our story god `s story - Bidwell Presbyterian Church

B IDWELL P RESBYTERIAN C HURCH
2012-2013
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ABOUT THIS REPORT
This report provides highlights and fiscal information from July 2012 - June 2013.
For more information about our church, please visit us at www.bidwellpres.org
Table of Contents
A Letter from Steve2
Stories of CARE3
Stories of FAMILIES
9
Stories of WORSHIP11
Stories of YOUNG ADULTS
17
The Bible Initiative23
Financials 29
Statistics31
Staff Listing
33
The Legacy Continues35
Dear friends,
By now, I hope you have heard about the Bible Initiative and how we will
be discovering our story in God’s story throughout the coming year. Of
course, we’ve been discovering our stories in God’s story all along! This
report provides a glimpse into our story…as individuals and as a church.
As I read these stories about how people have reached out in love or have
been touched by the ministries and people of this church, I think about
how we are really living into God’s story: A story of grace and love that He
continues to write through each of our lives and on each of our hearts.
So, in this report, we focus on people’s stories that happened this past
year and we talk about how our story over the next year and beyond is
being shaped by God’s love. Fasten your seat belts and hold on, this is going to be an incredible ride! I honestly cannot think of a year I have been
more excited for our church and our ministries than this year!
It is through your sacrificial generosity to this church that we have been
able to grow our ministry. It is so important to express our gratitude to
God for the strength of our ministries. As we give, we express our love
and gratitude to God for his continued goodness and generosity to us.
Through giving, we experience yet another way of participating in God’s
work by furthering his ministry in our church, in Chico and in the world.
It is truly a joy to be your pastor,
Stories of Care
During my first year at BPC, I led a task force on Congregational Care. I spent
time with the task force assessing the various channels of care at our church,
including a survey of the congregation to find out how well we were doing in
the area of care. We found that the valuable ministries of Deacons, Stephen
Ministry, and our support groups were excellent ways for those in need to
receive care. It made sense to us to continue supporting these ministries, to
grow them, and to fine tune them along the way. During my second year at
BPC, that became my goal as the Congregational Care Pastor.
We grew the Board of Deacons, both in numbers, and also in ministries. We
added a “telephone ministry” through which deacons call members of our
congregation to ask them for prayer requests, and a “memorial ministry”
through which deacons assist at memorial services held in our sanctuary. In
Stephen Ministry®, we trained eleven individuals to join our current caregivers
in providing one-on-one spiritual care to those experiencing difficulty in their
lives. In addition, we continued to offer such valuable support groups such as
Grief Share®, DivorceCare®, DivorceCare 4 Kids® and Celebrate Recovery®. One
of our primary goals in Congregational Care is to be present for one another
so that none of us has to go through hardship or life’s transitions alone. God
working through us is a beautiful experience!
- Shannon Christopher (Pastor of Congregational Care)
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Val Bowlby on Grief Share®
Some years ago, Val Bowlby was
approached by Pam Wear and Cindy
Young to start a support group for those
experiencing the grief of losing a loved
one. They had seen a need in the church
and thought that Val, whose husband
had died several years earlier, would
be a strong and understanding leader.
“I had life experience” says Val, “that
qualified me in that way, plus business
and leadership experience that allowed
me to move into getting the program
going. The first year or so, I made up the
discussion topics on my own. I could
have written a book right about then,
at least on widowhood.” Prior to her
husband’s death, she had walked with
him through a traumatic loss of his own.
“My husband had lost a son and so I’d
lived with him through that even though
I was not the biological parent.”
After that initial year of leading the grief
support group, someone approached
Val and told her about a program called
Grief Share®, which was being held
at a church in Paradise. She thought
the program looked helpful so she
recommended it to Bidwell. We now
have four leaders for Grief Share® who
alternate leading the 13 week sessions.
“Typically in a grief share group,” Val
says, “in the first several weeks, people
come in and their body language tells a
whole lot. The anger is evident. Yet God
wiggles his way into everything we do
“Yet God wiggles his way into
everything we do and say in that
room, and eventually people are
greeting and hugging when they
see each other. They are engaging in
each other’s lives and emotions.”
and say in that room, and eventually
people are greeting and hugging when
they see each other. They are engaging
in each other’s lives and emotions. They
are ministering to each other and I get
to sit back and watch. Now, to me, that’s
watching God do his work.”
Robin Yant on DivorceCare 4 Kids®
A significant way in which Robin Yant
was cared for at Bidwell was through
DivorceCare®. She had attended
DivorceCare® meetings before coming
to Bidwell. “When I took it I was such
a mess, I’d been married 20 years and
pretty much the whole series I didn’t
even speak in the group because I’d cry.”
So when Larry and Karen Wasson began
a DivorceCare® group at Bidwell, Robin
decided to try again. “It was lovely, I
actually did start talking without crying
and they we so kind. I still meet with the
people from that first group every two
months just to reconnect. I got to know
them really well and kept in contact. It’s a
really good program.”
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Stories of Care
Robin was later approached to begin
DivorceCare for Kids®, a program similar
to the adult version, but geared towards
kids whose parents are divorced, or
going through divorce. She believes in
God’s good plan, and loves the verse
Jeremiah 29:11: “‘For I know the plans I
have for you’, declares the Lord, ‘plans
to prosper you and not to harm you,
plans to give you hope and a future.’” She
claims this verse for the kids she works
with as well as for herself. “These kids
didn’t do anything, it just got thrown at
them. I was in the same place. God has a
plan and he can work with us when we
mess up. He’s always got a plan B, and
it’s always a good future and a hope. He
didn’t want me to get divorced, but He
still has a wonderful plan by turning it
into DivorceCare for Kids®. I feel like I’m
used for God. He takes the mucky stuff
and turns it into a wonderful future for
you.”
Jan Hasak on Divorce Care
Author and cancer survivor, Jan Hasak,
was introduced to Bidwell Presbyterian
through attending the Divorce Care
program. “I could see that everybody
was really struggling but we all had a
chance to talk and air things. Someone
else would say well ‘I went through
that too,’ and then you know you’re not
alone. I joined the church through that
experience, because I really liked the
people.”
Jan found that DivorceCare® helped
her deal with the personal nature of
the hurts she had experienced. “It
helped in the area of forgiveness. In
terms of forgiving, it’s really for you,
not for the other person. I found that I
have to keep forgiving over and over.”
Reconciliation is another thing that Jan
learned about in the program. Because
of the DivorceCare® classes Jan felt that
she was prepared to see her former
husband at her son’s college graduation
even though she hadn’t seen him for
a year and a half. “Oh, I don’t like this”
she thought, “but I guess he was just as
nervous as I was, and it turned out fine.
My son said to me ‘Mom, I think you’re
dealing with it a lot better than Dad
because you had DivorceCare®.’”
“I feel like I’m used for God. He
takes the mucky stuff and turns it
into a wonderful future for you.”
“Divorce Care program is a spiritual experience. You feel like you have a hole
in your heart, and you’re empty, but God is right there filling that void, and
really, He is all that you need. It’s learning that you’re always loved.”
5
-- Erin Smith (Divorce Care member)
Babs Donoho on
Stephen Ministries®
Babs Donoho completed her training
as a Stephen Minister in January of this
year, and was commissioned in March. “I
love it,” she says, “it’s a gift to me to be a
Stephen Minister because the training is
so helpful and God’s so into it.”
Being a Stephen Minister has stretched
Babs. “It makes me lean really heavy on
my prayer life,” she says, “because you
pray for your care receiver, you pray with
your care receiver, you ask God to fill
you with the right things to say, because
that’s not always easy to know. What I
need to do most as a caregiver is listen,
listen, listen. Before I ever go meet my
care receiver I ask, ‘Lord help me keep
quiet, help me to really listen.’” She
believes her role as a caregiver is to be a
“vessel” for listening. “You’re letting God
speak through you, but mostly, you’re a
vessel for someone to talk to.”
Being a Stephen Minister has motivated
Babs to engage in personal Bible study
in a new and deeper way. Though she
finds memorizing verses difficult, she
finds ways to keep scripture in front of
her on a daily basis. “I have cards that I
use constantly that are verses from the
Bible which help me with my walk. A lot
of times I’ll take a card and either give it
or read it to my care receiver.”
“What I need to do most as a
caregiver is listen, listen, listen.
Before I ever go meet my care
receiver I ask, ‘Lord help me keep
quiet, help me to really listen.’”
Herman and Bea Gray on
Stephen Ministries® and Visitation
Stephen Minister Herman Gray says
“caring for others isn’t so much what you
say, but that you’re there.” His wife, Bea,
agrees, “It’s the ministry of presence...
God created us to be in connection with
others. We cannot live all alone.” About
Herman’s role as Stephen Minister he
says, “I always enjoy listening to people’s
stories. I think that sometimes leads to
sharing stories of our own with others,
sharing the ways that God cares for us. It
can be an encouragement to them and
to us.”
Herman also visits several shut-ins with
Bea on the first Sunday of each month.
“We serve communion to residents at
Townsend House and Oakmont, as well
as individuals confined at home and at
Roses and Ivy, an assisted care facility.
Herman says, “What I do is take some
notes during the sermon and then write
a short half page, then we hand those to
the people so they can read it over again
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Stories of Care
“It’s the ministry of presence...
God created us to be in
connection with others. We
cannot live all alone.”
when they want to. We also sing a hymn
with them.”
Reflecting on their motivation for
serving as they do, Bea says, “I think
every one of us needs a purpose, and as
Christians we have that. We know that
God is with us.” Bea wrote a “self-portrait”
for a class some time ago, an excerpt of
which speaks to the generosity she and
Herman show to others. “I know that
there is a larger perspective to living
than what I can dream up for myself. It
puts me in touch with others in a caring
way. My reaching out to others is fueled
by my experience of being loved greatly,
by God Himself, through Jesus Christ, His
Son, and this gives me courage to live
my life.”
“I know that there is a larger
perspective to living than what
I can dream up for myself. My
reaching out to others is fueled
by my experience of being loved
greatly, by God Himself...”
7
Jan Simpson on Stephen Ministries®
Jan Simpson says going through the
Stephen Ministry training has enriched
her life, that it’s helped her become
a better listener. “In relationship with
friends, and certainly at my age, every
time we sit down everybody’s got a
health crisis right now. We all need a
compassionate listener, everybody does.
It has really opened my eyes to that. The
hardest thing is to just take yourself out
of the picture, and know that you’re a
conduit. It’s what God is doing, we’re not
the cure-givers, we are the care-givers.”
Tom Hayes on Stephen Ministries®
Tom Hayes found the Stephen Ministry
training materials engaging and
informative. “They constantly keep
coming back to the idea that listening
is probably the most valuable thing you
can do, allowing somebody to express
their feelings. You’re not asking yes or no
questions, you’re asking questions that
allow them to expand and talk about
something. It’s an attempt to draw them
out to talk about their feelings because
only then can they begin the healing
process.”
Tom says that the benefit of becoming
involved in Stephen Ministry is the
spiritual element of the relationship.
“That is the most important thing as
a Christian caregiver. You’re showing
compassion, you’re showing care. It’s an
attempt to really walk in Christ’s shoes
as best you can and do that with your
neighbor.”
Virginia Wharton on
Stephen Ministries®
Virginia Wharton didn’t decide to
become a Stephen Minister on the
spur of the moment, but approached it
prayerfully. She says, “I felt that because
of my own life experiences I could
probably understand how other people
would feel in the same situation. So I
thought it was something that the Lord
prepared me for.”
Virginia says that there’s absolutely no
reason why anyone has to suffer alone.
“We’re all children of God and we should
be there for each other. All anyone has
to do to receive help from a Stephen
Minister is ask and someone will come.”
She says that there is no need for anyone
to feel embarrassed. “It’s all natural and
the care receiver has total control. If they
don’t wish to speak of something, they
don’t have to, only what they are willing
to share about what they feel is troubling
them.”
Though she knows she cannot remove
another’s burdens, she knows she can
listen, share the scriptures, and reaffirm
God’s love for them. “I just pray that the
Lord will use me,” she says. “I ask the
Lord to give me peace and joy. There’s no
worry about tomorrow because he’ll take
care of it. He says his yoke is light. My life
is full of joy because I’m a child of the
Lord and I know he loves me.”
It’s an attempt to really walk in
Christ’s shoes as best you can and
do that with your neighbor.”
Stories of
Families
Partnering with parents to fuel faith in the next generation, is the mission for
Kidwell Park. What we do with children on Sunday morning is increasingly
powerful if it is continued in the home. This past year we created events to
provide families shared experiences. Each month we highlighted specific
resources in order to equip parents toward this goal. Our WOW class in the
spring, encouraged parents to understand and develop their child’s faith. The
mission of partnering with parents to fuel their children’s faith was so well
received that it has become a permanent lens by which we view children’s
ministry. This year we look forward to celebrating faith milestones in
children such as baptisms, key verse memorization, scripture study, and Bible
presentation to 2nd graders. We also have planned a parenting conference
in the fall, a Bible class for children that will parallel the teaching of the adult
Bible class, and events and Sunday programs to promote faith in children.
219
Robin Wilder
Heather Fontana
Robin Wilder was attracted to
Bidwell by the children’s ministry of
Kidwell Park. When she and her girls
first started attending, her youngest
daughter, Laura, was pre-school
age and attended the Kidwell Acres
program. Her daughter Nicole, age
11, attended Upper Kidwell Park.
Kidwell Park program coordinator,
Heather Fontana, is also involved
and enthusiastic about Bidwell’s
family ministry. She started
attending Bidwell in 2002 when
she was a student athlete at Chico
State. Heather comes from a strong
Christian family. “Even before I had
kids, I knew I wanted to get into
children’s ministry at some point.
So when I had kids it was easy. I
started helping with child-care
and I absolutely love it! I emailed
Kelly Hock, the Children’s Ministry
Director, one day, and I think the
subject line was ‘I love my job!’
Robin appreciates that Kidwell Park
sends things home with the kids
to help them and their families
incorporate what the children have
learned on Sunday into the rest of
their week. “We talk about different
things” Robin says, “and we love the
crafts that come home and we put
the Bible memory verses on the
refrigerator or we have them in the
car so she can work on them.”
Robin recalls “one Sunday after we
came home from church we were all
working in the yard. All of a sudden,
I heard Laura singing. She was
singing this song from church called
Dig Down Deep. Here was Laura,
digging in the dirt, playing in the
dirt singing this song, and she just
sounded so joyful. I thought ‘Wow’.
So I asked her about it and she said
she learned it at Sunday school.
She’s taking these things home
afterwards. It’s very special.”
Heather says, “There are a lot of
resources for parents at this church.
Every time they pick their children
up they get some kind of sheet
explaining what they’ve done
and what they’re going to do next
Sunday. There is always a focus on
a particular theme. It’s neat, they
keep the same theme for a long time
so the kids really understand; they
really grasp it.”
10
Stories of Worship
“Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, praise his
name; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his
marvelous deeds among all peoples. For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
he is to be feared above all gods.” Psalm 96:1-4
It is a joy to worship the Lord together in community with all of you. Our God is
“most worthy of praise!” Our goal last year was to strengthen and provide four full,
vibrant worship services.
We are happy to report that the 8:30 a.m. traditional service grew, and the
leadership of David and Dara Scholz with Chancel Choir has been tremendous.
Creative use of the Psalms and other elements were added to the service during
Lent. We also continued the development of the Choral Scholars program.
Dan Holmes did an excellent job last year with the Gospel Choir and additional
concert elements such as the concert with Michael W Smith and the Hosanna
Concert on Palm Sunday. The El Rey service gained traction, grew in excellence,
and stabilized in numbers last year. The bands have continued to improve and our
El Rey Tech Director, Alex Johns, brought a confidence to the team as all things
technical became dependable.
This year, Worship & Arts Ministry at Bidwell seeks to bring honor and glory to
Christ together. We are grateful for the newer grand piano for the Traditional
service. We praise God for the growth and stability we see in the El Rey service. We
will try to bring more people into all our choirs and bands, and seek to train new
sound and tech volunteers. This year we will seek to strengthen our four sanctuary
bands and four El Rey bands. We hope to have a worship CD project. Pray for us as
we seek the Lord together, that we might “declare his glory among the nations, his
marvelous deeds among all peoples.”
11
7
Janis Barnett
“Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all
ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness;
come before his presence with
singing.” Psalm 100: 1-2
Joyful noise is, without a doubt,
a sweet characteristic of Bidwell
Presbyterian Church. One Sunday
morning in May, I was in the
breezeway between the sanctuary
and the patio just before the 9:45
service. As I walked, I noticed
the partially enclosed space was
filled with the voices of people
fellowshipping on the patio. Then
the sound of the band filtered into
the space as they began to play in
the sanctuary, and in that moment
the bell began to ring. All those rich
noises combined in that moment,
reverberating off the walls, and
stirring my heart. Tears sprang to my
eyes and all I could do was whisper,
“God, I love your house; I love your
people; I love being in your house!”
I was surprised to find myself
choked up by the experience of the
enveloping music of voices, and
instruments, and church bell.
That moment was a compelling
experience of worship, a thin place, a
moment when heaven drew near. As
I think back on that moment, and my
response to it, I wonder what was so
powerful in the simple combination
of such ordinary sounds. Alive in
that moment was all the power and
deep inner meaning of worship, of
fellowship, and community, voices in
fellowship echoing the presence of
Christ in his people, music drawing
the soul into worship, and bells
joyously ringing out, ‘Come, Come
in, Come into God’s house’!
Psalm 100 ends with these
words: “Enter into his gates with
thanksgiving, and into his courts
with praise; be thankful unto him
and bless his name. For the Lord
is good; his mercy is everlasting;
and his truth endureth to all
generations.”
Scott & Sharon Nichols
Scott and Sharon Nichols recently
moved to Chico in order to spend
more time with Scott’s parents.
They have been attending Bidwell
for a little over a year now and have
settled into the 8:30 worship service.
Sharon feels that God made a way
for them to be in Chico for this
time. “I was talking with someone
on the phone recently who was
asking how we’re doing. I said, ‘This
may sound trite, but I’m trying to
say it as genuinely as I can. Scott
and I feel like we’re in this season
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Stories of Worship
of ridiculous goodness that God
has given us.’ Even when Scott was
interviewing and we’d go to other
places I could feel God wooing us
here. I remember the weekend we
were here. I was at Sycamore Pool,
the oak trees were reflecting in the
water, and it was so peaceful and
still. This was during my dissertation
stuff and I’d been turning to Psalm
23 quite often to calm me down.
I felt God saying ‘This is a place of
rest and peace.’ I felt he was lovingly
inviting us here. I’m lifted and I feel
like my spirit is just dancing and
leaning closer to the Lord. I’m feeling
and sensing his joy and pleasure and
that’s pretty great.”
Geoffory Felver
Geoffory Felver has been attending
Bidwell since he moved here to go
to school in 2010. “I moved up to
Chico and joined the choir with Dr.
Scholz here at Chico State. He asked
me to come over and sing in the
Bidwell choir.” Geoffory remained
in the choir until he graduated from
Chico State last May with a degree in
Music Education.
Geoffory says he didn’t have a
religious background before coming
to Bidwell. He says he began to feel
a part of Bidwell because of the
13
music and friendly atmosphere,
and the sermons touched some
hurting places in his life. “Three
years ago,” he says, “I was not a
very religious person. So I went in
there and I listened to the sermons
and I really enjoyed it. Then my
Grandmother passed away. That was
just devastating to me because she
and I were very close. So when she
passed, that was really hard and I
remember every week, it seemed
like the sermon was meant for me.
Then my girlfriend and I broke up,
another big devastating factor
for me. Then, in church, we’d start
talking about relationships. I always
enjoy how there’s a theme in our
church. So when that came up, I
thought ‘Oh boy, here we go. I’m
not going to want to hear anything
about this.’ But they talked about
hurt and how we go through these
things and it all comes out for the
better. I told Pastor Steve, one
of the last times I was able to be
at church, ‘Thank you, I feel like I
have been brought closer to God
through all these things, through all
my experiences, and through this
special church that we have.’ It was
very nice and that is how I’ve grown.”
Matt & Cassie Johnson
Matt and Cassie Johnson moved to
Chico from Southern California a
couple of years ago. “Matt’s Dad was
a professor at Chico State” Cassie
says, “So Matt and I met when I was
going to college here. My parents
were from here, and I went to high
school here. So coming back to
Chico just seemed like a natural
transition and a lot of wonderful
things have come out of it.”
“From the very first service,” Matt
says, “we really liked it. We like the
music, we like the contemporary feel
to it. We were really hooked from the
first time we came, the music was a
big deal and we thought that Steve
was very charismatic.” Cassie feels
like the message speaks to her each
time. She says, “It just seems like this
is where we needed to be and this is
where I needed to grow.”
“I also went to the EL Rey worship
service,” Matt says, “the first month
that I started going to this church,
just to check it out, and I was
impressed that they were that
forward-thinking, reaching out in
that way. It’s more of an organic way
of doing things instead of having a
template for the Presbyterian way.
I always go back to the music- the
music blew our minds. They were
so energetic, contemporary. It’s just
another thing that showed me that
this church is real and living.”
Chad Kelly
Chad Kelly started attending Bidwell
about 5 years ago, “It’s not the most
beautiful story,” he says, “I was in the
middle of divorce central at the time
and not feeling too good. In fact,”
Chad says, “When I first came, I felt
like a squashed bug crawling in the
door. Then I started going to church
and felt a little better, then kept
going to church and felt even better,
and it ended up being this place
where life in Christ was evident.
There ended up being people who
were smiling and had a positive
attitude, you could almost see the
Holy Spirit.”
Hearing the message of grace at
Bidwell has also affected Chad.
“Grace is a good one- that idea of
being able to hit the reset button.
That’s what I love, when Steve is
up there talking about grace, and
mercy, and hitting the reset button.”
The relational aspect of participating
in worship is also meaningful for
Chad. “I think as I’ve worked with
more people,” he says, “it does start
to become a family.”
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Stories of Worship
Erica Borello
Erica Berello, her husband, Robert,
and their 3 children moved to
Chico a couple of years ago
from Morgan Hill. Erica loves the
contemporary music of the 11:11
service. “I think that for me,” she
says, “one of my most intimate
ways of worshiping is through
music. I tear up thinking about it.
That’s where I get most emotional.
It’s something that for me is just
very connecting to God. I feel
really blessed to have found this
church. I feel like it gives you hope,
and all those wonderful things
that God has for you.”
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16
Stories of
Young Adults
There is no doubt that for the last few years God has been laying the
groundwork for a vibrant ministry to young adults in our community. The
launching of the El Rey worship service has been drawing young adults
into worship and into the community of our church for the last couple of
years. We believed that God was calling us to take risks, and do something
different to reach the next generations. We are now seeing some of the
fruit of those risks. We have a thriving worship community of youth, college
students and young adults. Each week it seems like a miracle to watch
the El Rey Theater fill up with young people and become a sanctuary.
17
In talking with Brian Solecki, Director
of the El Rey and Young Adult
Ministry, Joshua Kerney expressed
his passion and vision for the El Rey
service. “I am excited to see how
God is going to continue to use
Bidwell at El Rey to further young
adult ministry. The El Rey is much
more than an old theater where
people come to hang out for an
hour on Sundays. It is a place where
believers and non-believers alike
come to celebrate, find comfort,
and experience truth. My hope
is to see Bidwell at El Rey truly
come together as a community, a
community of the churched and
un-churched, a community that
cares for each other and challenges
one another, a community that
experiences freedom in Christ and
desires for others to know Him in
the same way, a community that
wants to take the good news of God
out of the confines of El Rey, and
allow it to permeate every aspect of
their lives. I hope to see it become
a community that isn’t just about
possibilities and what ‘can’ be...but a
community about action and what
‘will’ be.”
Bidwell has a growing community
of young adults who are taking the
next steps into relationship with
Christ and one another. Currently,
we have two small groups that are
led by adults from our church who
feel called to care for and disciple
this next generation.
Ben Garcia describes his experience:
“I cannot express in words how
instrumental our small group leaders
have been in teaching and growing
us as people and as a community
of young adult Christians. They
make me feel loved, they challenge
me, and they encourage me. They
are our Chico parents for those of
us that do not have family nearby;
they truly have been a blessing to
my wife and me in our early time
of marriage. Through our leaders,
El Rey, and the community of BPC, I
really have found this a place to call
home.”
It is inspiring to watch these groups
grow together as they experience
the joys and challenges of life,
marriage, kids, and more. Each week
the El Rey doors open and young
adults come into the worship life of
Bidwell.
Now is the time to start building
on the foundations that have been
laid over the past years. We want
our young adult community to
come together and grow. Brian
Solecki emphasizes that they want
to provide ways for people who
attend the El Rey to connect beyond 18
Young Adults & El Rey
the Sunday morning worship time.
“How do we make it an entry point
to more? “How do we make it a place
where people feel connected and
cared for?”
This coming year we look forward
to launching a full-scale ministry
to reach out to, care for, and bring
together the young adults of our
community. We have a full calendar
of opportunities to connect over the
course of the year.
Connecting in 4 different areas:
1
2
3
4
19
WORSHIP
We want our young adult community to have multiple
opportunities to connect with God and experience deep and
meaningful worship through all of our worship services as well as
other concert and worship opportunities.
COMMUNITY
We look forward to creating relationships with one another
through a variety of events, gatherings, and opportunities that
will bring together our young adult population.
SERVICE
Our young adults deeply desire to have a faith that impacts the
world. As a response, we will be working to provide a number of
ways to serve through local service opportunities, Bidwell ministry
leadership, and foreign mission partners.
DISCIPLESHIP
We simply want our young adults to grow in their faith. We will be
rolling out a number of ways to get people connecting with their
faith and others. Small groups, triads, mentoring, Bible initiative
classes and more will all provide different modes of connecting
with their relationship with Christ.
Brian says, “Each week as people
leave the El Rey worship service,
I am amazed. I look around at all
of the smiles and faces of young
people from junior high students to
young adults and beyond to those
well into their retired years. I am
amazed because the risks we took in
order to follow God to the El Rey are
working. The next generations are
coming. They are experiencing God
in worship together. Now, we have
the responsibility to care for and
love them as they grow in their faith
and live out their relationship with
Christ in their world.”
Ray Johnson
Ray and Nancy Johnson attend
Bidwell at El Rey in part because
they are drawn to ministry with
young adults, they also worked with
college age students for many years,
and the El Rey attracts both these
demographics.
Ray started volunteering as a greeter
at the El Rey. “However,” Ray says, “I
felt the real call for me was simply
to disciple men, to make disciples.
Matthew 28:19-20 says the last thing
Jesus said before he went home was
‘Go therefore into all nations and
make disciples.’ I am so absolutely
“I think that we, as a
church, should be praying
for the service, that it
might become what God
envisions it to be. Maybe
he has a totally different
idea or something bigger
than we have in mind. I
think we should definitely
keep it in our prayers, and
invite new and different
people- to have it be a
place where we can just be
who we are, the way that
God loves us, and go from
there.”
-- Sophia Hammond (Recent High
School Graduate & El Rey Attender)
jazzed about having been given the
opportunity by Bidwell Presbyterian
to enter into this thing with these
kids in their 20’s and 30’s.”
“Daily scripture reading and prayer
are essential” Ray says, “in order
for me to do what I feel that God
has called me to do. What it does
is sensitize me to God’s spirit
20
Young Adults & El Rey
throughout the day. I can’t get him
out of my mind, and it is a very good
thing. I came from a bad spot in
life where I understood what being
saved was. I was an air to ground
attack pilot and flew in Vietnam. I
went down in the ocean one time,
and went down in the jungle once,
and I got rescued both times. I’ll tell
you, being saved has a feeling. When
you’re bobbing out in the ocean, or
you’re hunkered down in a hole in
the jungle and they come get you,
there is a word called being saved
that has a very special meaning for
me. And God saved me through
his Son’s shed blood. I understand
that, and I want everybody I come
in contact with to have a really
good shot at getting to the other
side. I’m dead serious about that, it
means everything to me. If anything
17
21
in me can transmit that passion to
somebody else . . . Hebrews 10:2425 says, ‘Let us consider, let’s sit
down and think about this, how
can we stimulate one another to
love and good deeds, not forsaking
our assembling together, but as a
habit of some let us encourage one
another and all the more as we see
his day drawing near.’ I look at that
day drawing near and it makes me
get vigorous and fired up about
reaching the fields that are ripe for
harvest. I see a whole lot of people
out there that don’t have that sense
of urgency, probably because
they’ve never ever been at the end
of a rope getting winched up out of
a jungle. And I have that experience,
and everything in me wants to get
everybody saved that I possibly can.”
22
18
The Bible Initiative
Discovering
Our Story in
God’s Story
Bidwell Presbyterian Church recognizes that living the truth of
Scripture is key to spiritual growth. After prayer, reflection, and
discussion, the senior staff and elders have decided to make our
primary church-wide goal, the Bible Initiative: Through sermons, our
Bible Journal and Reading Guide, adult education classes, young adult
fellowship times, women’s and men’s fellowship groups, Kidwell Park,
youth and college ministries, as well as Real Life Groups (and other
small groups), we are offering a brief, but indispensable journey
to learn the essential story of the Bible and how it can become our
story. It is “brief” in that we are highlighted just 388 passages—
which is about one-third of the entire Bible (or 144, if you want to
take a shorter tour of Scripture)—to grasp the Bible’s narrative. It is
“indispensable” for us all as we seek to follow Christ and grow in grace.
In these stories, you will see how God has used the Bible to transform
the lives of our congregation. And as we continue this journey in the
coming year, let us add our own stories. We believe that God has powerful
things in store for us this year as we discover our story in God’s story.
27
23
Allen McCallum
Allen McCallum is a teaching pastor
at Bidwell Presbyterian and has
worked closely with Greg Cootsona
since arriving eight years ago. Allen,
like Greg, has a passion for scripture.
He explains, “The Bible Initiative is
really an attempt to get God’s story
and our story all put together, to
really look at the Biblical narrative
as a whole, to see the flow and the
movement of the Biblical narrative
and the main turning points. So
often,” he says, “responsible pastors
will pick out a passage, or maybe
a book, that speaks directly to
the needs of the congregation.
Our pastors do a wonderful job of
that- connecting those passages
with the concerns we have. The
trouble is though, on a Sunday
morning there is no time to give
people this whole sense of flow and
movement of the story. With the
Bible Initiative we want to address
questions like, ‘Where does this
passage, and that one, fit together in
the total scheme?’ It’s really hard to
understand a single passage unless
you see it in its context, the context
of the book in which it’s placed, and
where that book fits in the big story.
It makes quite a difference in the
way we might interpret a passage.”
A new understanding of scripture
proved transformative in Allen
McCallum’s life. “I think as a young
person and a young adult,” Allen
says, “I kind of had the fear that
God was out to get me. I’d heard
stories, growing up in the church,
about God sending people out
to the mission field. Stories about
how the great heroes of mission
had died early deaths, and about
how wonderful it was that they had
given their lives to this cause. And I
remember as a child, the preacher
thundering away on ‘You’ve got to
give your life to God!’ And as I child,
the way I filtered that was ‘God’s
out to kill me.’ I had these dark
24
The Bible Initiative
25
suspicions that God was somebody
I did not want to run into in a back
alley somewhere.
So I think as a young adult I was
very fearful, and very anxious, and
finally I got hit with an awful case of
flu, which apparently generated an
ulcer.”
suddenly realized that God was
something like my Dad, only better.
Then spiritual healing began for me.
It must have been the Holy Spirit
bringing that verse of scripture,
telling me that this is what God is
really like, and ultimately it changed
everything for me.”
Allen was in the hospital for 3 weeks
in his early 20s, and the doctor told
him they didn’t know if he was
going to make it or not. “He said,
‘You’ve got to do something about
the way you orient yourself toward
life or you’re not going to make it.
You’re going to be an invalid.’ And
that night, sitting in my hospital
bed, I was remembering how my
Dad, when I was sick as a kid with
measles, or mumps, or chicken
pox, would bring me something
like a model airplane and a bottle
of ginger ale. He would say ‘Now
you get well, and we’ll build this
together.’ I knew that he cared about
me, wanted me to get well, and
genuinely loved me as his child…
and all of a sudden I remembered
this verse from the Sermon on
the Mount: ‘If your earthly fathers
who are evil give good gifts to
their children, how much more
your father in heaven is able to
give good gifts to his children.’ I
Kimberley Wun
Kimberley Wun, often shares her
love of the scriptures with others.
“There’s this beautiful story of
scripture,” she says, “of redemption,
of reconciliation from the beginning
to the end that we’re invited into.”
Kimberley is a Bible teacher and our
current Elder for Adult Discipleship.
She also took part in the planning
for the Bible Initiative. “I just love
bringing people into scripture,” she
says, “and what we wanted to do was
invite a larger part of our community
into understanding it.”
Kimberly calls scripture a place
of home. “I just finished reading
Jeremiah,” she says. “It was one
those things . . . I forced myself, and I
wasn’t reading for depth. I read all of
Jeremiah just for consistency. ‘How
does God do it?’” she asks. “These
people, he gives them a call, and
then they pervert it, and then he
gives another call, and they pervert
it again, and they get in trouble. But
there’s just that grace that continues.
I need to keep reading scripture
because that’s what it keeps
reminding me of. Because if I don’t
my perspective gets really skewed.
I think that goes back to why, if I
can get people to do anything, I just
want them to understand scripture.”
them that everything they knew
about the Bible they learned at
Bidwell. Wes and Sandy hope that
the Bible Initiative will bring more
friends like this and others into
contact with the Bible. “If they can
just see the thread that goes all the
way through the scripture,” Sandy
says, “then maybe it will make some
sense to them.”
Sandy and Wes Mercer
Clyde Powers
Coming to understand scripture
has been a vital element of spiritual
growth for long-time Bidwell
members, Wes and Sandy Mercer.
Sandy recalls asking pastor Allen
McCallum about the creation
accounts in the Bible, how if the
writers of scripture weren’t there,
how did they know what happened?
“He sat down and explained it all
to me.” Then she began to take his
classes. “It was like a puzzle,” she
says, “and all the pieces began to fit
together.”
Reading and understanding
scripture has been vitally important
for BPC member Clyde Powers.
Clyde relates how a message about
King David given at family camp one
summer informed his response to
tragedy in his own life. “The speaker
was an Old Testament scholar who
loved the Psalms,” says Clyde, “he just
made them come alive. One day he
was talking about King David, about
his fall with Bathsheba and the son
that they had that had died, and
how David had begged God to heal
his son. Then he started to tell us
about his own little girl, Rachel, who
was about three years old. Rachel
was a bald headed little girl and she
had leukemia. The speaker said he
was devastated and would ask God
‘why this little child?’ And then he
came to the point where he realized
Sandy and Wes hope the Bible
Initiative will deepen our
understanding of scripture. “There
are so many people,” Sandy says,
“that do not know one thing.” Sandy
relates that one friend recently told
26
The Bible Initiative
that in his journey of faith, that’s
the wrong question. The question
should be: ‘God, how do I glorify you
in this?’ Well, I never forgot that.”
When his first wife, Leslie, died
suddenly, this passage of scripture
took on a new importance for
Clyde. He relates that while Leslie
was in Memphis, her own mother
died unexpectedly in Los Gatos.
Clyde called her with the news
and she returned home for the
funeral. “Two weeks later,” he says,
“somewhere in Livermore, she
pulled off the highway and her car
just swerved off. The car went down
the embankment and she was gone.
That night I called her sister, to talk
to Leslie, and her sister said ‘She’s
not here yet.’ Finally, they found her
in a morgue in Alameda County.”
Clyde thinks it was his daughter
who contacted his best friend. “He
came over and I’m just sitting by the
phone and he hugged me and all
I could say was ‘Oh God’ for about
two hours. Then some friends who I
served with from my church showed
up, and the pastor showed up with
them, and they prayed for me.”
27
“That was in 1994, and Leslie was
53. I was 54. I know my brother
stayed with me a couple of days,
but I lost a whole month. Then, I
started to get a sort of a hold on
life, and I was remembering David.
I was remembering that he was on
his face in mourning and they were
afraid to come and tell him that the
boy had died. Finally, they did come
in and he got up and he said, ‘He’s
died hasn’t he,’ and they said ‘Yes.’
Scripture says that David got up, he
washed, put on fresh clothes and he
said, ‘I’ll see him someday in heaven.
I’ve done all that I can do.’ My
interpretation of that was that David
chose to live… and that became my
choice, to live. It was scripture. It was
remembering what I had learned,
the choices that David had made,
and the faith in God over the years
that informed my life and where I go
from here.” Clyde is now married to
Betty Dean. “Betty and I married in
1995, about 15 months after I lost
Leslie. Betty loves my daughters, and
they love her. I just couldn’t put it
together any better.”
THE
BIBLE
Discovering our Story
I N I T I AT I V E
In God’s Story
Bidwell Presbyterian Church recognizes that living
the truth of Scripture is key to spiritual growth.
Therefore, we are offering a brief, but indispensable
journey this year to learn the essential story of the
Bible and discover how it becomes OUR story.
Ways to connect with The Bible Initiative
Take a Bible Class:
Invitation to the Old/New Testaments: Wednesdays (6:30-7:45pm)
Invitation to the Old/New Testaments: Thursdays (9:30-11:00am)
Weekly Sunday Bible Initiative Class: (9:30-10:20am)
Subscribe to receive Bible Initiative e-mails
Use the Bible Journal and Reading Guide
Attend worship services on Sundays
Sermons and videos online
Join the conversation on Facebook
More at www.bidwellpres.org
FINANCIALS
2012-2013 Actual Expenses and Revenue
$1,882,066
$
Total Giving Toward Operating Budget
43,891
2.2%
Mission (see note below)
5,234
0.3%
Care Ministries
20,407
1.0%
Worship
2,056
0.1%
Connecting, Equipping
66,913
3.4%
Discipleship (Adult, Group Life, Children, College, Youth, Women)
469,971
23.5%
Building Loan, Physical Facilities, Admin & Finance
1,387,036
69.5%
Personnel, Workers Comp & Payroll Taxes
$1,995,508
100.0%
$(113,422)
Total Expenses
Expenses in Excess of Contributions
NOTE: Not included above, $205,960 was given in addition to operating budget for missions, mission-related and deacons funds.
Missions
Care Ministries
Worship
Connecting, Equipping
Discipleship (Adult, Group Life,
Children, College, Youth, Women)
Bldg. Loan, Physical Facilities,
Admin. & Finance
Personnel, Workers Comp &
Payroll Taxes
29
Building Fund at 6-30-13
$
916,105
98.3%
15,584
1.7%
$
931,689
100%
$
49,753
$
1,481,441
Amount Collected before June 30, 2012
Amount Given July 1, 2012 - June 30, 2013
Total Collected at June 30, 2013
Building Fund Cash Balance
Loan Balance at June 30, 2013
Support & Investments at 6-30-13
$
$
85,519
Cash and Designated Funds
349,156
Investments, Market Value
158,975
Manse and General Fund Loans
593,650
Total Support & Investments at June 30, 2013
2013-2014 Expense Budget
$
48,700
2.4%
Missions
5,250
0.3%
Care Ministries
20,881
1.0%
Worship
4,500
0.2%
Connecting, Equipping
70,800
3.5%
Discipleship (Adult, Group Life,
339,240
16.6%
1,546,967
76.0%
Building Loan, Physical
Facilities, Admin & Finance
Personnel, Workers Comp &
Payroll Taxes
$ 2,036,338
100.0%
Giving Needs for 2013-2014
$ 1,953,000
Projected General
Contributions
2,036,338
Expense Budget
Children, College, Youth, Women)
$
(83,338)
4.3%
Increase Needed
in Giving
Missions
Care Ministries
Worship
Connecting, Equipping
Discipleship (Adult, Group Life,
Children, College, Youth, Women)
Bldg. Loan, Physical Facilities,
Amin & Finance
Personnel, Workers Comp
& Payroll Taxes
30
Statistics
In Memory Of
Total Active Members
(July 2012 – June 2013):
Frances Bowen
Lois Borgen
Helen Carlisle
B. F. Moseley
Mabel Smith
Lurena Whipple
Kathryn Lygrisse
Thelma Van Bronkhorst
Donald St. Clare*
Clair Frazer
Scott Harrington
Helen Porter
July 2012 1571
Arthur Welch
Myrtle Charles
Beatrice Hill
Helen Wallen
Pina Hammond*
Ellen Stewart
Fred Montgomery
Benjamin Yorkowitz*
Brettiva Strobel*
Walter Richards*
Jack Mallory*
Total Active Members
June 20131598
GAINS:
Profession of Faith,
Reaffirmations 43
Certificates of Transfers
7
LOSSES: Certificates of Transfer
5
Deaths17
Other0
BAPTISMS:
Child18
Adult8
Weddings
DateNamesPastorLocation
8/11/12
Skylar Lautt & Michaela Warthen
Brian Solecki
Bidwell
9/1/12
Jennifer Johns & Brett Johnsen
Steve Schibsted
Offsite
9/2/12
Leland McCorckle & Ellen Pehrson
Greg Cootsona
Bidwell
9/2/12
Thomas Esposito & Chistina Arnold*
Steve Schibsted
Offsite
9/8/12
Paige Parsley & Dustin Bush
Jim Coons
Offsite
9/15/12
Josh Bruder & Rachel Fulmer
Steve Schibsted
Bidwell
9/22/12
Sarah Dickman & Will Frampton*
Steve Schibsted
Bidwell
10/20/12
Adriann Lema & Jason Anderson*
Steve Schibsted
Offsite
10/27/12
Gilbert Jones & Wendy Canny
Steve Schibsted
Bidwell
11/17/12
Cody Hasty & Whitney Rhoades
Greg Cootsona
Bidwell
12/12/12
Robert Linscheid & Pam Montana
Steve Schibsted
Offsite
12/30/12
August Petersen & Christina Tetreault
Steve Schibsted
Bidwell
2/2/13
Katie Boese & Brandon Homan*
Brian Solecki
Offsite
6/8/13
Maddie McHenry & Ryan Rodriguez
Steve Schibsted
Offsite
6/8/13
Kayla Bentley & Casey Annal*
Steve Schibsted
Offsite
6/15/13
Eddie Wilson, IV & Devan Giuliani-Wilson* Steve Schibsted
Offsite
6/29/13
Ryan Burnett & Katharine Raley*
Greg Cootsona
Offsite
31
* Non-Members
New Members
Membership
Kendra Randle
10/3/2012
Helen Etz10/3/2012
Ryan Rodriguez
10/3/2012
Maddie Rodriguez
10/3/2012
Merri Kelley
10/3/2012
Lollie DeYoung
10/3/2012
Robin Wilder
10/3/2012
Heidi Siegall
10/3/2012
Richard Evenson
10/3/2012
Penny Evenson
10/3/2012
Janet Hasak
10/3/2012
Bradly Hays
10/3/2012
Jessica Hays
10/3/2012
Julie Phillips
10/3/2012
Aletta Coetzer
10/3/2012
Annie Kramer
10/3/2012
Stacy Johnson
11/3/2012
Tim Edwards
11/3/2012
Ann Edwards
11/3/2012
Ms. Terry Neri
11/3/2012
Erica Borello
11/3/2012
Clara Lo Giudice
11/3/2012
Jamie Tibbles
11/3/2012
Paul Wesbecher
2/6/2013
Richard Mesa
2/6/2013
Lauren Mesa
2/6/2013
Wiley Whitley
2/6/2013
Marna Whitley
2/6/2013
Judy Harding
2/6/2013
Danielle Marden
2/6/2013
Patricia Villasenor
2/6/2013
Joshua Olszewski
2/6/2013
Lucas Rossmerz
2/6/2013
Richard Wodrich
2/6/2013
Andrea Chaumont
4/20/2013
Rick Pero4/20/2013
Ross Lemcke
4/20/2013
Scott Nichols
4/20/2013
Sharon Nichols
4/20/2013
Mr. Mike Malcolm
4/20/2013
Gustavo Covarrubias
4/20/2013
Angelina Covarrubias
4/20/2013
Cassie Johnson
4/20/2013
Erin Smith
4/20/2013
Rodney Worthington
4/20/2013
Dorothea Maguire
6/20/2013
Gene Rideout
6/20/2013
Don Dahlmeier
6/20/2013
Elaine Fell
6/20/2013
Merlin Hoyt
6/20/2013
32
Staff
Steve Schibsted
Head of Staff
sschibsted@bidwellpres.org
Greg Cootsona
Associate Pastor for Adult Discipleship
gcootsona@bidwellpres.org
Shannon Christopher Associate Pastor for Congregational Care
schristopher@bidwellpres.org
Jim CoonsAssociate Pastorjcoons@bidwellpres.org
Brian Solecki
Director of Young Adults and El Rey
bsolecki@bidwellpres.org
Lisa StoneBusiness Administratorlstone@bidwellpres.org
Marcie Anderson
Office Managermanderson@bidwellpres.org
Janet Larson
Executive Assistant to Head of Staff
jlarson@bidwellpres.org
Allen McCallum
Teaching Pastorawmccallum@msn.com
Jeannie Brossoit
Administrative Support (Adult/College)
jbrossoit@bidwellpres.org
Chad Fransen
Director of College Ministries
cfransen@bidwellpres.org
Amanda Moreno
College Internamandavmoreno@yahoo.com
Ben GarciaCollege Internbgarcia16@me.com
Glenn Park
Director of Youth Ministries
gpark@bidwellpres.org
Cambria Eber
High School Youth Intern
ceber@bidwellpres.org
Sophia Hammond Junior High Youth Intern
shammond@bidwellpres.org
Kristy Hughes
Administrative Support (Youth)
khughes@bidwellpres.org
Bill Hammond
Worship and Arts Director bhammond@bidwellpres.org
Shawn Bentley
Worship Administrative Support Specialist
sbentley@bidwellpres.org
Dara ScholzOrganistCantata51@gmail.com
David Scholz
Chancel Choir Director
dmscholz@csuchico.edu
Dan Holmes
Gospel Choir Director
dh0lmes@sbcglobal.net
Alex Johns
El Rey AVL Technical Director / Custodian
ajohns95616@gmail.com
Brent Sesnon
El Rey Worship Leader
bsesnon@gmail.com
Belle Fricke Wedding Coordinator
bellefricke@gmail.com
Kelly Hock
Director of Children’s Ministries
khock@bidwellpres.org
Emily Hughes
Children’s Program Manager
ehughes@bidwellpres.org
Heather Fontana
Elementary Children’s Program Coordinator
hfontana@bidwellpres.org
Hilary Tricerri
Early Childhood Program Coordinator
htricerri@bidwellpres.org
Christi Harrington
Administrative Support (Children)
charrington@bidwellpres.org
Sharon Osborn
Account Techniciansosborn@bidwellpres.org
Marne Pritchard
Account Technicianmpritchard@bidwellpres.org
Jodi Drysdale
Hospitality Director / Wedding Coordinator
jdrysdale@bidwellpres.org
Lea HallHospitality CoordinatorMomof3kyds@aol.com
Lindsey Holmberg Hospitality Coordinator lnholmberg@hotmail.com
Robert Engstrom
Lead Custodianrengstrom@bidwellpres.org
David Mosier
Custodiandmosier@bidwellpres.org
Richard White
Custodianrwhite@bidwellpres.org
James Hefner
Custodianjhefner@bidwellpres.org
Mimi Amani
Hospitality Assistant
Meghan Warthen
Hospitality Assistant
Sabrina Hart
Hospitality Assistant
Anna Troudy
Hospitality Assistant
Ellie Troudy
Hospitality Assistant
Katherine Denny
Hospitality Assistant
33
OFFICE LOCATIONS:
Administrative offices:
119 Broadway. Hours: Mon - Fri 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Church campus office:
208 W. 1st Street. Hours: Mon - Fri 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Mailing Address:
208 W. 1st Street, Chico CA 95928
Phone: (530) 343-1484
Fax: (530) 343-7990
www.bidwellpres.org
ANNUAL REPORT CREDITS
Photography:
Cover, Doors: ARG
VBX, El Rey: Alex Johns
Steve, Choir, Baptism, Kid’s Choir: Chelsea Parker
Staff: Christi Harrington
Graphic Design:
Jeannie Brossoit
Interviews:
Janis Barnett
34
And the Legacy
Continues
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the church in
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d
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for the co
In Christian
35
love,
ray
Herman G
d
n
a
ea
B
For where your
treasure is, there your
heart will be also.
Matthew 6:21