Ernie was born and raised in the Bay Area where he lived most of his adult life. He is an IT Professional currently contracted to the state of California. Ernie picked up a guitar for the first time at 31 and as he puts it, worked very hard to overcome not being born with natural talent.  Little did he know that God would use his passion and determination for His good purpose and appoint him to a worship ministry a decade later in Redding, California where he served as a Worship Leader and Recovery Pastor for about eight years.

Ernie then found himself in a new friendship where his friend was learning how to play drums. Every week his friend would practice tempo to Ernie’s strumming where he would use the time to write songs.  A year later they had a band with enough original songs and courage to enter the recording studio to cut their self-titled debut album, From the Ashes. [https://fromtheashes.hearnow.com/child-like-faith @FTAworship @FTAreddingCA]

Ernie’s FTA music ministry has been going strong for 6 years now with 2 albums under his belt and 4 summer tours. From the Ashes was voted Best Band in the North State 2019 by Record Searchlight. Now, as the new Worship Pastor of The Gathering Ernie looks forward to bringing together his heart for worshiping God, his passion for songwriting, and his calling for ministry to build a community of friends and family,  true worshipers, who worship God in Spirit and in Truth.