks to invest himself/herself into the lives of our people so that, as a whole, the church community grows to be more like Christ.


•  Covenant is “governed” by a Congregational Spirit  •  Lay Leadership Council  •  Lay Leader Pastoral Relations Board (PRB)  

•  Vocational Staff in Various Ministries  •  Lay Leader Ministry Chairs

  • Cary Slater | Lead Pastor

    Cary grew up in Minneapolis, then fled for balmy Chicago to attend Wheaton College.  He got his Masters of Divinity at Alliance Theological Seminary.  Cary thanks God every day for life with Roseann and their two young adults, Abby and Noah.  They share their home with a dog who wasn’t supposed to get this big.  Cary enjoys history, reading, newspapers and getting outside.


    He has served churches in Seattle and Phoenix.  But it is the Covenant Church of Easton that is home, serving as Student Ministries Pastor on 2 separate occasions for a total of 13 years and as Lead Pastor since 2013.  Cary loves the east coast and the people who live here.  He loves helping people trust and see God in the day to day, and experience the church as a community in ways they never knew possible.


  • Kristine Lackowski| Director of Children's Ministry

    Kristine has a passion for every child to know who Jesus is and to KNOW Him as their personal Savior.  She also has a desire for every child to discover their God-given potential and to learn how to serve Him.  Kristine has a heart for children and families and enjoys organizing meaningful programs which bring them together.  Kristine, and her husband Chris, have three children – Brianna, a Freshman at Salve Regina University; and Christopher and Melanie who attend Trumbull High School.



  • Debbie Packnick | Director of Student Ministries

    Pastor Debbie joined the Covenant Church of Easton in the summer of 2015 and she and her husband Rob quickly fell in love with the people and the purpose of our church; Loving God, Growing Together, Serving Others.  Debbie is actively involved in the life of our church through Bible studies, service and mission projects and of course, youth ministry.


    Debbie’s passion for helping young people discover the joy of studying God’s Word has led her to host a Sunday morning Bible study during the school year and a summer Bible study in her home (complete with home-baked chocolate chip cookies) that gathers between 25 and 35 high school and college-age youth each week.


    In her free time, Pastor Debbie likes to cheer on students at their sports games or high school plays and you’ll frequently find her at Panera Bread or Duchess catching up with them over lunch.  Whether it’s serving the homeless, riding a roller coaster or gathering for a group prayer, Pastor Debbie LOVES helping youth connect their every-day-lives to the things of God and their true purpose.


    Debbie and Rob feel very blessed and spiritually fed by attending worship at Covenant Church each Sunday, as do their three young adult children (Kyle, Craig and Ally) when they’re in town.  Following in mom’s footsteps, each one of their kids have found themselves in Christian leadership roles through the Appalachia Service Project, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and children’s and youth ministries in the local church.


  • Bob Rieger | Director of Discipleship

    Bob was born and raised in Connecticut.  He earned his Bachelors of Science in Business at UConn and his Masters of Science at New York University.  Bob is blessed with 25 years of marriage to Kim and their two young adults, Matt and Tori.  Bob is passionate about learning, music, sports, mentoring, and serving in the community.


    Bob leads his own Business IT Consulting firm and the call to serve in our newly created PT role as Director of Discipleship.  Our mission is to further develop and oversee our thriving small group ministries and our emerging connections ministries, to create new opportunities for learning and fellowship, which will encourage adults to grow TOGETHER toward Christ-likeness.


    Bob loves to come alongside others and encourage folks to share and grow together on this crazy journey we call life! We were never meant to be alone; we are created by God to work together for His Glory.

  • Kristian Otten | Director of Worship Arts

    Kristian Otten has worked faithfully as the Director of Worship Arts at Covenant for five years, following the unexpected call to serve in his home church.  God is good and He provides!  Besides his worship leading and musical responsibilities, Kristian serves as a member of the Drama Ministry and occasionally works with Service Ministry on various building and fixing projects in service to the local community throughout the year.  He is also an active member of a vital men's life group at the church.  Kristian hopes to continue to grow in his relationship with Christ through ministry at Covenant, serving the surrounding community however God calls him.  In his (nonexistent) spare time, he also works as an analyst for arts management consultant AMS Planning & Research; loves his newly married life with his bride, Nicole; and enjoys participating in occasional triathlons early before Sunday morning services.

  • Gail Lent | Church Secretary

    Gail has been part of the Covenant Church family for over 12 years and joined the staff in 2008.  Gail thoroughly enjoys her role as Church Secretary and feels called to serve the people at Covenant while also being able to effectively use her administrative skills to assist the staff, council and various ministries of Covenant to run smoothly and efficiently.  Utilizing her gift of encouragement to build into the lives of friends and strangers alike, she always has a welcoming smile for everyone she meets.  Gail and her husband, Tom, enjoy NASCAR, staying at a good bed & breakfast, and spending time with their adult children, Jesse & his wife Christina, and Kyle.