The Book of Hebrews reminds believers to "remember your leaders; those who spoke to you the word of God; consider the outcome of their life and imitate their faith. " (13:7) As we think about the past 80 years, we have had wonderful leaders to remember who taught us how to be faithful and helped us become the marvelous church we are today.
It all began with the Rev. Dr. Ed Gebert who came in 1923 and stayed for 35 years. He organized the church, along with his wife, Ruth, provided pastoral care to all its members as well as the community-at-large, supervised the building of the Sanctuary (1926) and the Christian Education Building (1956), and provided strong moral leadership in the development of the city of Longview. He is truly known as the "Father of our family of faith."
In 1958, the Rev. Dr. Robert Warren took over as Senior Pastor. During his tenure, he developed the church's organizational structure, encouraged lay leadership in decision-making, enlarged the church staff, hired the Rev. Paul Roper for pastoral care, let the remodeling of the Sanctuary (1964) and the construction of Gebert Chapel (1963). He is well known as the "Organizer of the Church."
The Rev. Dr. Donald Irwin took over leadership of the church in 1970 and began right away to institute the Bethel Bible Study Series which was widely taught. He was an effective preacher and worship leader, provided significant pastoral care in partnership with Paul Roper, encouraged missions, and was a living demonstration of faithfulness. He is affectionately known as the "Bible Teacher of the Church."
In 1977, the Rev. Dr. Kenneth Working came as Senior Pastor and began immediately to emphasize the importance of missions and the involvement of lay leadership. Additional staff members were added - Elizabeth Meharg, Tom Adams, and Thanh Le. The Lay Counseling Ministry was started under the leadership of Dr. David deVidal and Sylvan Lodge became the site of local missions. Ken is well known as the "Pastor of Missions. "
The Rev.
Dr. Harlan Gilliland followed in 1987 and confronted a split
in the church. He came providing pastoral care to a hurting congregation
and leadership in worship. Under his leadership a new staff was formed
with the hiring of the Rev. Phil Schmunk and Kevin Campbell along with
the ordination of Elizabeth Meharg. The Memorial Program was started,
the Annex was purchased, major remodeling was completed, and it was a
time of rejuvenation of the congregation. Harlan is known as the "Healer
of the Church's Hurts."
New
Pastor Arrives
A NEW ERA BEGINS
Last week the Rev.
Dr. John Williams joined the staff as the sixth senior pastor of Longview
Community Church. "Joyful," "dynamic," "positive,"
"a team player," a real people person" - these are all
adjectives that have been used to describe John, both here at and at his
previous pastorates.
John brings an enthusiasm for and expertise in preaching, teaching and
evangelism. In his senior pastor application, he states, "] believe
we are called to love God with our minds as well as our hearts, so an
important role of every pastor is to encourage spiritual growth through
lifelong learning. I believe that spiritual formation is a process that
begins at birth and continues throughout life " In his 24 years in
ministry, Dr. Williams has been actively involved in training the laity
for ministry as teachers, as leaders of small groups, as counselors, as
parish visitors, and as church officers.
Evangelism is one of the church's primary tasks, according to Dr. Williams.
But to be effective in evangelism, one has to listen, and "by so
doing, to win the right to share the Good News." Others have noted
his extraordinary ability to listen, "as if you are the only person
in the room," and his capacity to encourage people to dream. "The
pastor's task," he says, "is to guide, support, encourage, and
motivate the congregation in ministry to each other and to the community
around them. "
What makes John tick besides his love for the Lord? His wife, Denise,
keeps him on track and supports him in ministry as a Bible study leader
and volunteer in Youth and senior programs. His daughters, Meghan and
Marissa, students at Whitworth College, keep John on the road and in touch
with the concerns of young adults. And he loves to restore cars and Victorian
houses (at least he liked doing this once!). Working with his hands is
a passion that relieves stress and provides another outlet for his creative
energy.
More than 3,000 people turned out for the three services held to dedicate the new Sanctuary at Longview Community Church. Visiting clergy from local congregations shared in the services along with three special invited guests
Dr. Cleveland KIeihauer (University Christian Church,
Seattle)
Dr. Edward H. Todd (President of the College of Puget Sound, Tacoma)
Dr. Francis J. Van Horn (First Congregational Church, Tacoma)
In the evening
a final service was held to dedicate the organ and chimes with a sacred
concert by Mr. Claude Crankshire at the organ and a stirring final speech
by R.A. Long who reminded those who attended that "God will live
in this church, but it is for each individual to find him here. I am glad
this church has been built." Thus began the history of Longview Community
Church.
General
News, Page 2
First Marriage - First Baptism
Commentaries,
Page 3
Thanks for the memories - Do you Remember When?
Letters to the Editor, Page 4-6
Advertising,
Page 7
Health - Food Services
Care Giving - Music
History News, Page 8