The Staff
Dave Carlson Senior Pastor
Dave and Gretchen Carlson moved to Cheyenne in September of 2004. Both grew up in Colorado, and Dave received degrees from Colorado State University and Denver Seminary. Gretchen's degree is from the University of Northern Colorado. Dave served as a youth pastor in Boulder and assisted in planting a church in Fort Collins before moving to the Westmark EFC of rural Loomis, Nebraska, where he served for 16 years. The Carlsons have two sons. Mark is married to Cori and lives in Anchorage. They are the parents of daughters Maya and Alexis. Eric is married to Krista and is an Associate Pastor of Harvest Bible Chapel, Indy West near Indianapolis (Avon). Dave and Gretchen enjoy their canoe, bicycles and camping, but quilting, garden and furniture projects keep them close to home.
Dave has become known in Cheyenne for his true pastor's heart. Dave and Gretchen have strived to make Cheyenne E-Free Church a real community where people can be cared for and loved.
Jake Merriman Equipping Pastor
Jacob and Caroline moved to Cheyenne in February of 2009. Jacob grew up in South Dakota, and Caroline in Geneva, Switzerland. They spent most of their lives an ocean apart, but God brought them together, and they were married in December of 2006. Five months later, Jacob received his Masters of Divinity from North American Baptist Seminary. He then accepted a call as the interim head pastor at First Baptist Church in Sibley, IA where he served until joining the staff at Cheyenne Evangelical Free Church as the Equipping Pastor. This move has been a home-coming of sorts for Jacob who grew up in Evangelical Free Church.
Jacob and Caroline are enjoying building new friendships and taking in God's creation in a place that is new to them both. They find great fulfillment and value in equipping and encouraging people to persevere and trust in God amidst the trials of life.
