Meet Our team
Get to Know those Serving & Leading
At Cornerstone Community Church, we have a dedicated team of leaders, pastors, and staff who are passionate about sharing the message of faith and grace of Jesus, our Lord and Savior.
Dedicated to Serving Others
Our team is committed to serving others and spreading love and grace in our community.
Our Elders & Leaders:
As leaders of Cornerstone Community Church, our elders, leaders, and staff are dedicated to serving God and His people with love, mercy, and forgiveness. Learn more about them below.
Pastor and Elder
Derek Westgate
Derek and his wife Cassie have two grown children and moved to the area from California and have been serving together in ministry for years. Cassie helps in the worship team and Derek oversees the teaching and ministries of the church.
Elder
Todd Halstead
Todd and his wife Kiri love serving the Lord together and raising their two young adult daughters. Todd oversees the finances of the church as the Treasurer and also helps with teaching.
Pastor and Elder
Laric Copes
Laric and his wife, Carla, have done ministry for many years and have three grown boys together. Carla helps with welcoming people each Sunday before service and Laric oversees the facilities of the church and also helps with teaching.
Elder
Jan Jordan
Jan is the most seasoned man in the group, loves the Lord and is fully devoted to Him after his wife, Nancy, of 45 years went to be home in October of 2025. They had two children and eight grandchildren. He leads the Prayer Team, oversees Home Groups, and helps with teaching.
Worship Leader
John Leach
Nicknamed “John-John” by those who know him well. He’s a gentle and dedicated worshiper of the Lord and loves to lead His people in song to soften their hearts to hear the teaching of His word.
Children’s Ministry Leaders
Tom & Julie Trebing
Tom and Julie have six adult children and 7 grandchildren and love bringing the hope of Jesus to the younger generations. Both serve as the Children’s Ministry Leaders and in the worship team.
Youth Ministry Leaders
Zach & Cristina Smith
Zach and Cristina have four children and love serving in the youth ministry. Zach also helps in the worship team.
Pure Desire Ministry Leaders
Mike O’Neal, Tom Trebing & Zach Smith
Mike, Tom & Zach co-lead the Pure Desire ministry together. Pray the lord raises a woman to help our ladies.
Men’s Ministry Leaders
Derek Westgate and Tom Trebing
Co-leading the Men’s Ministry are Derek and Tom.
Women’s Ministry Leaders
Cassie Westgate & Julie Trebing
The ladies minister to the women of the church and lead a women’s bible study every other Monday.
Sound Ministry Leader
Jay Vecchione
Jay uses sound to enhance the worship experience each service. He and his wife, Sohka, enjoy raising their young adult daughter and son and dog Mochi.
Deaf Ministry Interpreters
Charles & Ginny
Charles and Ginny both have a passion for ministering to our deaf brothers and sisters in the congregation and online.
Church Safety Leader
Dan Krenzke
Dan has vast experience in security from his time in the military and working as a civilian now with police and fire departments. He also helps with the setup and breakdown of church each Sunday and is a faithful servant.
Projection & Visual Media Leader
Mary
Mary loves using visual media by leading the projection ministry, administering the website, and creating projection slides and graphics.
Our Passionate Staff
Our dedicated staff & volunteers at Cornerstone Community Church of Apex serve with passion and joy, bringing the love of Jesus to our community and sharing the hope of the Gospel with those in need.