Leadership
& Staff
Pat Hand
INTERIM PASTOR
Pastor Pat and his wife, Carol, have temporarily moved to South Windsor, CT. Truth Baptist Church called Pat as pastor, and he began in April 2025. Pastor Pat and Vital Church Ministry are working with TBC to transition our church to a new senior pastor. Pastor Bim Rowley is transitioning into retirement after 45 years of blessed and faithful leadership as founding pastor of Truth Baptist Church.
Pastor Pat brings decades of experience in local church ministry, and in local and international missions. Pastor Pat is an intentional interim pastor with experience to lead TBC into our next season as we prepare for our next senior pastor.
The Hands have been married 50 years and have two married sons and 5 awesome grandkids! They like to travel in their fifth-wheel RV, fish, and scuba dive.
Bim Rowley
PASTOR
While working as a professional engineer in Kansas, the Lord began to make it clear that He had another direction for Bim Rowley and his wife Deanna. After graduating from seminary, and after much prayer to determine God’s will and direction, it seemed that God focused the attention of the Rowleys on the East Hartford / South Windsor area of Connecticut.
After knocking on over 10,000 doors, the church was launched on June 29, 1980, with an attendance of six people and one dog besides four Rowleys. From that day until the present time, the Lord has helped the church grow numerically and spiritually.
Now, Pastor Rowley is transitioning his faithful leadership of the church for almost 45 years and eventually will be taking on the Pastor Emeritus role, still serving the Lord faithfully at TBC in the years to come, Lord willing.
The Rowleys have five children, all of whom are married and serving the Lord. Some of Pastor Rowley’s favorite times are those spent with his family - especially his many grandchildren! He also enjoys bow and arrow target shooting. But the place he is most often found is in studying the Bible, and Pastor Rowley loves to share his passion for Jesus Christ with everyone God brings him into contact with!
Keith Tower
EXECUTIVE PASTOR
Keith Tower has roots in TBC that go deep! He and his two brothers were born and raised here, and have seen God work in many ways over the years.
Keith heads up the sports programs each winter and fall, and with his wife Wendy he’s also active in the youth ministries at our church. He and Wendy are proud to parent three young whirlwinds: Kaden, Jack, and Lily.
Kevin Tower
LIFE GROUP AND DISCIPLESHIP COORDINATOR
Kevin Tower has been a member of Truth Baptist church with his wife Kateri for more than 30 years. He has taught Sunday school at the church, and he has led a Bible study at the Brookdale Senior Living Center in Farmington Connecticut for more than 10 years. He is currently leading our Small Group ministry designed to promote discipleship and foster church growth.
Melanie Harper
ASSISTANT TO THE PASTORS
Melanie is Pastor Rowley’s daughter, so she has grown up with Truth Baptist Church.
As the Assistant to the Pastors, Melanie assists the pastors in their duties and handles many administrative tasks involved in church programming and communications. Melanie leads our women’s ministry. She and her husband Matt have three adult children - David, Daniel, and Jenna. Melanie and Matt love spending time with their kids, their kids’ spouses, and their granddaughter as they come around!
Eli Rodriguez
YOUTH AND FAMILY PASTOR
Eli Rodriguez is a full-time public school teacher and the Teen Pastor here at TBC. He has taught in the public school system for 23 years. He obtained his MS degree from the Lubbock Christian University (LCU) in Texas as a certified Family Life Educator. He is also a member of the regional team for FamilyLife Ministries.
Eli enjoys spending quality time with his wife Madeline and their 5 wonderful children, Nathanael, Lucas, Isaiah, Daniela, and Benjamin.
Amy Pepe
CHILDREN’S MINISTRY DIRECTOR
Amy is excited to be part of the TBC Team. In addition to her ministry work, Amy is a full-time Special Ed Paraeducator in a public preschool program. Amy holds two associate degrees in Fine Arts and Commercial Arts from CT State, and furthered her education at Central Connecticut State University in Elementary Education.
Amy has enjoyed serving alongside her supportive husband David for 29 years and together they have four loving children, Andrew, Allison, Matthew and Leah. They are also blessed to have a wonderful son-in-law Jace and two amazing grandchildren.
Amy’s heart is to cultivate a welcoming, Christ-centered environment where kids can learn and grow in their faith and know they are deeply loved by God.