Our Pastors

Pastor and Head of Staff 
​Rev. Dr. Bryan Franzen

Bryan came to San Jose from Hightstown, New Jersey in January 2012. Bryan received his Master of Divinity with an emphasis in World Christianity from San Francisco Theological Seminary in San Anselmo, CA and Doctor of Ministry in Gospel and Culture from Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, GA. Bryan has served congregations in California, Illinois, North Carolina, Iowa, and New Jersey in various capacities. 

Through his ministry, Bryan’s passion has been issues of justice and inclusion. This passion has taken him on diplomatic missions to South Dakota, China, and Cuba and working missions to Jamaica and Ghana. Bryan has also been involved in advocacy for the LGBT community, special-needs children, and both mentally and physically handicapped adults and children. Bryan’s current concern in our culture is with the need for civility and a faith focused on how we build each other up. He believes that the church should be a place where we welcome all types of families and individuals, young and old. Bryan also knows that the strongest faith comes when people are encouraged to explore and question, be challenged, and ultimately grow in their own understanding and relationship with God.

“I believe that something incredible is starting to happen at Westminster Presbyterian Church, I hope that you can come and be part of it!!!” –Bryan

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Bryan's Website

​​Associate Pastor
​Rev. Neneth Ross

Neneth received her Master of Divinity from Fuller Theological Seminary, while balancing her full-time job as an elementary public-school teacher and serving in a local church.  She has been a teacher for about 20 years and has taught grades K-5th.  She has led Social Emotional Learning workshops for teachers and staff and directed school musicals from grades K-5th.  Working with a diverse group of students and their families has helped her to serve in different cultural, traditional, socio-economic, and ethnic backgrounds.  
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Neneth views ministry as part of daily life. Her deep desire is to guide others in their faith, and to share the love of God with others.  Her passion is to share the good news and God’s transformational power to change people’s lives for the better.  This desire led her to serve unhoused individuals and families, partner with various local organizations to help communities in need and set up international mission’s programs.  Neneth created an academic summer program at Westminster Presbyterian Church called Gear Up while serving as the Director of Family Ministries, designed for at risk elementary school aged children to prepare them for the in-coming school year. Neneth enjoys traveling, reading, and crafting. She is married and has two kids.  She enjoys spending time with her husband, two kids, and their pet dog Prince.

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Our Leadership Team

The Session
Our Governing Board

Clerk of Session: David Burgess

CLASS OF 2023
Matthew Ross
Steve Frost
Sebastian Salazar (Youth Elder)

CLASS OF 2024
Claudia Salazar
Pat DeWitt

CLASS OF 2025
Ross Barrons
Kristina Musgrave

The Deacons
Care and Mission Outreach

 Jennifer Marovich, Judi Schierling, Merryle Wiese, Betty Slater, Julia Airpetyan, Susan Hartt, Ron Schuler, 

Our Staff

Director of Youth and Young Adults Ministries
Claudia Sanborn

​Claudia has been serving as a youth leader and youth administrator for 8 years at various churches in San Jose. She grew up in San Jose and graduated in 2020 with a Bachelors of Fine Arts from San Jose State University. She continues her art practice in her spare time, focusing on playing with color in her paintings. With her creative passions, her love for Youth ministry, and her heart to encourage others to walk in God’s love, she is more than excited to be a part of Westminster Presbyterian Church. She also loves to travel and is always looking for friends to hike, walk, or run with!

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Youth and Young Adult Questions Email here

Office Administrator
​Linda Solis

 
Linda has been a church office administrator for nearly 20 years, working for the United Methodist      
Church. Her father was a Methodist pastor, and she grew up answering phones for the small church office which was located in the parsonage. Still active in her home church in Campbell, Linda is very excited to work with Westminster Presbyterian, having attended many community events here over the years. As an advocate for social justice issues, she is impressed with the community involvement and partnerships at WPC. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree from San Jose State University, with an emphasis in vocal performing. Linda has performed many opera and musical theater roles over the years, and still enjoys singing and performing with local community theater groups and choirs. 

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Administrative Questions Email Here

Worship Music Staff

Music Director
​TBD

We are currently in a search for a new Music Director if you or someone you know is interested please click here for more information

Worship Leader
​Nicholas Molle

Nicholas Mollé is a native of San Jose, and as of 2010 is the last of his family to remain in town. He has studied under Prof. Joseph Frank, earning his Bachelors in Music - Voice Performance at San Jose State University in 2011. He has performed as a tenor in the chorus of Opera San Jose since 2010, joined the "New Choir" directed by Eileen Chang as of 2014, and taken part in various international choir tours with them, and with his alma mater. He enjoys concluding his choir tours with a visit to his brother Daniel and growing family now living in Germany.

Nicholas has been teaching private music students in voice, piano and all general music theory since 2011, with students going on to join conservatories, record and publish their work, or perform in local theater productions, ensemble choirs, recitals and services.

He has served at Westminster Presbyterian Church since 2014, leading the tenor section under Mary Anne James' direction, assistant directing, running sound and broadcast tech, and leading hymns in Sunday worship.

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Accompanists
Brad Handshy and Asa Stern

Brad Handshy has lived in San Jose since he was 8 years old, when he had his first piano lesson.  He took lessons from the same teacher until age 14, and had enough “chops” by then to play paino for his High School musical, Godspell.  When his teacher moved away, Brad decided it would be more fun to be on stage than in the orchestra pit, so he kept his keyboard skills secret so he could sing and dance in shows.  In 1990, he moved back into a pianist role at First Baptist Church in Gilroy, and has continued as a church musician ever since.
 
Still a fan of live entertainment, Brad enjoys a wide spectrum of performing arts.  A final bit of trivia is that he has lived in the same townhouse for 36 years.

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Mr. D. Asa Stern currently teaches music in the Cupertino Union School District. Asa completed a MM in Composition at USF-Tampa and a MEd in Curriculum and Instruction at the University of the Pacific. As a performer, Asa works as a pianist, vocalist, woodwind doubler, and conductor. He has conducted and regularly performs with many organizations including Palo Alto Players, Cazadero Performing Arts Camp, Davis Musical Theater Company, Los Altos Youth Theater, Pacific Music Camp, Sunnyvale Singers, Sunnyvale Community Players, South Bay Musical Theater, West Valley Light Opera, Theatre in the Mountains, the Silicon Valley Men’s Chorus, UC Davis, the Ohlone Wind Orchestra, and the choirs at St. Timothy's Episcopal Church (Mountain View), St. Catherine's Episcopal Church (Tampa), and the Joint Venture Churches of Almaden Valley (San Jose). He has recorded and performed with many groups including The Choral Project, Resounding Achord, The Richard Zielinski Singers, and Dave Brubeck. ​

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Music Ministry Questions Email Here