Celina still remembers the moment she walked into The Gathering in 2015 with her five-year-old daughter in tow. “I sat her down, looked up, and locked eyes with Miriama for the first time,” she recalls. “From that day, it felt like home.”
At the time, the church was pastored by Dana and Michael Matson, and Celina quickly found herself immersed in the life of the congregation. Her desire to serve the Lord was strong, and every time she brought an idea to Pastor Dana, the answer was the same: “That’s a great idea—let’s do it!” Before long, Celina was helping lead picnics, plays, events, and just about anything the church needed. “I was a one-woman committee,” she laughs.
But The Gathering was more than a place to serve—it was a place of deep healing. After a difficult season, Celina found herself weeping at the altar week after week, laying her burdens before the Lord. “The Holy Spirit just met me there,” she says. “I hadn’t felt His presence like that in a long time.”
Over time, her role at the church expanded. She served in projection, women’s ministry, children’s ministry, and eventually on the worship team. But more than her titles, what defined her time at The Gathering was her heart for discipleship and spiritual community. Under the leadership of Hector and Ellie Rojas, Celina experienced profound personal growth. “That season was real discipleship,” she says. “It was the Book of Acts—we shared meals, raised our kids together, and grew together in the Word.”
By 2019, Celina and her then-husband were ordained alongside the Boucets, stepping into pastoral leadership during one of the most unique seasons in modern church history—COVID. Most of their leadership took place in quarantine. Despite the challenges, Celina poured her heart into serving the congregation, helping hold things together in uncertain times.
Throughout her years at The Gathering, she witnessed multiple leadership transitions:
• Founders Ramon and Carmen Hernandez (under the apostolic covering of Apostle Rusi)
• Dana and Michael Matson (2015–2018)
• Hector and Ellie Rojas (2018–2019)
• Carlos and Celina Morales (2019–2021)
• Hector and Miriama Boucet (2021–present)
Each season brought its own flavor, but for Celina, what never changed was the deep sense of calling to serve God’s people. “I may not have felt qualified,” she says, “but I knew God doesn’t call the qualified—He qualifies the called.”
Her friendship with Miriama became a foundational part of that journey. “The Lord gave us to each other,” Celina shares. “We’ve held each other up through so many seasons—no judgment, just support, truth, and love.”
In 2021, Celina moved back to New Jersey, where she now serves as church administrator for Inner Heart Ministries, a young and growing church plant. After a time of spiritual stagnation, the Lord led her to step into this new role with clarity and peace. “I prayed and waited for release from my former pastors,” she explains. “And when they prayed me out, I knew it was confirmation.” The verse that confirmed this calling?
“You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.” — Proverbs 19:21 (NLT)
Her life verse from her time at The Gathering still anchors her:
“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” — Ezekiel 36:26 (NKJV)
“It pulled me out of the pit and into a new life in Him,” she says.
Today, Celina carries the legacy of The Gathering into her new ministry assignment—equipped, strengthened, and still passionate about seeing others grow into their God-given purpose.