POSITION – Senior Pastor

BORN & RAISED – Grew up in Lafayette, CA (in the San Francisco Bay Area), where I was very involved at the First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley.

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE – While receiving a BA at Whitworth College, God led me to volunteer as a youth leader with the First Presbyterian Church of Spokane and worked summers at a Presbyterian camp called Camp Spalding. After college, I founded a ministry called the Westminster House with four others and became a missionary in the inner city of Spokane. In 1993, God called me to New York City where I volunteered in ministry at Redeemer Presbyterian Church with Rev. Tim Keller. In 1996, I married Paige and became a member of The Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church in New York City. I graduated from Princeton Theological Seminary in 2001 with an M.Div. I then became an associate pastor at First Presbyterian Church Colorado Springs in 2001, and later joined the pastoral staff of Whitworth Community Presbyterian Church in 2004. I received a Ph.D. in leadership and preaching from Gonzaga University in May of 2013. In the summer of 2014, I was called as the new Head of Staff/ Senior Pastor of Moorpark Presbyterian Church.

FAMILY – My wife, Paige, grew up in La Jolla, and attended Whitworth University receiving a B.A. in Philosophy as well as completed her K-12 teaching credential. Paige was also a founder of the Westminster House in Spokane which led to receiving a fellowship to attend Princeton Theological Seminary where she received an M.A. in Christian Education. Since that time she has been a certified teacher in inner city communities in New York City and Spokane, Washington. We have three kids. Aiden (15), enjoys science, engineering, tennis, swimming, and his robotics team. Kenna (13), can’t get enough of Shakespeare, loves reading and writing, and enjoys singing and being in choir. Lilian (7), loves being outside, cross-country running, discovering God’s creativity in nature, and having fun with friends.

HOBBIES –Enjoy family time, movies, dinner with friends, hiking, scuba diving, science, theater, piano, writing, skiing, exercising, and studying.

FAVORITE BIBLE VERSE & WHY – I really like Romans 8:1-2 since this expresses the incredible freedom we have in Christ. The end of that chapter (Romans 8:38-39) gets me really excited too. 1st Corinthians 16:13-14 is a good reminder of our faithful posture in the world. John 1:14 really knocks me off my feet – I love it.

FUN FACT ABOUT YOU –When I asked Paige to marry me, we weren’t even dating.

CONTACT – 805-529-8422, or [email protected]

Biography of Rev. Janet Loughry

POSITION – Associate Pastor

BORN & RAISED – I was raised in Pennsylvania and came to California the day after high school graduation in 1969.

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE – B.A. in Management from the University of Redlands, while working in residential loans in the business world.  Master of Divinity from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California in 1999.  I also completed an internship at Moorpark Presbyterian Church in the area of children’s ministry as well as three units of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) at St. John’s Regional Medical Center, Oxnard.

After many years of lay minister work, both at La Canada Presbyterian Church and Moorpark Presbyterian Church, I 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 my position to be a more open-ended one as Stated Supply Associate Pastor. I also am on the board of Senior Concerns in Thousand Oaks.

FAMILY – My 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.  We have one grandson, aged 24, and three granddaughters, ages 22, 20 and 6.

HOBBIES – Gardening, walking, cooking, reading mysteries and listening to classical music

FAVORITE BIBLE VERSE & WHY – Isaiah 41:10 – A very dear and special friend sent me that verse in a card during my first month in this call.  I have it taped to my printer here in the office and read daily – probably several times a day.  It is truth, encouragement, affirmation and love.

FUN FACT ABOUT YOU – I have been known to sing in the car and “direct” the music with Red Vine licorice as the “baton” – but the “batons” mysteriously shrink; hmm, I wonder why.

CONTACT – 805-529-8422 ext. 2 or email [email protected]

Biography of Dave Hubbard

POSITION/TITLE – Youth Ministries Director

BORN & RAISED –Suburbs of Chicago, IL. I moved to Phoenix, AZ after college.

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE – It took me awhile to figure out what I wanted to do with my life, but two years after high school I felt a calling to youth ministry. I graduated from Judson University in Elgin, IL in 2003 with a B.A. in Youth Ministry/Adolescent Studies, where I had the privilege to gain some early experience through a couple great internships. Ever since, I've been on an adventurous journey in youth ministry in both full-time and volunteer roles. Most recently, I spent six years working at a Lutheran church in Phoenix, until God called me to MPC. For over 10 years now, I've been working with and for the church.

FAMILY – My wife's name is Lara (pronounced like Lara Croft, but without the tomb raider part) and we're still newlyweds (married Oct 2011). We have two cats, Kiko & Bella, who we talk to as if they're our children.

HOBBIES – Playing board games with friends, eating food with friends, watching movies with friends, sitting at Starbucks with friends...you get the point. I also enjoy running, and intense games of basketball.

FAVORITE BIBLE VERSE & WHY –Philippians 2:1-16. This passage speaks of unity in Christ, which I'd say is pretty important, but has been with me since college when I was a part of a group that did a mission trip to Hawaii (yea, pretty sweet huh?). We had to memorize this passage as we worked together to complete our mission. To this day, some of those guys are my closest friends.

FUN FACT ABOUT YOU – I'm an Android fanatic; I subscribe to many Android blogs and read them daily. I also think Twitter is WAY better than Facebook.

CONTACT – 805-529-8422 x3 or [email protected]

Biography of Michelle Petersen

POSITION/TITLE – Youth Assistant

BORN & RAISED –In a small farm town in Burlington Jct., MO

FAMILY – I am the oldest of 3 kids, I have a younger brother and sister and am now married to Jim and have 3 kids – Lauren, Nick, and Eric

HOBBIES – Quilting, reading, working out, traveling

FAVORITE BIBLE VERSE & WHY – 2 Corinthians 5:7 – For we walk by faith and not by sight.

FUN FACT ABOUT YOU – My high school graduating class was 21 students.

CONTACT – [email protected]

Biography of Paige McIlraith

POSITION – Children’s Ministries Director

BORN & RAISED –

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE –

FAMILY & PETS –

HOBBIES –

FAVORITE BIBLE VERSE & WHY –

FUN FACT ABOUT YOU –

ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE –

CONTACT – 805-529-8422 or [email protected]g

Biography of Dan McGowan

POSITION – Woprship Director

WORK POSITION & COMPANY – My BA is in vocal performance and music composition from California State University at Northridge. I have over 20 years experience serving in Christian churches in the area of Music and Worship Arts including planning and directing choral and instrumental groups of all ages and sizes, ensembles, drama teams, theatrical outreach-oriented productions, songwriting, arranging, producing and more.

BORN & RAISED – My parents were nightclub entertainers and I was born "on the road" in Reno, Nevada. We moved to the Los Angeles suburb of Glendale before I was five years old and I stayed there until I entered junior college.

FAMILY & PETS –I am happily married to my wife, Kathy. Kathy works as a nurse where her gifts of mercy and compassion are utilized to the max. We have three grown children: Rachel, who is married to Jared. She is a graduate (MA) of Azusa Pacific University and currently works guiding and shaping the lives of young women helping them prepare for adulthood. Kevin is currently on track to work with teens and young adults who struggle with addiction. And Michael is a graduate of Cal Berkeley (math major) and currently works for the crowd-funding organization, Indiegogo in the Bay area. My wife has a dog named Shay that I allow to live with us.

HOBBIES –I love the arts - everything creative! Film, theater, television, just about anything where creativity is going on. I have enjoyed working as a screenwriter, voice over talent, clean/christian comedian, on-camera actor and related areas of the entertainment industry. While I love those areas - my heart continues to beat for helping local congregations encounter the presence and power of the Lord in the midst of meaningful and memorable worship experiences.

FAVORITE BIBLE VERSE & WHY – I have always been a fun-loving guy. For that reason, a youth leader once gave me what he felt was my life verse: Proverbs 26: 18, 19 which says, "Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows and death, so is the man who deceives his neighbor and then says, 'I was only joking!' " - - but my actual favorite scripture passage comes from John 9 - Jesus has healed a blind man and the religious leaders are trying to discount the event. The blind man has no answer to offer other than this: "All I know is that I used to be blind, and now I can see!" This is a great reminder of how we always need to shift our focus away from the "HOW" and, instead, to the "WHO" of our worship.

FUN FACT ABOUT YOU – Too many to list... but the first that comes to mind are the two times I appeared on "The Gong Show." If you want to know more about that, my office is always open...

ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE – We humans are created and designed to worship. It is part of our make-up. And we DO worship many things... jobs, skills, money, etc. My passion is to help us discover that worship of God, through his son, Jesus, in the power of the Holy Spirit, can be awe-filled, inspiring, joyful and celebratory all at the same time, transforming us at a deep level that makes every other object of worship pale in comparison. I look forward to sharing that journey with Moorpark Presbyterian Church.

CONTACT – 805-529-8422 X4, or [email protected]

Biography of Dan Crane

POSITION – Small Group Coordinator

BORN & RAISED – I was born and raised in Los Angeles, Ca. I left town here and there but always found my way back to sunny Southern California.

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE – B.A. in Political Science from CSUN. Most of my adult life I have spent as a Financial Consultant, initially with Dean Witter Reynolds. I am currently affiliated with Financial West Group in Westlake Village. I am certified as a Personal Trainer however, it is not a business and I only use it for personal improvement and helping friends and family. 

FAMILY & PETS – I have two beautiful daughters, Caroline, 23, a senior BSN student at Cal State Chico, and Margaret 21, a junior majoring in anthropology and film studies at UCLA.

HOBBIES – Fitness training, running (when my knees cooperate), reading, tennis, snow skiing (I love this the most but rarely go anymore), spending time with family and friends (actually, maybe I love this more), sharing evenings out with good food and wine, watching college football and basketball (especially UCLA), playing golf, spending time with my church family (wow, that family and friends thing comes up frequently. I guess those relationships are meaningful).

FAVORITE BIBLE VERSE & WHY – John 14:6-7 Belief in this passage is the foundation upon which I became and remain a Christian.

FUN FACT ABOUT YOU – I am somewhat of a white knuckle flyer, however I used to skydive when I was in my 20s.

Biography of Loris Mitchell

POSITION – Secretary

BORN & RAISED – in Southern California and Hawaii

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE – BA, double major in Religion and Education

FAMILY & PETS –  Husband James, sons Morgan and Colin, two cats.

HOBBIES – reading, needlepoint, crochet, gardening, computer games.

FAVORITE BIBLE VERSE & WHY – Jeremiah 17:7-8  This verse reminds me that no matter the circumstances of my life or in the world around me, inexhaustible grounding and strength come from the Lord. 

FUN FACT ABOUT YOU – I can't wait until flights in space are available to regular people, I want to go!

CONTACT – 805-529-8422 or [email protected]

Biography of Bonnie Boe

POSITION – Disbursing Treasurer

BORN & RAISED – New York City, NY

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE – Privately educated with business marketing, accounting, professional catering

FAMILY & PETS –Husband, Jeff – Children:  Nicole 33, Andrew 26, Dylan 13(on Saturday!!! Oh, boy!!), Braeden 11 (in a couple of weeks…double oh, boy!!)

HOBBIES –Reading, especially theology related materials, writing, acting, preaching

FAVORITE BIBLE VERSE & WHY –John 15:15 “I am the vine and you are the branches.  He that abides in me and I in him will bring forth much fruit.  For without me, you can do nothing.”  A daily reminder that all I have is His, given to me freely because I am grafted into Him.  It is my job to bring the fruit of His vine to the world.”

CONTACT – 805-529-8422 x6 or [email protected]

Biography of Rev. Dr. Daryl Fisher-Ogden

POSITION – Parish Associate (currently Parish Associate Elect, to be confirmed by the Presbytery in September); a Parish Associate is a clergy person who is invited by the Pastor and Session to assist in the ministry of the congregation. I am focusing on Mission and Evangelism.

WORK POSITION & COMPANY – Chair, School of Criminal Justice, ITT-Tech, Sylmar

BORN & RAISED – Oakland & Bay Area

FAMILY & PETS –Married to Greg, 2 young adult children, 2 beagles

HOBBIES –Reading, especially fantasy, and long walks with Greg

FAVORITE BIBLE VERSE & WHY – Philippians 2:13 because I know that it is only as God works in my heart & mind that I am able to be conformed into the image of Jesus.

FUN FACT ABOUT YOU – As a graduate of UC Berkeley, I was a hippie & some of that still comes out.