Southeastern California Conference
New Senior Pastors
Share Their Visions for Their Churches By Cynthia Mendoza
H
aving been installed throughout 2019, new senior pastors are serving several SECC churches.
Kris Loewen Redlands church Kris Loewen transitioned to the Redlands church in May 2019 from the Washington Conference. As the one-year mark of his installation approaches, Loewen has gotten a good feel for the church and community that the Redlands church serves. “The Redlands church is a remarkable community of people,” he said. “I have so much respect for the families who have been here through all the ups and downs. There is a lot of sacrificial service and dedication in answering God’s calling.” Moving forward, Loewen feels that the concept of family may be a significant component of how outreach and ministry will be approached. Ideas to be considered include how to model healthy family relationships and how the church can support families in the community. “We don’t have answers yet, but I want to explore that more deeply,” he said. “It could potentially become a part of our mission.”
Mario Perez Palm Springs church Mario Perez joined the Palm
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Springs church as senior pastor in June of last year after having served at the Escondido church. Perez has been busy getting to know the leadership team, as well as the members and the flow of the church. Perez said he wants the church to focus on not just “growing together” but also on growing the kingdom of God together. Part of that includes fostering intergenerational interaction such as The Dugout, a baseball-themed program that pairs older “managers” with younger “players” in mentoring friendships. The church is also reaching out to the seasonal snowbird community through events such as health seminars that promote abundant living. Other goals include sharing member stories, fostering leadership, and encouraging spiritual development in young people. “It’s a fantastic church,” he said. “We want to be a welcoming church and continue to focus on our mission.”
Rochelle Webster Paradise Valley church After having served as family
pastor at Redlands church, Rochelle Webster was installed as senior pastor of the Paradise Valley church in August 2019. In her own words, the Paradise Valley church is one with “enormous amounts of diversity,” as evidenced by the nearly 60 nationalities represented at their Festival of Nations, something she enthusiastically embraces. “It’s a blessing to be in a church of rich diversity,” she said. “It reminds me of Revelation 7, where all nations are worshipping together. In a way, it’s a foretaste of heaven.” Heading into spring and beyond, Webster looks forward to leading with a strategic vision, which the members will be involved in setting. “My experience is that long-lasting ministries are the ones in which the people were involved in vision setting,” she said.
David Steward Fallbrook church Installed in October 2019, David Steward is the new senior pastor at Fallbrook church. Prior to serving at Fallbrook, Steward was an evangelist with Amazing Facts. “I’m looking forward to getting to know church members and helping deepen their love for witnessing,” he said. The Fallbrook church began the year with the 10 Days of Prayer
