Young Life Changes Lives

By: Steve Bilger

The House interviewed Steve Bilger, a member of East Hills Alliance, who is also involved in the student ministry called Young Life.  Following is the interview.

Steve: Young Life is a missionary organization—its primary aim is for young people who do not yet know Jesus.  In the same way that other missionary organizations mobilize, train, support and send teams to people groups in order to build relationships and share the Gospel—Young Life does too.  However, Young Life doesn’t call them missionaries, they call them Young Life Leaders and they don’t send them across the world to immerse in another country’s culture—they send them across town to immerse in a middle school or high school culture.  These Young Life Leaders seek to serve, love and pray for the kids and adults at that school- building authentic, trusting, unconditional relationships.  This often leads to kids becoming involved with other facets of Young Life such as Club (weekly large group)  Campaigners (regular small groups) and Summer Camp.  Each of these facets is a platform to take kids a step further in knowing about and ultimately knowing Jesus.  In all of this, one key principle that Young Life upholds is to continue to love kids regardless of their response.  In so doing, we maintain a loving purpose with them while avoiding personal agendas.

House:  How long have you been involved in Young Life?

I have been involved with Young Life since 1987 when I attended my first Young Life Club as a junior in high school in Euless, TX and I was hooked. I met Jesus through Young Life in 1988.  In college I was a Young Life Leader so that I may continue to grow in my faith as well as participate in sharing Christ with teens.  In 1996 I responded to an unexpected call from the Lord to go on staff with Young Life and was an Area Director in Grapevine, Texas.  We moved here to Longview/Kelso in 2001 to help establish Young Life here in the local area.

House: What do you do in Young Life locally?

For the past 3 years I have served as a volunteer Young Life Leader on the team focused on Mark Morris High School Students.  Together with the other YL teams we work to plan and put on weekly YL Club (at The Grove) and I also lead a small group of Junior guys in weekly Bible study.  Additionally, I serve on the local Young Life Committee (Board) as the fundraising chair.  My wife, Amy also serves on Committee as well as a WyldLife Leader along with our daughter Sophie for Mt Solo Middle School.  WyldLife is Young Life for middle-schoolers.

House: How has it changed your life?

In more ways than I can list.  Throughout however it has really been the Lord saving and transforming me through the mission of Young Life.  I know Jesus because of a group of adults that responded to God’s call to be sent to Trinity High School where they got to know us, loved us, served us and ultimately led us to Jesus.  Everything since then has been paying it forward. 

House: Who attends Young Life?

Since YL is focused on reaching unchurched kids the majority of students who attend Young Life do not yet have a church home or youth group that they attend.

 Our local Area Director, Ryan Moats, is the contact for anyone that may want to find out more about getting involved.

Blessing Bags

By: Pastor Josh Droke

When we introduced the blessing bags, we asked that (once you handed yours out), you consider sharing that story with others.

Whether it was amazing or awful, scary or easy, it’s great to hear about the experiences of others.

So, with that in mind, here’s my story:

One day I decided I wanted cheap, questionable-taste-quality food for lunch, so I drove to Taco Bell. As I pulled up to the stop light to turn right into the Taco Bell parking lot, I saw a middle-aged white man in a heavy coat, standing on the grass beyond the sidewalk, his backpack by his feet, holding a cardboard sign saying he was looking for work. He was the first homeless person I had seen since I had grabbed a blessing bag, and I figured there was no time like the present.

I am by nature an introvert, though, and would rather just live and let live, so it took a few seconds to talk myself into it. I grabbed the blessing bag from the passenger side floorboards and strolled up behind him on the little hill of grass. “Sir?” I said, “would it be okay if I gave you some socks and a snack? Would that be helpful?” I held out the bag a little awkwardly, hoping I hadn’t offended him or anything. He shrugged, smiled, and thanked me as he took the bag. I shook his hand, told him my name, and he introduced himself as Jerry. I said, “Nice to meet you… would it be okay if I bought you lunch?” I asked as much out of guilt as charity… I knew I would feel bad buying myself some warm food while he stood on the corner.

We went into Taco Bell (he assured me that was fine). I don’t think he’d ever been in one before. I helped him order. The girl behind the counter asked “Is this for here or to go?” and my introvert-ness overcame me and I said it was to go. But while we waited for our food and sipped our sodas we sat in a booth and chatted. Turns out Jerry is a handyman, and has worked for Cowlitz-area contractors for 20 years so labor for them. He said summer jobs weren’t as numerous as he’d hoped and totally dried up as winter rolled in. He and his wife of 30 years couldn’t pay rent anymore, so they ended up on the street. His wife is living with her mom in Astoria while Jerry tries to find work. When I talked to him, he’d been couch surfing for about a week, trying to make connections through his contacts to find work. He’d noticed the guys out holding cardboard signs and thought he’d give that a shot. I met him on his 3rd day of doing that, and he was grateful for “the first warm meal in a week.” When our food was ready, I shook his hand, asked if I could pray for him, and then did so. I stood up, picked up my food, said good-bye, and left.

As I drove away I kicked myself a little for not telling him about our church, that it’s a great place to find more loving people and (just as important) hope. How did I forget that? And yes, I’m cynical enough to know he may have made up the whole story, but I do pray Jerry is finding work, encouragement, and hope. And maybe next time I get the chance to buy somebody lunch, I’ll be brave enough to sit and eat with them, too. 

Pastor Wayne Wrzesinski

I am grateful to have the opportunity to serve as the interim youth pastor at East Hills and The Grove. I grew up in Castle Rock in a house that my parents still live in to this day. We were always involved in church and I really felt like ministry as something God had for me when I was around 15 or 16. I was a student leader when I was in youth ministry, played on the worship team, and helped with video for youth throughout high school.

After high school I attended one quarter at Lower Columbia College and then joined the Navy. I met Nicole while I was stationed in San Diego and talked her into marrying me. We’ve been married for 13 years and have two kids. Annabelle is a sixth grader and Josiah is in the 2nd grade this year. We moved back up to Washington in 2007 when I got out of the Navy.

I was able to attend Multnomah University while I was working for the railroad and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Leadership and Ministry. Nicole and I were active in our churches and serving with youth and worship.

Our theme for the Sunday nights at youth this year is Limitless. We are exploring the stories of a great God. Many of our talks will look at characters in the Bible and how God used them. The hope is to have the students see how big of a God we have a relationship with and show that God uses people who aren’t perfect, often using a person’s weakness to display His greatness.

We have middle schoolers and high schoolers and our main meeting is Sunday evenings from 6-8 PM. We play some games, worship, have a talk, and small group time. The leaders and I love the chance to build relationships with the students and partner with parents to impact the lives of students with the love of Christ.

I’m looking forward to seeing what God does in our group this year. We have a couple of weekend camps that we get to take students on. It is always great to see them worship and hear the Word in that atmosphere, where they can be away for a couple of days. Connecting with students in small group on Sundays is great. It give us as leaders a chance to hear their stories and walk with them on the journey as they process life and faith.

We would love it if you’d be praying for the youth ministry at East Hills and The Grove. We would love prayer for God to move, to have opportunities to build relationships with the students, for God’s leading and vision, and for us as leaders to show God’s love to a generation.

 

Tough Guys & Drama Queens

SMaRt begins its fall study on Sundays from 6-8 p.m. in Pastor Jon’s office at the East Hills campus this October. Co-led by Becky Cooper and Jennifer Sharer, the ministry began “as a way for moms of teenagers to fellowship and share ideas, celebrations and struggles,” they said. “Last year we covered topics such as social media, dating, disrespectful attitudes, church attendance, brain development, eating disorders, pornography and so much more.”

 Beginning in October, they will start a book study, Tough Guys & Drama Queens, by Mark Gregston. It costs $12.25 on Amazon or $5.99 for the Kindle version.

 SMaRT (Supporting Moms (who) are Raising Teenagers) started in 2015 and welcomes all moms. “We are passionate about this ministry because we are passionate about our kids and about being the best moms we can be to raise these kiddos in a way that is pleasing to God,” the leaders said.

Kidville: The place where children learn that adults care and that Jesus loves them

The House did a short interview with a couple of Kidville’s special teachers. Shea Craver & Shann Gilman.

Shea has been teaching about 6-7 months in the preK/kindergartenclass at The Grove.

Shann has been teaching Kidville for about 7 years, starting out as a helper on Saturday nights at East Hills. She is now the campus leader for Kidville at The Grove, and still teaching.

The House: Why do you teach in Kidville?

Shea: I had thought about teaching before but it was just a thought. As I began attending The Grove on Sundays, the stirring again started in my heart. I prayed about it and God opened the door.  I think it is so important to teach them the word of God from an early age. I pray about the stories and crafts for each lesson so that the message comes from God through me. I want to teach them the joy of knowing and loving God.

 Shann: I love teaching! I love hearing the children pray, answer questions, and reciting bible verses. Kidville is so much more than a time away from the adult church. It is a time for our young generation to connect with God. It is a time for them to worship and a time for them grow. I love that moment when we are in a lesson and they get it! And they want to do more! We have made prayer journals, cards for missionaries, and prayed for each other.

The House-can you share an inspiring moment or a time that became a “teachable” moment in the lives of your students or in you?

Shea: There have been so many moments that to name one would be difficult. I know that I learn as much from them as they learn from me. By that I mean the perspective with which they see and express things really makes me stop and think. As they learn Bible stories, I am re-learning also. So in essence, I am learning as I am teaching. I really love these precious little ones. I am truly blessed.

Shann: I remember last year we were still in Monticello middle school, someone spoke about the children of the school and the food boxes for Christmas (winter break). When the children were released and we were all back in our room the children wanted to know how they could help. We, Karen and I used this as an opportunity to teach them about Jesus loves and we are called to love. 

The House: Kidville at both campuses (The Grove and East Hills) could use some more support from women and men interested in helping children know and love the Lord. For more information, contact Jo-El Perez at jo-el@easthillsalliance.org.

Are We Going To Be Okay?

By: Pastor Josh Droke

A time of transition always leads to a lot of questions, and a church is no different. People ask all kinds of questions of who, what, when, where, why, and how. Most of the questions seem to fall into one of two categories: “Are we going to be led well?” and “Are we going to be okay?”

And we can all say “yes, of course we will,” because we know that’s the right answer. But sometimes the right answer doesn’t stop the questions from swirling around in our hearts and minds. So I’d like to take a moment to answer both questions, to give you the reasons why we can answer both questions with a resounding and confident “yes!”

As a church family, we will be led well because we have are led by a team of men (our Elders) who are fervently seeking God’s heart.

They are doing everything in their power to make sure we are following where God is leading us, to ensure that we continue to be a multi-site church of healing. This group of men is committed to making sure our church family pursues wholeness, and that each individual member of our church family is loved and valued.

We also have a staff of God-fearing, Christ-following, grace-giving men and women who are committed to serving the church with all the gifts God has given them. In the day-to-day activities of the church, the Elders have asked me to lead the staff and the East Hills campus. I can’t promise I will be great at everything I have been asked to do, but I can promise to do my best to balance family, ministry, and community and give you everything I have to give. I can also promise that whatever ministry you are engaged in, at either campus, you are in great hands with the staff and volunteer leaders we have in place.

In short, yes – I believe you will be lead well through this transition.

My wife Wendy is entering her 15th year as a math teacher at Kelso High, and we are in our 11th year of living in Cowlitz County. We love this community and that our kids are growing up in it. We’re not blind to the problems of our city, and I for one still despise all the gray weather, but we are so aware of how blessed we are to live here. Most of all, we are blessed by the people, by the relationships we have here. We are blessed to be a part of this church family. Since the day one of my wife’s former students brought us to Saturday night church almost eight years ago, we have found East Hills to be a safe place where we can experience, growth, healing, and hope.

Kelso School District has a motto: “We are Kelso.” It’s a phrase that children in our community are raised with and many take to heart: This place is what it is because of me and my contributions to it. Good or bad, we are Kelso.

In the same way, I think any of you could stand up and say “we are East Hills and The Grove.” “We are the church.”  This place may have wonderful leadership, but it is every individual in this church family, following after God’s heart, that makes East Hills and The Grove a serving, loving, welcoming, healing place. More than any sermon or song, it is you – your outpouring of grace and hope on those around you – that makes us who we are.

So, yes, we will be okay. Because you are this church, and that is a beautiful thing. 

Fall At The Grove

By: Pastor Jon Donohue

The Fall season is kicking off at The Grove campus with a bustle of activity.

The building continues to experience minor renovations as the months roll by. Included in these are the filling of the oil tank out back behind the building, the repairing of termite damage underneath The Grove’s community room, and various other smaller projects. Thank you to all who have participated in the past renovations and who are a part of the current projects.

September 11th is The Grove’s public launch day in the new building! Since July, The Grove has been in the building working out the kinks of settling into a new building. This includes determining things like chair placement and flow of foot traffic, parking, room usage and classroom needs, best use of the worship space, sound and tech dynamics, main foyer layout and coffee table placement, etc. While we would never say we have it all figured out, we are well along the way to understanding how to best use our new space. Because of that, we have invited the community to join us for worship on the 11th. About 1,500 mailers arrived in mailboxes around the new church building on September 7th. The Grove family was also challenged to invite friends and family for this big event.

Coupled with our public launch day, The Grove is hosting a ministry fair in the community room after church. The ministry fair will provide all in attendance with an opportunity to explore the various ministries of the church, from worship team, to welcome team, to Kidville, to connection groups. The fall is a wonderful time to jump into ministry life, so we want to be sure to provide people with simple ways and great opportunities to do so.

The Grove’s new facility is starting to be recognized by outside groups as well! Beginning September 19th, Young Life will be meeting in our building every Monday evening. We’re very excited about this opportunity, since partnering with other community groups is a big part of our vision for ministry. We also plan to host EHA and The Grove’s monthly craft nights, as well as other possible EHA and Grove groups that are interested in using the space.

If you have yet to do so, or haven’t visited for a while, come on by on a Sunday morning and see what God’s been up to at The Grove! Thank you for all the ways you have prayed for us and contributed to this movement since our launch in October 2014. It’s a joy to be one church with two campuses who impact our communities with the love of Christ!

Reflections

By Pastor Nick Stumbo, Lead Pastor

By now, you probably know that East Hills and The Grove are headed into a time of transition. After 14 and ½ wonderful years here, Michelle and I have accepted a role with Pure Desire Ministries in Gresham, Oregon. As their new executive director, I will be tasked with helping this ministry grow and reach more churches and people with a message of freedom and hope. 

While this new opportunity is exciting, I find it hard to imagine leaving such a great church family. Over the years, we have shared some good times and some great memories. As I think back on these, I wanted to share a few with you:

VBS/Soccer Camp/All-Star Camp: Our summer outreach has gone through many iterations in the time I have been here. In 2000 when I first came as an intern, we did “Veggie Tales”. The entire church building would be transformed into different scenes from the Veggie Tales movies. Pastor Steve Fowler was Bob the Tomato and I was Larry Cucumber. I still have kids (now adults!) around town who know me better as Larry then as
Pastor Nick. I remember cabbage bowling, water balloon fights, and being completely covered in shaving cream when our team lost.

Awhile later, the idea of a soccer camp outreach developed. Watching Pastor Caleb run around like crazy with 100+ kids from the community was a real joy. This idea led to the merger of VBS and Soccer Camp into All-Star Camp at a local grade school. I loved watching Pastor Ann’s creativity shine, the Jerry and Bobbi Wilson drama team draw kids in, and the tireless work put in by so many volunteers to show the love of Jesus. Over the years, I got to be Montana Jones and Inspector McDouglenuggets as the MC. I have happily handed that role over to others like Robbin Treadway and Pastor Josh.

EHA Remodel: When I first arrived, the church was green. Literally. The ceiling in the Main Hall was an odd sea-green, the pews matched, and the carpet was a horrible blue-green. (My apologies if any of you were part of picking that out in the 60’s!) In 2007, after much planning, we tore into the Main Hall and replaced every single surface in the room other than the wood beams. I loved watching Leon Rennells guide the process, Kirk Sherrell skidding across the floor in his knee-pads as he tore up flooring, and Bob Simmons give expert advice on safety. We finished the whole project in 7 weeks and paid it off in less than 2 years. And someday, 40 years from now, a new pastor might wonder about all these shades of maroon!

Christmas Talent Shows: Every year, the kids who perform get better with age! It’s been a joy to watch my own kids grow through the years as their contributions develop from the ‘Ah shucks that was cute’ category towards the ‘wow, they can really sing!’ one. Leah Suh, Kenzie Milligan, Staff shenanigans, and now the Jorgensen’s duet have become part of our family’s Christmas tradition. You just might see us back for the next one, folks!

Bosnia Partnership: In 2009, I couldn’t have found Bosnia/Herzegovina on the map. Now I can’t get it out of my heart. The small church there fights bravely against a spiritual darkness that is far greater than anything most of us have ever encountered. I have enjoyed each trip I have been on (four) and getting to send teams I haven’t been on (two). I love that in our church, we have almost 30 people now who have been part of these teams. The international workers in Sarajevo are more like friends to us, and the pastors are people I can pray for by name. Church- may we stay in the fight with these dear friends until the light of revival starts to break over this Balkan land!

Combined Services: I love that we have had a vision of reaching our community for over 2 decades now. God has made us to be truly an ‘outward looking’ church. A big representation of this has been our combined services- and in particular Easter- at local schools. We’ve held Easter Celebrations at Coweeman Middle School, Kelso High, Mark Morris High, and most recently Monticello Middle School. Each one has been a glorious display of teamwork as worship, welcome, Kidville, and social fellowship volunteers make these gatherings happen. Each one has its own unique feel, and God always shows up. I dream of a day when East Hills and The Grove will outgrow any school in town and continue looking for larger and larger venues. God will do great things through you, church!

The People: The best memory I have will be of the people of East Hills and The Grove. When I hear other pastors speak of the troubles they have faced- gossip, power struggles, division, deception and hostility- I have to smile. Certainly not for their trouble (I pray for them) but I smile because of all of you. The grace and acceptance you have always put on display to my family and I is remarkable. In 2011, when I shared about the journey I had been on with pornography, you all gave me nothing but support. You didn’t reject me or run away; you leaned in and said, ‘we struggle too.’ You jumped into groups and faced real issues in your life. I can’t say how proud I am for each and every one of you who has journeyed through a Change Group- 7 Pillars of Freedom, Betrayal and Beyond, The Genesis Process- God has used these to shape who we are as a church. 

And the future just keeps looking brighter and brighter. God has birthed a campus-vision for reaching more communities. He has brought together a solid and reliable staff. He is stirring up a passion for healing and for prayer. He’s taking us into the community in new ways every month. I am glad that I still have the summer to be part of all this. Our last Sunday won’t be until August 14th. Until then, we will continue to pray, serve, and love one another, together. 

May these memories of the past be the foundation of thousands more in the future as God does his good work among all of us.

“And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” Philippians 1:6

You are loved-
Pastor Nick