Pastor Fred Says Goodbye, By Fred Hennes

FEATURED COLUMNIST Pastor Fred Says Goodbye

By Fred Hennes

Twenty years ago I was a pastor at Santa Cruz Bible Church. Having transitioned from a career in electronic manufacturing, I experienced eight years of spiritual growth, completed my seminary training, and was ready to become the lead pastor at the right church. I had hoped that I would end up “somewhere west of the Mississippi River.”

Little did I know that God would provide my assignment here in Scotts Valley, just a short drive from my home in Aptos. I joined GateWay Bible Church as the Senior Pastor on Aug. 1, 2001. Twenty years later I have announced my retirement, effective on my hiring date anniversary.

I followed the footsteps of a father-andson duo.

Pastor Glennon Culwell was a fixture in Scotts Valley and served as the pastor here for 28 years. His son Chris followed as the pastor for 12 years. Both men had had a significant impact in our community, and I was honored to be handed the baton to continue in their path.

Over these years (2001 – 2021) I have come to love GateWay Bible Church and the people living in our beautiful Scotts Valley. I have been blessed beyond measure to be used of God to help people in their journey of faith. I have worked with an incredibly gifted staff and highly dedicated volunteers. We have remained true to our mission and have established significant goodwill in the community.

GateWay grew to the size that allowed us to minister to several hundred families and work with people of all generations. I have always felt that a church should be multi-generational as each generation has much to offer to the others.

I will always remember baptizing a 92-year-old widow who accepted Christ through conversations that resulted after providentially dialing a wrong number. I recall the recognition from the Chamber of Commerce naming us Organization of the Year. I look back on several years of celebrating Easter with our community by drawing in thousands of people to our Eggapalooza event. And I will never forget the hundreds of children here each summer enjoying our Vacation Bible Camp. But most of all I will remember the amazing people who allowed me to be their pastor.

This church is generous and encouraging like no other. Many churches have 20% of the people do 80% of the work (we call this the 20/80 rule). At GateWay I have always seen the number of people giving and serving far outnumbering those who did not.

GateWay has been outward focused, sending resources locally and globally. Over my tenure we have invested more than $3.5 million into missions. Our efforts have built churches, evangelized communities, strengthened believers, fed the hungry, provided economic opportunity to the poor, gave eyeglasses to those without access, helped men and women recover from drug and alcohol addictions, aided women in giving birth through unplanned pregnancies, and distributed food weekly here in our city. All of this done with the sole aim of pleasing God.

I will miss the monthly gatherings with the other pastors of Santa Cruz County. We have great unity among us as we acknowledge that we are not in competition with each other (just everything else!) It has always been refreshing to pray for each other and offer practical support when needed.

As my wife and I will be moving to the Sierra foothills, we look forward to continued ministry opportunities in strengthening other church leaders. Of course, we both love the outdoors and tending to a few acres, finding the local fishing holes, and building new friendships are things we eagerly anticipate. We also long to spend more time with our family (three married children) and our five grandchildren.

I will be leaving Scotts Valley and GateWay Bible Church, but Scotts Valley and GateWay Bible Church will never leave me. They both have a permanent spot in my heart. n

We are in the full light of Aries now, following Easter and the Aries full moon festival. The Aries energy will continuetill the end of April, when Taurus begins. Aries is the first sign of the zodiac. It is the initiating idea, a new idea for the new spiritual year. Aries is apoint of light faint and flickering, seeking what can receive its divine expression. Aries drops an electric fire to the Earth.

Electric fire is that aspect of God that creates heat and a fire that can burn and destroy. As the firstzodiacal sign, Aries, with mars, calls each individual to courage, to bravery, to fiery impulses, to fearlessness. This is the path of Earth experienceunder Aries. With Mars, the personality ruler of Aries, what we experience is the fire of challenge, war, strife, and conflict. These are the keynotesof the life of the personality. Later, Mercury, the fire of knowledge comes forth and illuminates the mind.

The Plan for humanity is patterned not through the energy of Mars (war, strife, separation), but through the energy of Mercury (knowledge, the Mind, harmony, unification). It thus furthers us to develop ourmental faculties, for they are the same pattern and prototype as the Mind of God, from which humanity issued forth. Upcoming astrological events: Easter, the Resurrection (Aries) festival is Sunday, April 4th. It’s a practical day with Capricorn moon. Sunday, April 11this the first spring new moon, 22 Aries. At new moon times we support and endeavors of the New Group of World Servers, extending kindness to all the kingdoms. Mercury leaves Aries (fire) and enters Taurus (earth) April 14th. We begin to seek comfort everywhere. Saturday, April 17this a very complex day. Every planet and star seems to be activated that day. Care and mindfulness is needed. Monday, April 19th, Sun enters Taurus and the Forces of Enlightenment sweep into the Earth, preparing us for the Taurus Festival, the Wesak Buddha Full moon festival, Monday, April 26th, the most important full moon for the year.

ARIES

Everything changed for you when the Sun entered Aries. Your energy lifted and became more available. You were no longer drowning in the waters of Pisces. You feel more impatient now, wanting to move forward, engage in new enterprises, make new impressions in the world. You might feel the need to assume leadership over everyone and everything. Careful. Be kind. Be a gracious and benevolent leader, and understand you move and think more quickly than others. Always have love.

TAURUS

You tell everyone you’d rather remain at home and research and not go out and about for a long long time. You want to catch up on tasks not tended to the past many years. Needing to maintain reserves of energy to get through each day, you need privacy and long solitary walks. Many previously learned behaviors may arise. Observe them. Consider, are they useful? If not, eliminate them. You may dream more. Record all dreams. Over time they tell you a story.

GEMINI

You need to recite mantrams and positive affiliations as well as sharing with groups of friends, seeking their cooperation in either working on a project with you or listening to you with care and intention so you can clarify your thinking. If leading a group, mentor them in cooperation, organize them as a team to achieve a particular goal. Ask each member their hopes, wishes, dreams and aspirations for the future. You’re achieving Aquarian goals, guiding people to ack with intelligence and benevolence.

LEO

You may feel a longing for things far from your usual life and ways of living. Other cultures, people, places and things are summoning you in subtle persistent ways. We have been hidden away for a year now. So, you’re restless for new realities, new journeys, a new adventure. You need new activities, conversations, goals, new subjects to study. An outer fire blends with your inner Leo fire. Everything you seek will appear. Careful with legal issues. Cultivate patience.

VIRGO

You may be called to be more helpful and cooperative and it may be a challenge. But you can do this. Relationships will actually be the challenge, possible, due to confusion, activating a wound. It may be good to consult with someone concerning how to accommodate more easily and settle differences and how to allow everyone to be heard. Careful with impatience and ending things too quickly. Reconcile with those you have had differences. It’s always good to love more.

LIBRA

Life seems to be accelerating, moving faster each day. Sometimes those around you move too quickly and you feel left behind. Perhaps you’re working too hard and too long. Even though you may have abundant energy, tend to your health making this an important priority and a consistent daily practice. Careful with inflammation and infections, too. Begin to slow down on grains and sweets. Eat apples and drink celery juice in the morning. Be calm with co-workers.

SAGITTARIUS

There’s so much energy flowing through your body and mind you simply can’t seem to slow down and you think perhaps you have no selfdiscipline. Use and direct the unbounded energy for creative activities. You could also take up a sport and/or find children, or those who are childlike, to play with. Romantic things are good too and your love life may call forth a deeper level of passion. Make sure you get enough sleep. Don’t risk anything taking changes. Do play (innocently) more. Reveal yourself more, too. It has unsuspecting consequences.

CAPRICORN

Much of your energy is focused at home or where your domestic self resides. You’re highly instinctual at this time and protective. It’s important that you feel secure because you are called to make important decisions concerning family and the home. When feeling unusually moody or frustrated tend to home repairs and re-arrange family activities. Step back if arguments begin. Old emotional issues may resurface. They’ve arrived for review. Soothe them with prayers. Then they disappear.

AQUARIUS

So many ideas and plans on your mind that you feel a bit overwhelmed and scattered and so you try to share these ideas with others but so many errands and tasks come in between you and sharing with others that you feel frustrated and can move into arguments if you’re not careful. Realizing you could feel impatient and impulsive, be careful driving and when using machinery, scissors or knives (while cooking). Your inventive original mind slowly reveals your future. You adapt to all the changes around you with skill and humor.

CANCER

You want to be recognized for your knowledge, abilities, and what you accomplish each day. It’s good to want this recognition for it stimulates your ability to share and provide information to others. Many are in need of real and true information. You always ask the question, “What is real and true?” When we ask, the answers are always given. For those seeking new work or a profession, after mid-May it’s easier to step forward into the world. It is waiting for you.

SCORPIO

Intimacy is important for you at this time. There are many types of intimacy — from friendship to lovers, intimacy of the mind, the heart, and physical intimacy. Things held in common with another is an intimacy. Knowing your values is an intimate level concerning the self. Sometimes, intimacies end and new intimacies begins. Both affect you deeply. Be aware of your subtle and hidden feelings. Realize what you need. Ask for it. Intimates will respond with care.

PISCES

As the new spiritual and astrological year begin, it’s good to create a new journal of values (past, present and future) and aspirations). Draw in your journal too and paste in images. We can ascertain true values by deciding what we need. Tend to monetary issues — bank accounts, taxes, insurance, inheritances, precious metals, etc. With Venus in Aries, money, values and resources need close attention. Don’t impulse buy. It’s important also, to acknowledge your value and worth. What about yourself do you value? “Electric Rail” from page 16

State Funding Sources

The largest state funding source for construction and vehicles is SB 1, Solutions for Congested Corridors Program. The assumption is 52 million.

The second largest state source for construction and vehicles is the Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program. The assumption is $30 million.

Next is the SB 1 Local Partnership competitive grants for construction and vehicles, which require a one-to-one match of state funds. The assumption is $25 million.

SB 1 State Rail Assistance could fund any part of the project from environmental review to maintenance. The assumption is $17 million.

State Transportation Improvement Program dollars, which goes to projects selected by the Santa Cruz County RTC, can fund all parts of construction. The assumption is $10 million.

Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities grants fund projects that benefit low-income communities by increasing access to key destinations with low-carbon transportation. The assumption is $10 million.

Sustainable Transportation Equity Project funds can be used for construction and vehicles to increase access to key destinations. The assumption is $7 million.

Operations Funding Sources

With operations estimated at $275 million a year, all of these funding sources are smaller than those for construction.

Here are the funding assumptions: • Federal State of Good Repair Grants: $2.25 million a year for seven years. • State Transit Assistance: $220,000 a year • State SB 1 Local Partnership: $150,000 a year once final designs. • SB 1 State Rail Assistance: $500,000 a year. • Local operations funding • Measure D 2016 county transportation sales tax: $1.6 million a year to preserve the rail line once it is built. • Rail Line lease/concessions/ads: $750,000 a year. • Fare revenue: $105.5 million a year • Maintenance paid by freight operator: $0.

The report suggested private financing as a possibility, forming a partnership with a private partner to accelerate the project or lower costs.

Such arrangements usually are made near the completion of environmental documents. If the 11-member RTC Commission is interested, staff would issue a request to see if any private entities are interested. n