Efrain Alicea
Founding Pastor
Growing up involved in his catholic church, Efrain Alicea always felt God’s call. However, it wasn't until 1991 that Efrain came to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. In time, he began to work with youth and other evangelistic ministries. Efrain also began rapping under the stage name, Brother E, doing concerts and making albums.
Back in 2008, while vacationing in the Grand Canyon with his wife, Erika, Efrain heard the Lord speak these words to his heart: “It’s time to open My church.” Alongside a dedicated core team, Elements Church was planted. The mission statement reads: Leading the urban culture to Christ by cultivating relationship.
The Elements Church is a committed group of people who believe in the vision of church as community. We use urban music, urban art and urban living to help people along their journey of hope, friendship and sanctuary in Christ.
In January of 2023, Pastor E went to be with the Lord. Efrain was a loving father to Jason and Isabel as well as a proud grandfather to two beautiful girls.
To read more about our founding pastor’s life, just go here.
Erika Alicea
Co-founder & Children's
Church
Director
“Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” (Proverbs 22:6)
Erika Alicea is a testimony to this Bible verse. Erika grew up in church and, as a teen, became a helper in Sunday School. After rededicating her life to the Lord in 1999, she soon became a Sunday School teacher herself and has been serving in this capacity ever since.
It was always a dream for Erika to give back to the Bronx community she came from. So for 12 years, Erika had the privilege of being a classroom teacher and reading specialist within the NYC public school system. She has now answered the call to homeschool her daughter, Isabel, and serve the homeschooling community.
"It is the desire of the Sharing is Caring Children’s Ministry to raise our children knowing the Gospel so they may have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, regardless of age, and that they, in turn, may be a light to their family, friends and community." -Erika Alicea
Celeste
Wallace
Administration
Celeste found the Lord at the age of 24 through a book that was recommended by a college friend. She has been serving Him faithfully ever since.
She was born in the Bronx and was raised in upstate New York and Western Massachusetts . Celeste returned to the city to finish her education and graduated from Hunter College with a BA in Sociology. Celeste says, “I’ve always had a heart for the BX and its people.”
1 Corinthians 12: 4-7 says, “There are different kinds of gifts, but they are all from the same Spirit. There are different ways to serve but the same Lord to serve. And there are different ways that God works through people but the same God. God works in all of us in everything we do. Something from the Spirit can be seen in each person, for the common good.” Celeste truly believes there are no small tasks in God’s kingdom and that includes the day to day operations of a church.
Carmen
Sanchez
Prayer
When Carmen Sanchez was in college, she felt she had everything she could ever want in life. Yet, there was a void deep inside and it wasn’t until a friend invited her to a Bible Study on campus that she realized an intimate relationship with God was what she was longing for. It was then that she dedicated her life to Christ.
As a new Christian, Carmen started attending church, in particular, Tuesday night prayer because of its more intimate setting. Those simple prayer nights deepened her relationship with God and developed within her a lifestyle of prayer.
Over the years, Carmen has used her creative talents to help others deepen their relationship with God through various ministerial roles, including Sunday School Teacher, Youth Leader, and Small Group Facilitator. However, leading prayer nights is very dear to her heart. Carmen is passionate about knowing God more intimately and understands firsthand the power of a simple prayer. She also enjoys the outdoors and hearing from God through nature.
Rollie
Rivera
DJ / Sound
D.J. S.R.V. (Sinner Redeemed Victorious) a.k.a. Rollie, a Bronx Native, started in ministry at the age of 14 serving in his grandmother's church as the sound technician. Every year he attended a Youth Retreat in Holmes, NY where he joined a Youth Choir called Voices of Praise made up of Youth from all 5 NYC boroughs.
Rollie's love for Rap Music found him joining a Rap ministry with fellow members from his church called Unidad. While rapping with Unidad, he met and started to work with Nick Aponte, a Gospel DJ and owner of Heaven Bound Sounds, and friend Daniel Vives. During this time, he was able to build on his DJ skills at the House of Praise Coffee House and other events all over the Tri-State area.
In 2001, life took a turn for Rollie, causing him to walk away from the church. 12 years later, through a video seen on YouTube, he was introduced to the Elements Church pastored by Brother E, a good friend and fellow Christian rapper. At Elements, Rollie was also reunited with DJ Numan, where his passion for DJing was sparked again. SRV is truly thankful for the guidance he received in returning to the Father and, now, to be able to serve again in ministry as the Elements DJ and Sound Tech.
Damion Sanders
Worship
Damion B. Sanders is a Brooklyn-born writer, poet, and performance artist. Like many, he was driven to Christ due to the unshakable emptiness he felt that would not be lifted by many other things he tried as first, second and third resorts. 17 years-old, and already deeply wounded and exhausted, Damion found himself saying yes pretty easily.
Finally becoming aware of God’s love was beyond amazing for him.
Now a husband and father of 2, Damion is also a seminarian, preacher, and worship leader who has been faithfully and lovingly serving Elements Church since 2016.
A great theologian by the name of A. W. Tozer said, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” Worship is an act of love and devotion to our God. And to paraphrase the beautiful words of the disciple Peter, the depth of love given is always equal to the depth of debt forgiven. (Luke 7:43) Because of this, the environment of worship is where Damion finds himself most at home.
The
Fam
"The family is the nucleus of civilization.” -Will Durant
At Elements church everyone is family. Come and visit soon. We'll save a seat for you.
Sunday 11:00 am Address: 3190 Westchester Ave, The Bronx, NY 10461