East Ave Community Church

Worship Leader / Office Manager

Birthday: June 8th
Where I Grew Up: Kent, Washington
Education: School of Hard Knocks
Favorite Books: Renovation of the Heart – Willard, Celebration of Discipline – Foster, and Green Eggs and Ham – Seuss
Favorite Bands: Chris Tomlin, Lincoln Brewster, Jason Mraz, John Mayer, Maroon 5
Favorite Foods: Pizza, Chipotle burritos, caramel apples
I Don’t Like: The smell of smoke, paper cuts, burnt-sienna crayons, stuck-up musicians
Hobbies: Scrapbooking, knitting, doing “ChaCha”, and my husband
Favorite Scripture: Joshua 1:9
Favorite Quote: “It’s like an alarm clock’s gone off, and I’ve just got to get away. I think it was John Lennon who said: “Life is what happens when you’re making other plans.”, and that’s how I feel. Although he also said: “I am the Walrus I am the eggman” so I don’t know what to believe.” -Tim Canterbury
Biblical Role Model: David
My Testimony: ” I was raised in a Christian home, and by the grace of God was shielded by most of life’s problems. And that’s pretty much my testimony – that God has provided for me through the good and the bad. Sure, things have gone wrong in my life, but God has been faithful to me and has never left my side through it. I think that Ravi Zacharias puts it well – “Faith is a confidence in the person of Jesus Christ and in His power, so that even when His power does not serve my end, my confidence in Him remains because of who He is.” Amen!”

Popularity: 80% [?]

Pastor to the Next Generation

Birthday: April 19th
Where I Grew Up: Carson City, NV
Education: Mostly Southern Nazarene University
Favorite Books: Velvet Elvis – Rob Bell, Blue Like Jazz – Donald Miller, Sex God – Rob Bell.
Favorite Bands: Radial Angel
Favorite Foods: Cheese Pizza, Pepperoni Pizza, Combination Pizza, Sausage Pizza, and Pizza.
I Don’t Like: Movies that make me cry in public.
Hobbies: Being outside unless college football is on
Favorite Scripture: Job 21:3
Favorite Quote: Do or do not there is no try. – Yoda
Biblical Role Model: John the Baptist (I am so into strange food)
My Testimony: I grew up a heathen of heathens in the wonderful town of Carson City, Nevada. When I was 16 years old a new family moved in down the street from my family and their house had a basketball hoop. Instantly a friendship was formed with one of the coolest guys I have ever met in my life. For the next six months or so he pestered me about attending his youth group. Finally he broke me down and I went. I thought it was pretty cool, so I decided to fake church for the next five years of my life. Then something happened – In college, I met this smokin’ hot girl in a musical theatre class that invited me to church. I liked it so much that I continued attending church, gave my life to Jesus, and I married that girl.

Popularity: 79% [?]

teaching pastor

Birthday: May 4th.
Where I Grew Up: College Station, Texas.
Education: Northwest Nazarene University.
Favorite Books: More than a Carpenter – Josh McDowell; anything by John Grisham
Favorite Bands: Lesser Side Sequel
Favorite Foods: Sauerkraut. Yummy.
I Don’t Like: Whiners. Bad Coffee.
Hobbies: Anything my kids will do with me.
Favorite Scripture: 2 Corinthians 11:1
Favorite Quote: “Badges? We don’t need no stinking badges!”
Biblical Role Model: Micaiah

My Testimony: “I grew up in a loving, Christian home just south of the Bible Belt in a college town. I was 13 years old when I came to an understanding that I needed a relationship with Jesus of my own. So, at a Jr. High camp in New Mexico I made Jesus boss of my life.

A year later, I heard God’s call on my life. It wasn’t so much an audible voice as much as a deep movement of my soul – but very real none-the-less. I thought my calling would take me to Africa as a missionary, hacking my way though dense jungles to help some indigenous tribe meet Jesus.

Well, God had something else in mind. After a degree from a small, private university, I spent a decade as a youth worker – mostly in a bedroom community of Seattle. It didn’t take me long to realize that my heart for introducing new cultures to Jesus was something that desperately needed to be done stateside.

I moved to Chico, CA in 2002 to be the lead pastor of this church. I have come to understand that Chico is a whacky place with many different cultures and ideas about life. As I meet people here, as well as around the world, I do not seek to change people’s culture, political affiliation, favorite radio station or brand of coffee. I do, though, strive to live my life in such a way as to give people the opportunity to meet Jesus within the context of their own culture.

The fact is that Jesus came to earth 2000 years ago to meet people where they are. He did not come to change the culture, but to bring purpose and wholeness to individuals who chose to start a relationship with Him. And I want to be a part of that conversation in Chico.”

Popularity: 55% [?]