Jason Smith – Senior Pastor
Jason grew up in Festus, Missouri, and came into a life-defining relationship with Jesus as a teenager. He is a graduate of William Jewell College in Liberty, MO, (BA in Communication Studies), Denver Seminary in Littleton, CO, (Master of Divinity), and Northern Seminary in Lombard, IL, (Doctor of Ministry).
Jason is married to Emily and they have three children, who range from middle school age young adult.
Jason has served as a pastor in the Vineyard movement for 13 years. He was the senior pastor at Vineyard Christian Fellowship in Curtis, Nebraska, the senior pastor of Vineyard Community Church in Mason, Ohio, associate pastor at Vineyard Community Church Northwest in Cincinnati, and has been the senior pastor of Salida Vineyard since the fall of 2018.
Jason served in the United States Coast Guard immediately after college and was stationed in St. Petersburg, Florida, Seattle, Washington, and Seward, Alaska. He left the service in 2003 as a Lieutenant to attend Denver Seminary.
Ellen Horarik – Worship & Strategic Administration Pastor
Ellen has been following Jesus as long as she can remember. She was born in Wisconsin and moved to Salida with her family in high school. She met her now-husband Ben when they were teenagers at this very same Vineyard church!
Ellen joined the church staff in 2018 after years of volunteering on the worship team as a vocalist, keyboard player, and set leader. In the fall of 2019, she was ordained as the Worship Pastor. She also actively participates as a part of the preaching team and provides administrative support to other ministries within SVC. Ellen is a graduate of Iowa State University (B.A. in Spanish) and recently began seminary education through Denver Seminary.
Ellen and Ben have two adorable young daughters. Ellen also enjoys baking, writing songs and poetry, and exploring Colorado’s mountains on her dirt bike or skis.
Rayann Gillespie – Office Administrator
Rayann joined the church staff in 2022. She serves in many capacities at Salida Vineyard including bookkeeping, care team coordinator, hospitality ministry team leader, and office team overseer. She also leads the School of Prophetic Ministry for the 2023-2024 school year.
Rayann is a long-time resident of Pleasant Valley (in Fremont County, downriver from Salida). She is married to Russ and loves spending time on their beautiful rural property with their children and grandchildren.
Board of Elders & Ministry Team Leaders
In addition to the pastors, other longtime lay members of the church serve as financial, spiritual, and practical advisors. This board of men and women meets monthly and seeks to help shape the identity and vision of the church and how the Salida Vineyard can best serve our community and the world.
Current church ministries (including Care Team, Kids Ministry, Hospitality, Discipleship, Worship Ministry, and Prayer Ministry) are led by teams of volunteers and staff who discern and plan together.