Deacons

Pastor Ruben A. Cabrera, Senior Pastor

 

Reverend Ruben Cabrera, Pastor (978) 632-5097

Reverend Ruben Cabrera, Pastor
(978) 632-5097

Pastor Ruben A. Cabrera, Sr., and his wife Debbie accepted the call to Bethany Baptist Church, Gardner MA, and began serving here in July 2018.

Ruben and Debbie both graduated from Columbia University, where Ruben majored in Bible with a preseminary emphasis, and Debbie majored in Bible and Church Music. After graduation, they both returned to Columbia in the fall. Debbie took some additional courses in the Bible teaching program, and Ruben entered Columbia Biblical Seminary studying Old Testament. They were engaged that fall and were married in October 1988.  After serving as interim pastor at the church where he grew up, Ruben served as the Associate Pastor at United Baptist Church, Old Town, Maine, from 1990-1995. He next served as the Associate Pastor at New Life Church (formerly First Baptist Church) in Toms River, NJ, from 1995-2009. During this time he began classes at Bethel Seminary and graduated in July 2003 with a Master of Divinity degree. Then in 2009, Ruben served as senior pastor at Northern Valley Evangelical Free Church in Cresskill, New Jersey, until 2017, when he joined the faculty of New York School of the Bible in New York City and also began working on his doctorate at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, focusing on adaptive leadership.

The Cabreras have three children: Ruben Jr., Jonathan and Caroline. See the “Contact Us” section for the pastor’s weekly office hours.

Carolyn Abbott, Office Manager & Webmaster, (978) 632-5097

Carolyn Abbott, Office Manager & Webmaster, (978) 632-5097

Carolyn Abbott, Office Manager/Webmaster

Carolyn has been the webmaster since joining the church in 2003. She became the Office Manager in January 2015 to help with the transition after the former pastor’s retirement. Carolyn ensures that the office runs smoothly and is well set up to support the pastor and other church ministry leaders. Carolyn is a member of the choir and worship team and serves in several other church ministries. View her office hours and contact information here.