Rumney Bible Conference - A Ministry of the New England Fellowship of Evangelicals

Ed Parker's unique blend of ministry, business, and camping experience have been applied in successfully leading other camp and conference centers before becoming President and CEO of the New England Fellowship of Evangelicals.

Ed earned a BA in Business Administration and holds a Master of Divinity degree from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He has also done D.Min. studies at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, focusing on leadership and organizational design and development.

Rev. Parker brings 12 years’ of ministry experience as a Pastor. He specialized in the areas of strategic planning, and in the design and development of contextual ministry, educational and training programs addressing the needs of high-risk children and youth. Nationally, he has conducted youth and leadership training for the Southern Baptist Convention.

Additionally, Ed has served as a consultant, designing and launching programs that provide innovative solutions to social problems. He has worked with clients including Promise Keepers, Prison Fellowship, Scripture Union, and the National Guard’s Youth ChalleNGe Mentoring Program, helping them to launch programs of national scale and significance.

Ed resides with his wife Lynnda and two children in Holderness, NH. He enjoys hiking, backpacking, kayaking, canoeing, biking, golf, tennis, hunting and fishing. Ed refuses to roller blade or bungee jump.

Timothy D. Smith was raised in Plainfield, NH until he was 12 years old; his family still lives there. His early camping experiences were on Little Sunapee Lake and Lake Fairlee in Vermont. He firmly believes that God has been preparing him through life experiences for such a time and place as this.

Tim moved to Arizona in his teens, where he remained through Graduate School at Arizona State University graduating with honors (M.Arch 1990 cum laude; AIA Henry Adams Medal, Thesis Prize, Tau Sigma Delta Honor Society; B.S.Design 1988).

After Graduate School, Tim married his sweetheart of 6 years and began his family. He practiced architecture in Phoenix, Arizona with DeBartolo Architects, UN ltd. and DLR Group for 15 years before being called into ministry. During that time he designed, produced and performed construction administration on many large Church, School, University, Prison and Master-planning projects all over the United States. Many of the projects he has been involved with have been published nationally and internationally.

Tim has always felt a call to teach and has served as an adjunct faculty member at Arizona State University College of Architecture and Environmental Design, teaching basic design and drawing. After being called to ministry in 2003, Tim explored the idea of architectural ministry with Engineering Ministries International on short term mission in Honduras as an architect.

Tim’s family moved to Massachusetts during the summer of 2004 to live on campus at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, MA. Tim graduated with honors in 2007. (M.Div magna cum laude; Journal Award, Phi Alpha Chi Honor Society). During this time Tim served as the manager of an island property in Salem Sound for the Trustees of Reservations.

Tim and his wife have now been married for 17 years and have two boys aged 12 and 7 who love their new back yard on the Rumney grounds. Both boys are active in Scouting.

Tim enjoys antique books and first editions. He has a special interest in the areas of Biblical Theology, Architecture, Biblical Archaeology, Biblical Languages and Apologetics. Tim also enjoys vocal music (he is a baritone), and writing; he is currently writing a theology of architecture.

Scott Hatfield brings 15 years of teaching at the Junior and Senior high school level as well as over 25 years in youth work. As a former teacher and youth pastor, he is passionate about reaching the world outside the gates of NEF. He possesses a unique ability of uniting people around him for the task at hand. His youthful spirit and heart is seen in the love he has for life, laughter, and the ministry at NEF.

As Retreat Coordinator and Snow Camp Director, Scott brings his energy to focus on using the amazing facilities at NEF to encourage and challenge adults and youth alike. His exposure to many quality youth programs like Youth For Christ and the S.T.E.P. program in Dallas, TX, has enabled him to glean best practices from these and other ministries for use at NEF. Scott has presented skilled training in the teaching field at numerous ACSI regional seminars. He received a Bachelor of Science in Bible from Philadelphia Biblical University and is currently finishing his Masters of Theology from Andersonville Baptist Seminary in Camille, GA. He feels his spiritual gifts are administration, teaching, wisdom, and hospitality.

In his leisure time he resides with his beautiful wife and ministry partner of over 20 years, Heather, and his three lovely daughters; Rebekah, Hannah, and Sarah. He loves jazz and old jeeps, the outdoors (which is why he lives in NH), and reading. When he combines all of the above in a single moment, it brings a smile to his face. He is an avid Kansas City Chiefs fan and has a signed football and cards from his beloved team to prove it. When he was in college, he had the opportunity to meet and talk with Francis Schaeffer and still brags about it today.

As our Food Service Director, Bill Downing brings a wide variety of experience and talent to the kitchen at Rumney Bible Conference. His culinary skill clearly demonstrates his passion and giftedness for serving people with excellence.  While his savory meals satisfy physical hunger, Bill also delights in helping to satisfy the spiritual appetites of others; whether they are members of his staff, guests, or friends in the community.   

Bill received his Pastoral diploma from Elohim Bible Institute and his BS in Christian Counseling at Grace Bible College.  Along with his wife, Beverly, he was a missionary with GMU in SE, Alaska as well as working independently as a pastor in other parts of Alaska.  Bill and Bev joined us at RBC in June of 2000. 

The Downings find great joy in spending time with their five sons, two daughters-in-law and two irresistible grandsons.