STAFF TEAM
We are blessed to have a variety of men and women who lead here AT SIDERIS.
Dave Evanger
Founding Pastor | Lead Elder
Dave & Allie both grew up in the Seattle area. Dave studied accounting at University of Washington and Allie studied business at Seattle Pacific University. Then both spent extended time living in other parts of the country, both changing career paths (Dave to ministry & Allie to nursing) before returning to Seattle in 2014 to start Sideris Church. They have two boys.
How did Sideris Church become an idea? In 2007 after the sudden death of my sister Kim, God transitioned Dave from a career in public accounting to pursue a life in vocational ministry (more story here). Dave was working toward a Masters in Divinity at Denver Seminary while Allie pursued a nursing degree at University of Colorado. They experienced the true life of gospel community while partnering with a church start-up in urban Denver called Fellowship Denver Church. God used that experience, in tandem with theological studies, to refresh and invigorate their understanding of the centrality of the local church to God’s mission. The local church truly is the primary means by which the world comes to “consider” the good news of Jesus Christ and the gospel of grace.
Convinced that God was inviting them to bring about a similar type of community back in their native Seattle, the Evangers moved to urban Seattle and started a Bible study in their living room. This set in motion the process by which a brand new gospel-centered, bible-teaching, local church community in the heart of the city would come to life. The church officially “launched” in 2015 and God has been moving in incredible ways ever since. God continues to use very ordinary people — like accountants and nurses — to build His extraordinary Kingdom in one of the least-churched cities in the country. All glory be to Christ!
You can contact Pastor Dave here: dave@siderischurch.com
Ryan Farrell
Pastor of Discipleship | Elder
Ryan’s a Denver native and Christy Grew up in Albuquerque, NM, and growing up in landlocked desert states has given us a special appreciation for water and trees! When we’re not working, you can usually find us enjoying the lush landscape of the Seattle area with our 3 daughters.
We moved to Seattle from Denver in 2017 to help our longtime friends, Dave and Allie, in their passionate pursuit to see new church blossom in the heart of Seattle. We met at the university of Colorado-Boulder and it was in pursuit of a astrophysics degree where I was thrust into all questions regarding faith, science, and everything involved. It took a while, but eventually I not only found I could trust the scriptures, but they were the very foundation for a full life. I learned that God wanted to use me to help others with their questions too ~ Having big conversations considering big ideas surrounding God and Jesus Christ is where I find a lot of meaning and purpose.
Why are you passionate about ministry in Seattle? Originally, we had intended to throw ourselves into overseas missions after Ryan completed Seminary, but during our 8 years of living on mission together in downtown Denver, God opened our eyes to the deep spiritual need of the next generation in the urban centers of this country. Being on the West coast, Seattle was one of the first cities to depart from the Christian narrative en masse and often that’s exactly why people move here! But we’ve discovered that the darkness this departure created is actually prompting many to begin searching for light; Sideris not only serves as a city on a hill, but we serve to connect with those individuals to help them sort through their past and see God’s activity in their life. He desperately wants to breathe a gospel hope into them.
RYAN@siderischurch.com
Ty-Lene Cook
Missionary-in-residence
Hi I'm Ty-Lene and I am an American-Filipino, born in Singapore and raised mostly in Malaysia. In April 2021, I landed in Seattle after a whirlwind season—forced to leave Malaysia due to Covid-related immigration issues. But looking back, I can see God's hand in it all. What felt like chaos has turned into a beautiful new chapter, and I'm so grateful to be on this journey. This is my first time living in the U.S., and it’s been a joy discovering life in the city and soaking in the beauty of Washington state. I’m loving the adventure of becoming a true Seattleite and getting to know the incredible people who call this place home.
Why are you passionate about Missions? It’s the very heart of God—He sent His Son into our world to connect with us, and now He calls us, His followers, to do the same. Whether that means crossing borders, states, cities, or simply walking across the street, we’re invited to step into people’s lives and truly connect. So if you’d like to hear more of my story or just want to grab a good cup of coffee and chat, feel free to shoot me an email below—I’d love to connect!
You can connect with Ty-Lene here: tylene@siderischurch.com
Peter Carlson
Staff | Counselor-in-residence
Hi I’m Peter and I grew up in South Dakota and went to college in Minneapolis, before moving to Seattle in 2017. I’m overeducated with a Master of Arts in Higher Education and Student Development and a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Currently working as a LMHCA for Novo Life Counseling most of the week and part-time now at Sideris. I got married in 2024 to a PNW native Christy and we live in Queen Anne.
Why are you passionate about Counseling? Sometimes, it can feel like our stories or circumstances get in the way of the life we want to live. Other times, it feels like we are tied up in our thoughts and can’t figure out how to pull the right strings to get them untangled. If you feel you’re in a season like this and looking for help, I would be honored to work together. My goal is to help people move forward to engage in life more fully with courage and clarity. I love bringing a collaborative spirit to our work together and am passionate about sharing new skills, tools, and insights for the journey.
When I’m not working I enjoy being outside, running, cycling, trying new coffee shops with Christy or finding new cooking recipes at home.
Click To ScHedule a FREE Session wtih Peter
Elisheba Choppala
STAFF | INFORMATION ARCHITECT, WORSHIP LEADER
I’m a third culture kid, originally from South India but born and raised in Abu Dhabi, UAE. God moved me to Oklahoma 10 years ago, where I graduated with my bachelors in petroleum engineering from OU and worked for a while. Then He moved me to Seattle 2 years ago, where I earned my master’s in information management at UW. God led me to Sideris through my housemate in November 2024. I was captivated by how God was moving at Sideris, and I felt prompted to be a part of it. At every turn, God met me. Life is a beautiful adventure with Jesus, and I want to keep experiencing Him in every way. I love connecting with new people and bringing joy wherever I go through music and organizing information.
Why is “considering in community” important to you? Soon after I started attending Sideris, I realized I had questions about faith and God that I needed to answer for myself. (Always be ready to give a reason for the hope that is in you!) Right when I started attending, God gave me a word for 2025: “Study Him through the Scriptures.” That’s exactly what Sideris does so well in community! Considering in community has helped me develop the language so I can reach out effectively to my neighbors in the hopes that they too might consider Jesus.
Sara-Anne Barfoot
STAFF | Kids Co-Coordinator
When my wonderful husband, Andrew, and I got married, we both felt God’s call to start our life together in Seattle. That was over 10 years ago. Today we call the Bryant neighborhood home and enjoy adventuring with our family. Life has changed a lot over the last few years, and through those changes, we found Sideris. At the first service, Andrew and I both left feeling like we had found a home here.
Why are you passionate about Kids & Families? Kids have always been my JAM! I mean come on… they seriously are the coolest. From a young age I knew God had called me to work with kids. I had a slightly different idea of what that would look like at age 7 but you know how God works! This is waaaay better! I am so honored that I get to be a part of Jesus’ story for these young kids.
You can contact Sara-Anne here kids@siderischurch.com
Delaney Anderson
STAFF | MINISTRY ASSISTANT
Hello! I’m Delaney, born and raised in that part of Washington right across the water, Kitsap County. I originally went to school in Spokane to become a Speech language pathologist before God intervened and revealed he had other plans for my life. I’m now studying Intercultural ministry and theology, and can find no better way to grow in my knowledge than to have hands on work at a worshipful, considerate, and community-centered church here in Seattle!
Why is “considering in community” important to you? Considering in community is important to me because it’s the building block of evangelizing. Without an open-minded and compassionate approach, the living truth of God falls flat and the church moves forward without love and results. I am looking forward to more opportunities to consider together!
Joseph Cox
EVERYTHING Man | LAY Elder
Hi I’m Joseph and I grew up in Houston but moved to Seattle in 2014 to start work at Google. I had been looking for a church community for so long after moving to Seattle but was struggling to find what I was looking for. Then one day I stumbled upon Sideris and found exactly what I’d been looking for since moving here. Shortly after, I met Brianna, we got married and then we had three little girls! God’s timing and provision is amazing!
Why do you think “considering in community” is so important? I love the Word of God, but I know that I will not fully understand it apart from the insights given by others in the power of the Holy Spirit. That is why I love being connected to a group of believers searching for God’s truth.
Scott Nellessen
Deacon
Andrea Akici
Deacon
Tom van Herk
DEACON
Lynn Wondergem
DEACON
MEET OUR COHORT LEADERS
In addition to these leadership positions, our Cohort (groups) leaders do so much to steward the growth and mission of our church.