Hope COvenant Staff

  • brian zahasky

    Lead pastor

    Brian started at Hope in the summer of 2019. Before that he served as pastor of family and community life in Racine, Wisconsin. Pastor Brian was ordained in the ECC in 2012 and has been a lifelong Covenanter. Originally from Rochester Minnesota (Rochester Covenant and New Day are home churches), Brian grew up going to Lake Beauty Bible Camp and many other northwest conference activities. Brian and Maria have been married for 18 years and they have four kids. Pastor Brian enjoys sports, coffee, drones, backpacking and traveling!

  • hunter Melton

    Director of Youth and Young Adults

    Hunter started at Hope in the summer of 2023. He began his career in ministry as a camp counselor at Lake Beauty Bible Camp, and since then has served on Ministry Staff at Lake Beauty and as an Area Director for Young Life in Red Wing. Hunter graduated from Moody Bible Institute in 2020 with a Bachelor’s in Ministry Leadership. He is passionate about building teams to serve kids well and help build them into disciples of Christ. He enjoys spending time with his wife, Eleanor, and their son, Arthur. Together they spend time reading, playing pickleball (and pretty much anything else), going for hikes, and cooking.

  • KATHY ARMBRUST

    Associate Director of children and family

    (Emphasis on early Elementary and preschool)

    Kathy and her family began coming to Hope Covenant in 1995 and within a year, she was hired as the Christian Education Coordinator (January 1996). She was born in northern Indiana, but has lived the majority of her life in St. Cloud, MN. Kathy is married to her best friend Darrell, and they have 5 grown boys and 7 grandchildren. She prefers reading and can crochet just about anything. Kathy is known to the children of Hope Covenant as the "Jolly Rancher lady"!

  • MAria Zahasky

    Associate Director of Children and family

     (Emphasis on Elementary and Pre-teen) 

    Maria started at Hope in the fall of 2020. Before that she served as Associate Director of Children's Ministry at Faithbridge Church in Racine, WI. Maria graduated from Trinity International University in 2004 with a degree in Children's Ministry and Biblical studies. She thinks one of the best parts of working in children's ministry is getting to walk side by side with children and parents as they begin a lifelong journey of following Jesus. She enjoys spending time with her family (husband Brian and children Drew, Ben, Jonah, and Selah) as well as reading, baking, playing games and bargain shopping.

  • Abbey Ness

    Director of worship

    Abbey started as the Director of Worship at Hope in April of 2023. Though she and her husband, Blake are more recent additions to the Hope church family, they are blessed to call it home and are excited about all of the wonderful things God is doing here. Abbey moved to Saint Cloud in 2011, and now she and Blake live on the southeast side along with their little cat, Pepper. She enjoys digital art, cupcake decorating, music making, worshiping with her people, dating her husband, and lives in her garden in the summer.

  • Mischa Henry

    administrative coordinator

    Mischa began attending Hope in the fall of 2019. Initially she got plugged in helping in the nursery, then began helping with a few building projects here and there and currently serves as the Properties Ministry Chair. Mischa took on the role of Administrative Coordinator in May of 2023.  She loves home projects, opportunities to be creative, reading, and spending time with her husband, Coleman and two children.