“I struggle to fit all of God into any single denomination”
me
2021 – Present — First Presbyterian Church of Upland (Presbyterian Church USA)
The church was founded in 1887 as Euclid Avenue Presbyterian Church. The church originally was located at 9th St and Euclid Ave, but has been at 869 N Euclid Ave Upland, California 91786 since 1958. I had been at my previous church for 20 years, and I was ready for a change. My pastor is Noel Anderson.
2001 – 2021 — Water of Life Community Church (non-denominational, evangelical, charismatic)
The church was established in October, 1990 when a group of twenty-one adults and eleven children gathered together to worship at the La Petite Childcare Building in Rancho Cucamonga. It was a fellowship that had arisen from a men’s bible study. I started attending at the campus located at 7625 East Ave, Fontana, California 92336. I believe the total attendance reached 10,000 per week while I was there. Later, they opened a campus in Upland which was 8 minutes from my house. My pastor was Danny Carroll.
I have always enjoyed being in small group Bible studies. I am particularly proud of being in the following groups:
1994 – 2000 — First Baptist Church of Rancho Cucamonga (Southern Baptist Convention)
The church was established in 1958 at 7450 Archibald Ave, Rancho Cucamonga , California 91730. I picked this church because I wanted a church I could easily fit into. I had gone to other larger churches and got a bit overwhelmed. FBC Rancho was just what I needed. My pastor was Bill Williams.
No Church
1987 – 1993 — I dropped out of church membership while I was living in Boulder, Colorado. I tried (halfheartedly) but just couldn’t get connected to any particular church. I had family in the area, and I went to their church for a while. But, I ended up drifting away. In 1993, I reconnected to God through Promise Keepers which was held at Folsom Field on the CU Boulder campus. I only lived 15 minutes away. The conference theme was, “Face To Face.” Over 50,000 men attended. It was amazing to hear that many men worshiping together. God used that experience to pull me back into relationship with Him.
1982 – 1987 — First Baptist Church of Thousand Oaks (Southern Baptist Convention)
The church was started in December, 1950 and was located at 1250 Erbes Rd, Thousand Oaks, California 91362. When I was in grade-school, I lived only a mile or two from the church. We drove past it all the time. Years later, I lived nearby and chose to become a member. My pastor was Ron Wilson.
1981 – 1982 — Nipomo Community Presbyterian Church (Presbyterian Church USA)
The church building was originally a one-room schoolhouse built in 1887 located at W. Dana Street, Nipomo, California 93444. The church started in the mid-1920’s as a non-denominational church, and later joined the national Presbyterian organization in 1948. I decided to go to this church because it was only 2 blocks from where I lived, and I wanted to be more involved during the week. My pastor was Glenn E. Peters.
1979 – 1981 — Evangelical Free Church of Cayucos (Evangelical Free Church of America)
The church was founded in 1965 and was located at 60 S 3rd St, Cayucos, California 93430. I joined because all my friends from college went there. It was 43 miles from home, so I only attended services on Sunday. My pastor was Ed Moore, and he was the one who baptized me.
After graduating from college, I was worried that my spiritual connection with God was weakening. Pastor Moore had moved to Newark, CA to lead a startup church, but I got his number from 411. I have never forgotten his advice, “If you are concerned about your relationship with God, then you have nothing to be worried about. It’s when you don’t care anymore that you should be concerned. You will be fine.“
FIRSTS:
- Elder of my church: June 2023 — First Presbyterian Church of Upland
- Seminary Classes: March – May, 1985 – Southern Baptist Seminary Extension
- Baptized: June 1979 — in the ocean at Morro Bay, California by Rev. Ed Moore. My parents attended my baptism. It was a significant moment in my life.
- Joined a church: May, 1979 — Evangelical Free Church of Cayucos, CA (the pastor was Ed Moore1).
- Prayed to receive the gift of salvation by Jesus Christ through the grace of God: 3:45PM, May 2nd, 1979 — on the campus of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, CA with Bob Twaddle.
BESTS:
- Longest church membership: Water of Life Community Church, from October 2000 to October 2021 — Fontana, CA
- Longest serving ministry: Somebody Cares Baja California, from June 2001 to present — member of the advisory board and bookeeper