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Associate
Pastor of Youth ~ Rev. Bill Hodgeman
I grew up the middle child of a nuclear engineer
and a Kindergarten teacher on the New Hampshire seacoast. While
on retreat in junior high, the Holy Spirit enabled my young mind
and heart to wrap themselves around the gospel of Christ. It was
halfway through High School (when I was dreaming of being a sports
broadcaster) when God redirected my plans and gave me the irresistible
call to pastoral ministry.
After three years at Azusa Pacific University
(in Los Angeles County, CA) I emerged from the smog with degrees
in Communication Studies,
Biblical Studies and Ultimate Frisbee. In the three years since
I’ve married the woman of my dreams, earned a Masters of
Divinity from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary and witnessed
the birth of my son.
I look forward to becoming a part of this community
and church family. As my ministry unfolds here, I hope to serve
out of the
following four convictions:
- Prayer is the
only necessary thing. Western culture is obsessed
with doing. Our inclination is to fix, manage and psychologize
our way through problems. But our busy-ness and desire to control
life threatens to remove God from the equation. Techniques and
genius can accomplish the possible, the natural, the predictable—but
only God can accomplish the impossible, the supernatural and the
unpredictable. This should bring us, this should bring me,
regularly to my knees.
- Youth Ministry
is Everyone's Job. The most important ministry
a church can offer today's young people is the presence of caring
adults who have an authentic relationship with Jesus. No
matter how hip and dynamic a church's youth program might be,
the program will never impact kids lives with the love of Christ
quite like real people will. In many ways, my job as a youth
pastor is to help the congregation to embrace and nurture both
our own kids, and the kids of this community who do not yet know
Christ.
- Spiritual Growth
can’t be taught. Spiritual growth
happens when Christ’s truth and love begin to seep into
new places in our lives—our thoughts, words, actions, relationships
and commitments. Spiritual growth is the result of connections
made between prayer and parenting, service and friendship, sacrifice
and bank accounts, the cross and the workplace. Spiritual growth
doesn’t happen when the Christian meets the classroom, but
when the rubber meets the road.
<PSCRC's
Youth Ministry Vision>
<Pastor
Bill’s Bookshelf>
<Pastor
Bill’s Favorite
Sins>
Pastor of Support Ministries ~ Rev. Howard DeVries with his wife Marlene
Office Administrator ~ Judy Godeke
Welcome to Pleasant Street Church—as you enter our offices just off
the lobby of the main church entrance, I will greet you warmly and
mentally pray you will be blessed. I will usually be trying to do
at least three things at once—there are weekly bulletins,
mail, phone and email messages, minutes and agendas to type
and disburse, photos and biographies of new members, church
records,
letters, and many other small tasks that occupy my time. Then
there are larger tasks, such as the yearly directory; office budgets,
contracts, and supplies; the annual master plan; job descriptions
for all volunteers, etc., that get accomplished in between.
My journey here began with receiving Jesus as my
Savior at age four and with a vision of myself doing church administration
at age 19.
I was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, lived in the Philippines
as a child with my missionary family, went to Beaver and then Dordt
Colleges, and came to Whitinsville to teach third grade at Whitinsville
Christian School from 1970 to 1973. I married Don in 1971 and three
years later, our three daughters began to arrive: Christian Joy,
Carry Hope, and Grace May. From 1986 to 2002, I was the secretary
at Fairlawn Church. In 1989, I also became the secretary at Pleasant
Street Church, a position that has grown from about ten hours a
week to be full-time office administration with a wonderful staff
of servants.
We are here for you—to pray with you, send out your prayer
requests on our email and phone prayer chains, and help the details
of your worship, small group, and friendship experiences to flow
in the goodness of our wonderful God and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Judy
Godeke
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