Emily Defnet
Lead Pastor
Emily came into the Vineyard movement in 2014 while attending graduate school in Illinois, and was drawn in by the balance between solid biblical teaching and an openness to the Holy Spirit. She worked for a Vineyard church in the suburbs of Philadelphia, PA before moving to Buffalo at the beginning of 2021 to be closer to her grandparents. Since coming to Buffalo, Emily has enjoyed living and working on the West Side, and is excited and honored to be a part of what God is doing here. She is a food scientist by training and currently works in food regulatory at Rich Products. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, baking, attempting to play the piano, answering random food-related questions, and eating her grandfather’s peach pie.
Matt Kauffman
5 Loaves Farm Pastor
Matt met his wife Jessica while attending the SUNY College of Environmental Science & Forestry in Syracuse, NY. Matt went on to become a licensed Free Methodist pastor in Syracuse for six years. The Kauffmans moved to Buffalo to become a part of the Buffalo Vineyard Church leadership in 2010. With the help of Jessica and their two children, Matt founded 5 Loaves Farm in 2012. He manages an acre of sustainable market gardens adjacent to their home on Buffalo's Upper West Side as an outreach ministry of the BVC.Matt is excited about continuing to work with the youth from our neighborhood that work with him on the farm.
Gail Schlosser
Missional Life Pastor
For more than 30 years, Gail’s passion has been helping to meet the spiritual, physical and emotional needs of people in a variety of ministry contexts, especially in cross-cultural settings. Before moving to Buffalo in 2017, Gail lived and worked in Rochester, Los Angeles, London and Beirut. She loves the diversity of Buffalo and relishes the challenge to help people engage with our neighbors, especially when that means crossing cultural or social barriers. As a life-long single person, she enjoys being a godmother of seven kids and a big sister and auntie to dozens of others! Reading, baking, swimming and fishing make her very happy.
Zach Lopez
Spiritual Life Pastor
Zach Lopez has grown up in The Vineyard for the past 16 years, ever since he relocated from California to Lewiston, ME. He moved to Syracuse for a worship leader internship, where he met his wife Abigail. That internship led him to Buffalo, where he participated in B.U.M.P. Both Zach and Abby moved to Buffalo when Zach was accepted into B.U.M.P, that then became his job at BVC. Abby and Zach got married in 2017 and since then have had 2 boys Judah and Asa. In their spare time they enjoy finding all the local food establishments Buffalo has to offer. The Lopez’s desire for deep worship and seeing the Holy Spirit move powerfully in Buffalo keeps them settled here for the long haul.
Mary Prentice
Church Administrator
Born and raised outside of Portland, ME, Mary first came to Western New York to attend Houghton College. Following graduation in 2011 she moved to Buffalo’s Westside for a service year with Americorps at Jericho Road Community Health Center. Mary continued to work for JRCHC for the next ten years. She first came to BVC in 2012 with her husband, they now live in South Buffalo. Mary is excited to service BVC in a new way!