Meet Our Team
Brant Copen
Lead Pastor Elect (starting February 2027)
Matt Kauffman
Interim Lead Pastor & 5 Loaves Farm Director
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
Associate 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
Associate 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.
Sarah Bragg
Church Administrator