Our Leadership

blog

One of the things that we highly value is listening to one another's stories. In particular, we love to hear about how people are encountering Jesus in their day-to-day lives. This might be in big ways...but it also happens most often in smaller ways (sometimes in ways that are really easy to miss.)

On this page you will find a treasure trove of such stories! May your own walk with Jesus be deeply encouraged and nourished by what you read here.

If you are interested in sharing some of your story here, please email us to let us know!

Kerry Bacon

Mar 29, 20234 min read

God Stepped In

Up through age five, my dad made sure I and my little sister went to Sunday school every week. If we didn’t go to church, we couldn’t...

Abigail Welborn

Mar 22, 20233 min read

The Only Real Good News

I turned on the car recently to the song “I’m So Blessed,” by CAIN, playing on the radio. The DJ remarked after it ended that her kids...

Steve Colwell

Mar 15, 20233 min read

Peace

Many years ago, the pastor of my church at that time asked me a question which shocked me. I was truly taken aback and for several...

Bob Witty

Mar 8, 20233 min read

Contentment

As a young man of 20, I was struck by the fact that during most of Jesus’ ministry He was essentially a homeless vagrant. He had no...

Courtney Hjelmervik

Mar 2, 20233 min read

Eyes On the Lord

I often find myself bending low towards our sons during worship on Sunday mornings. Sometimes I am answering pretty provocative questions...

Miel Formantes

Feb 22, 20232 min read

Sing It Again

Your promise still stands, Great is your faithfulness, faithfulness I’m still in your hands, Great is your faithfulness, faithfulness...

Jani James

Feb 16, 20233 min read

Coughy Lions and their Kin

I had a dream last week. There were square-faced lions peeking around stout evergreen tree trunks on the edge of a dark forest. When...

Steve Colwell

Feb 9, 20233 min read

When Tragedy Strikes

I recently saw a photo in the Washington Post that moved me deeply. It seemed to be the entire Buffalo Bills football team kneeling in...

Bob Witty

Feb 2, 20233 min read

The Alien Resident Part 2

I wrote in last week’s blog about being sent to Chile as a missionary when I was 24. I lived there over five years, got married and had...

Bob Witty

Jan 25, 20233 min read

The Alien Resident

In 1974 when I was 24, I was sent to Chile as a missionary. The army and navy had just deposed Allende in a violent coup. The country...

Miel Formantes

Jan 19, 20233 min read

El Roi

In times of waiting, it is so easy to think that you or your dreams are forgotten. Sometimes, we take the waiting as God saying no. Other...

Courtney Hjelmervik

Jan 12, 20233 min read

Locusts and Humility

I have always had this picture in my head of John the Baptist as a confident zealot. I can picture him pinching a locust right out of the...

Jani James

Jan 5, 20233 min read

Love Resolved

My first-grade grandson has a sweet habit of saying, “I’m on Grandma’s team!” whenever we propose a game. Over Christmas, we played...

Bob Witty

Dec 26, 20223 min read

The Calling

The year was 1967. I was 17 with no clear direction in my life. I was very active with my religious group at the time so I guess you...

Steve Colwell

Dec 22, 20221 min read

Hope is Born

Often I despair of the world we live in Oh! Humans! Sometimes I want to give in When I think of the suffering in Ukraine A war started by...

Jani James

Dec 15, 20224 min read

Lord of the Plot Twist

Kent’s family was gathered for happy hour in Walnut Creek, California, at the old family home we affectionately call “3067”. The family...

Abigail Welborn

Dec 7, 20222 min read

The People Walking in Darkness

Pentatonix is an a cappella group that rose to fame partly because of their Christmas album. They release a new album of holiday songs...

Daniel Starr

Dec 1, 20223 min read

Kusaziva

The late Oliver “Tuku” Mtukudzi from Zimbabwe is one of my favorite international artists. Tuku was a strong activist and legend among...

My Grandfather and the First Thanksgiving

Steve Colwell

Nov 23, 20224 min read

My Grandfather and the First Thanksgiving

My grandfather, fourteen generations ago, attended what is commonly regarded as the first Thanksgiving in 1621. His name is William...

Miel Formantes

Nov 16, 20222 min read

Miracle of the Mundane

Despite the beautiful fall we are having, it feels like the mundane has gotten me into a rut. I do count my blessings: a job I love, a...