Senior Associate Pastor David C. McCann
Dr. David McCann was born in Atlanta, Georgia, on June 17, 1954. He was raised in a strong Christian home with four brothers and one sister.
He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary, one of the most acclaimed schools of its kind in the world. Pastor Dave also received his Doctorate in Theology through Columbia International Seminary in Columbia, South Carolina in 2008.
Dr. McCann was called to Payson Park Evangelical Free Church as Assistant Pastor in 1986. He was named co-Senior Pastor in 1992. He is heavily involved with teaching and preaching as well as a number of administrative tasks for the church.
Pastor Dave and Jana McCann have been married since 1976 and have three children: Kirsten, who has graduated from college with a major in music; Noelle, who is in college locally; and Nathan, who is a senior in High School.
The McCann Family
Associate Pastor Stephen Espling
Pastor Steve became First EFC’s first full-time worship and youth director in December, 2006, and now he serves as our associate pastor, and shares the responsibilities of preaching and pastoral care with Pastor Dave. Steve also oversees the Deacons & Deaconesses and will be working towards leading our church to make a difference in our surrounding community, neighborhoods, and relational networks.
Steve graduated from New England Bible College in May 1997, and then on June 22, 1997, he was ordained at the First Baptist Church in South Portland through the Conservative Baptist denomination. Steve served as the sole pastor at Highpine Baptist Church in Wells for ten years between August of 1996 and July of 2006, and while in Wells, he served as a pastoral mentor with Vision New England and as the president of the York County Evangelical Minister’s Fellowship.
Steve and his wife Ellie have been married since May 1994, and they have four children: Scott, Anna, Lydia and Seth, and a dog named Simon. As a family they raise chickens and enjoy summer vacations on Madawaska Lake in Aroostook County.
Steve plays bass guitar, acoustic guitar, and electric guitar, and also enjoys writing both praise songs and contemporary songs. He has played bass guitar for several Christian bands over the years and enjoys, running, lifting weights, and playing sports which results in his getting men and teens together in the fall for some friendly football or soccer. In the winter months he enjoys getting men together on the basketball court, and in the spring and summer can often be found coaching or umpiring games on a little league field in New Gloucester.
Steve’s passion is to live out the Gospel by getting into the lives of other men by sharing and praying for one another, and sharpening each other. He likes to see leaders developed and released to their God-given ministry.
The Espling Family
Sheryl White
Sheryl has been First EFC’s administrative assistant since 1990 and was elected church secretary in 1991.
She was born and raised in Portland with one brother and three sisters and graduated from Portland High School. She holds an Associate’s degree in Secretarial Sciences from Casco Bay College.
Sheryl also serves as a Sunday school teacher, 5th grade, and assists with preparation of video lyrics for use in worship services.
Currently single, Sheryl has five children: Rita of Sanford, Maine; Jim and his wife Tracy of Lakeview, New York; Sherrin and her husband Chris of Portland; Jessica and her husband Danny of Talent, Oregon; and Joshua of Buffalo, New York; six grandchildren and two great grandchildren.