Ministry Board

Bob Casey - Elder

I was raised in a Christian home going to church.  Great loving parents. In high school I tried to live in the world and a Christian life but then got serious with Jesus Christ in college.

My wife , Sue, and I were married in 1975. We have 4 adult children.  one son, three daughters, and 11 grandchildren.

I love God’s word and have enjoyed teaching children’s and adult Sunday School. For ministries outside the church I am a member of the Gideons International. They have the single  objective of planting and watering with God’s word (spoken and written) so that others might come to know the Lord Jesus Christ.  This fits well with the Christian and Missionary Alliance. The world needs Jesus.  From our next door neighbors to the ends of the world.

5 years ago I retired from a paper mill and now have additional time to spend in ministry. I enjoy being a part of East Hills Alliance and continue to look forward to what God has for us individually and as a church.

If you have any questions feel free to email me with the button below.

Nick Higgins - Elder

I grew up right here in Cowlitz County and have spent most of my life in the Longview area. My wife, Tamra, and I have been married since 2003, and we have two adult children. Professionally, I work as a Technical Sales Leader in the technology industry, but much of my life has been shaped through ministry and serving in the local church.

I was first introduced to Jesus at eight years old through a local pastor who became a close family friend. While I believed what I was taught growing up, my faith became personal during a youth group winter retreat when I was thirteen, when what had once felt like stories and lessons became a real relationship with Jesus. From that point on, I was all in on church life. After high school, I attended Portland Bible College and earned a degree in theology, and Tamra and I spent the first ten years of our marriage serving in full-time ministry in churches throughout the Northwest and Alaska.

In 2013 we moved back to Longview to raise our family and to serve in church life as members rather than staff. We began attending East Hills in 2022 and quickly appreciated the authenticity, simplicity, and genuine desire to help people grow in their relationship with Jesus. Most often, you’ll see me serving by making noise on various instruments with the worship team.

I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve on the Ministry Board and look forward to supporting the mission of East Hills as we continue helping people take their next steps toward Jesus.

Willie Kilde - Elder

I was born in Tacoma, Washington in 1943 and lived with my grandparents until I was 5. My father was a WWII vet. On Christmas in 1948 my dad and his new wife took me to live with them in San Francisco. I had a brother born on my birthday in 1949 – not the present I was looking for. We moved around a lot - 5 schools in 3 different states in just the first year. When my father and step mom divorced, I continued to live with her and my brother. In 1957 I moved back to Kalama to live with my aunt, her husband and their 5 kids. I graduated from Kalama High School in 1961.

In 1962 I moved to Santa Cruz California and worked for Sylvania Electronics. In 1965 I moved back to Kalama and went to work at R-W Paper on the Weyerhaeuser mill site. I spent 43 years with Weyerhaeuser working in many positions, finishing up as a mill site Safety Manager. After retiring in 2008, I went back to work in 2010 and worked off and on as a consultant for Weyerhaeuser engineering services for 6 years.

I have 4 children Betty, Suzette, Kris, and Kasey. Also 5 grandkids and two great-grandkids.

In 1983 I married the love of my life, Judy. We spend quite a bit of time in central Oregon swimming and fly fishing. We enjoy traveling and have taken many trips to Hawaii and several cross-country trips. There is always time to go to the beach for a day or two.

In 1990, I made Jesus the lord of my life. I had some great Christian mentors, including my mother in-law, Dorothy. I was blessed to be able to lead or be involved with several different ministries over the years. Judy and I continue to look for opportunities to serve.

Jerry Wilson - Ministry Board

I grew up in Portland, Oregon, and was blessed with a loving Christian home. We went to church every week, often multiple times a week, volunteering for various events and janitorial work and my mom was the church secretary. Add to that classes, worship services, camps, and youth groups - the church lifestyle was very normal and familiar. I knew that Jesus was real, and that He loved me. But I didn't build a relationship with Him until marrying my wife and starting our family.

Bobbi and I met during high school and married in 1981 while attending Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon. We both began our teaching careers here in the Longview/ Kelso area. I taught elementary physical education for 40 years, most of it in Kelso, with the exception of 7 years in the Seattle area. We both retired in 2022. We have a son, Nick, who lives in Salem, Oregon with his wife Ariel and their 2 children. Nick and Ariel are both in I.T. at Salem Hospital. Our daughter, Caity, currently lives with her husband Scott in San Diego, California. She has been working in a law firm on a lawyer apprenticeship program, and Scott just got accepted into medical school back east.

Bobbi and I started attending East Hills over 20 years ago after being invited by a close friend, and it has been a blessing. We both love the warmth and feeling of family here, and seeing the power of Jesus at work changing lives through love and prayer. We've thoroughly enjoyed participating in this family through the worship team, drama, VBS, and various committees, classes and missions.

Now that I have a little more time, I'm looking forward to being more active playing tennis and pickle-ball, walking, biking, and traveling. I also enjoy art, watching movies, board games, and, well, simply spending time with others over coffee. I am excited to serve on the Ministry Board and watch Jesus at work! Feel free to email me with the button below:

Niki Wrzesinski - Ministry Board

I prayed with my mom in Alaska, the prayer of salvation at 7. I was born in CA but my childhood was in AK, then back to CA, and I met Wayne when he was in the Navy in San Diego. We got married in 2003 (twice, ask me about that sometime 😀). We have two kids, Anna is almost 20, and Josiah is 16. 

I was super shy until I was 18, and then I had my really messing up years from about 18-22ish. I didn’t really start listening and really hearing God till my mid-thirties or so. 

Wayne and I moved to WA with Anna in January of 2007. For the past 6 or 7 years, we have been at home missionaries, but we have been in ministry our whole marriage. It hasn’t been easy for us, but God has given us many friends all over, and times we can really see His hand and guidance. He has always been faithful, especially when we are not. 

We started attending East Hills when we needed a Saturday night service, and it was also a great and needed time for healing for us with pornography (you can ask Wayne or me about that anytime). We also helped start the Grove and went there for about a year, and have come back to East Hills after other jobs were done multiple times!