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| Biography of Dave Wilkinson
Pastor Dave Wilkinson was born in Ohio but grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area -- a fact that used to be important every year during football season but which has recently lost its luster. Always the optimist, he believes the 49ers are coming back.
He attended Whitworth College in Spokane, Washington with a major in journalism. He graduated from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena with a Master of Divinity degree in 1975. While a student at Fuller he worked with youth at Bel Air Presbyterian Church and at St. John's Presbyterian Church in West Los Angeles.
In 1975, Dave was ordained as a minister of the Word and Sacrament to become the Associate Pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Concord, Ca. After four years in Concord he became pastor of Trinity Presbyterian Church in Oroville, CA.
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In 1986 he was invited by the Presbytery of Santa Barbara to organize the new Presbyterian Church in Moorpark. He has now served as Pastor for over twenty years. As part of his service to the larger church, Dave serves as chairperson of the Committee on Ministry for the Presbytery of Santa Barbara and as a member of the resource team for Presbyterians for Renewal at the meetings of the Presbyterian General Assembly.
Dave's wife Carol works with preschool children at Rainbow Children's Center in Moorpark. They have two sons. Ryan lives with his wife Wendy in Portland, Oregon. Kevin lives in Moorpark. He has completed his teaching credential and volunteers with the High School ministry at church.
Dave enjoys reading, history, travel and photography. His "years from now retirement goal" is to be a volunteer guide at Gettysburg.
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Biography of Janet Loughry
Moorpark Presbyterian Churchs Associate Pastor Janet Loughry was raised in Pennsylvania. During her junior year in high school she was drawn to the Presbyterian tradition. She came to California the day after high school graduation in 1969.
She earned her B.A. in Management from the University of Redlands, while working in residential loans in the business world. She attended Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena,California , where she received a Master of Divinity degree in 1999. She completed an internship at Moorpark Presbyterian Church in the area of children’s ministry; and three units of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) at St. John’s Regional Medical Center, Oxnard.
She has many years of effective work as a lay minister, both at La Canada Presbyterian Church and Moorpark Presbyterian Church.
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Janet was ordained as minister of Word and Sacrament to the position of Interim Associate Pastor at Moorpark Presbyterian Church on June 18, 2000. In September 2005 the Santa Barbara Presbytery voted Janet’s position to be a more open-ended one as Stated Supply Associate Pastor.
Janet’s husband Richard Brain is Director of Work Preservation for the Cement Masons. Richard has two adult sons, Scott, who is married to Cheryl; and Greg, who is married to Karen. He and Janet have one grandson, aged 20, and three granddaughters, ages 18 and 16 and 2. Janet enjoys gardening, walking, cooking, reading mysteries and listening to classical music.
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Biography of Em Blattner
I was born and raised on the east coast of South Africa in a city called Durban. I lived there until I graduated from high school and then moved to the northern part of Switzerland near Zurich.
I have a BA in Religion and will be starting an MDiV at Fuller in the Fall of 2007.
I have three older brothers, two of whom live in Switzerland and the oldest is in South Africa. One of my brothers is married and has two beautiful children, one of which is my godson. My wonderful parents also live in Switzerland .
I love working out, playing guitar, surfing, spear fishing, soccer, the great sport of rugby, and pool. I also like to read books and watch fighting sports on TV.
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I have worked with several churches throughout my life as I have been raised in a Christian household. My main focus has been in children’s ministries for the last four years and helping start a youth program at a fellow pastor’s church. I have also worked in Zurich with alcoholics and drug addicts in rehabilitation with the Salvation Army.
1 Cor. 11:1 “Follow my example as I follow the example of Christ.” Paul speaking.
I also really enjoy 1 John, the book of love and how it is composite in defining Christian love.
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Biography of Laurie Loring
I was born in Ohio but moved every three years or so, living in different hotels in major cities, as my father was a hotel manager for Sheraton. I went to high school in Pasadena and have lived in California since that time.
I went to UC Davis and got my bachelors in animal science. After starting a family, I stopped working in the animal and research field. I have studied the Bible as a participant and then discussion leader in Bible Study Fellowship since 1988. I began my “hands-on” education in children’s ministries in 1990, learning from others and gleaning from them.
My husband, Steve, and I have four children: Ryan (20 yrs), Stephanie (17), J.K. (13) and Craig (10). We have lived in Westlake Village since 1990.
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I love working in children’s ministries and am drawn to other crafty and creative endeavors that change as my family changes. Simple home improvements, doing scrapbooks, playing with kids and pets are current interests. Love to go to the beach, travel, and shop when time and money afford.
After college, I worked a couple years with local veterinary hospitals, and then was a Research Associate for 6 years at UCLA’s Crump Institute where I worked in basic and medical research. In 1990, I took an interim position in children’s ministries at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Westlake Village, which continued until 1999. In May of 2000, I started working here in children’s ministries.
1 Samuel 16:7
God does not see the same way people see. People look at the outside things but the Lord looks at the heart.”
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| Biography of Kristin Giffin
Kristin grew up in Oak Park, California. Kristen lived in New York for several years, performing in Broadway shows and national tours.
She is a graduate of American Center for Music Theatre (New York and Los Angeles) and she attended Moorpark College and UCLA.
She was a teacher, choreographer and advisor at Oaks Christian School in Thousand Oaks, CA . Kristen was trained in Lay Ministry and served as Director of Lay Ministry at Westminster Presbyterian Church.
Kristin is married to her wonderful husband Eric and have a beautiful daughter Hannah.
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She loves gardening, reading, dancing, singing, and cleaning (believe it or not!)
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7
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I was born and raised in Beirut, Lebanon, and moved to the United States with my parents and two brothers when I was six. We settled in New Jersey, a beautiful suburb, on the border of New York State. I lived there till moving to California in 1988.
I attended John Jay College for Criminal Justice in Manhattan, and worked as an Investigator for the City of New York . I worked for the Attorney General, and investigated Consumer Fraud cases.
My husband Christopher and I met in California, and have been married for almost fifteen years. We have two children, Meagan, who is now 12 and Conner, who is now 9.
I love curling up with a good book, getting together with friends, exercising, and being a student of God’s Word.
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Although I am not solving crimes anymore, I am bringing people together, so they can attempt to solve the mysteries of God, through the study of His Word. Nothing can be more rewarding than seeing His children discuss, explore and challenge the Word of God as it applies to their lives.
Philippians 4:13:
I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.
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Born in Indiana but lived in Colorado until the age of 11. In Southern California ever since. Surprisingly, the thirteen years I have lived in Moorpark as an adult is the longest time I have lived in the same house.
I have a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Cal State Long Beach in Recreation Administration. I have a Secondary Teaching Credential from Cal Lutheran in Social Studies and Theatre Arts. I started out as a Theatre Arts Major at Long Beach but changed to Recreation middle of my sophomore year. But the love of theatre stuck with me, and 20+ years later, I am doing something I am passionate about.
My father is a Lutheran minister and my mother was a nurse. I have one brother who runs an outdoor Christian Camp in Oklahoma.
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I have been married to Rich, who is a Financial Planner, for 25 years and we have two sons, Ben, who is a junior at Azusa Pacific University, and majoring in broadcast communications, and Sam who is a senior at Moorpark High School .
I love spending time with friends and family. I am an infrequent crafter (meaning, I will do something artsy when the mood strikes). I love to travel. I love to surf the web and find interesting and unique things on line. I love to sing in our church choir and love anything to do with William Shakespeare.
The majority of my work life has been in the public sector with parks and recreation. I have worked for the Cities of Irvine, Cerritos, Buena Park, Walnut, Signal Hill, Santa Fe Springs, and Moorpark. After twenty years of that, I left municipal government work, and went back to get my teaching credential. I have been the Theatre Arts teacher at Mesa Verde Middle School in Moorpark since 1999.
Serving as the Drama Minister at Moorpark Presbyterian seems like a natural extension of my other job!
Psalm 31:15 “My times are in Your Hands, Oh Lord.” Reminding me that God will take care of things in my life in His own time frame, not mine. It helps to keep me from being too anxious about things I cannot control.
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Biography of Kiavash Adibzadeh -
My parents named me Kiavash Patrick Adibzadeh. Normally, people cant say Kiavash so everyone winds up calling me Kia! I was born in West LA and raised in this wonderful town of Moorpark. I went to Moorpark High school and graduated in the class of 2005. I currently attend Moorpark College, majoring in music.
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I have an older brother named Koorosh, who is currently living in Seattle,Washington. I live at home with my loving parents who both have a college education. My mother works at Kaiser Permanente as a Nurse Midwife and my father works at Northrop Grumman as a computer engineer. I enjoy playing music, fishing, sports, cooking, Eating, reading and of course working with the youth. Also, nothing better then having a BBQ with some family and friends! In middle school I committed my life to the Lord at the age of thirteen. After, I was involved playing music in the worship team at a church in Agoura. Last summer I was blessed to go to Paraguay and Brazil to server as a missionary. There in Brazil, I learned how to street evangilise and learned the importance in spreading God’s word.
My favorite bible verse is “And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice-the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” –Romans12:1-2
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