Green Valley Christian Center In the Beginning ~ Present ~ and Future

Amazing, amazing grace! God surely must have sung this song over the many people that have come and gone through the Pajaro Valley and more specifically the church family of Green Valley Christian Center, these past decades. He has and continues to do marvelous things in our community. We are very grateful for the godly heritage of our church family and desire to be a witness to the next generations to come of the goodness of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

In the Beginning: The following is a brief account of the beginnings of the church known today as Green Valley Christian Center, written in part by Missionary Paul Pipkin in March 1988.

During the years, the congregation of the Watsonville church has used four different names. The first name was Upper Room Mission; the second, Full Gospel Church of Pajaro; the third name was Pajaro First Assembly; and now, Green Valley Christian Center. In the beginning, an evangelist’s tent meeting failed to win a single convert, and in discouragement he turned his tent over to my father to use. Father was the principal sponsor of the tent meeting and was not willing to give up on Watsonville. My uncle Otis Culver, was invited by my Father to come to Watsonville and carry on the evangelistic services in the tent. He and his wife Rose accepted the invitation and came to Watsonville. Souls were saved in the tent meeting and a nucleus of believers were gathered together and a promising number became charter members in a new church called the Upper Room Mission, located at 639 West Main Street. This mission was opened up in 1933 with Otis Culver as the pioneer pastor. In 1934, the congregation relocated and built the Full Gospel Church of Pajaro, 20 Salinas Road. Otis Culver continued to serve as pastor until October 1936. Through the following years, God appointed pastors to shepherd His flock. Through the leadership of pastors, Otis Culver (1934-1936), Forrest Lumsden (1936-1938), Harold Byram (1938-1943), Clifford Catledge (1943-1945) , Charles Coffey (1945-1956), Julio Panattoni (1956-1961), Robert Florence (1961-1966). In 1966 Pastor Ed and Jackie Klinsky had the vision to move and expand this church family to Green Valley Road and begin an elementary school ministry as a means to reach out to our community. The Klinsky’s served faithfully for 10 years (1966-1976), and we continue to be blessed to have them as an active part of the Green Valley church family to this day. Following their leadership, Stephen Pruett (1976-1982), and Leland Coffelt (1983-1990), both served as pastors and greatly contributed to the life development of this ministry. The church name was once again changed to Green Valley Christian Center to more closely identify with our location in the community.

Present: In December of 1990, the Lord brought Pastor Dennis and Deanna Smith to shepherd His family at GVCC. He has encouraged us to truly value the things the Lord values, and to deepen the purposes of God into our lives as individuals and as a church. Under his leadership we believe we are growing to be a more healthy church, spiritually, emotionally, physically, by the renewing of our minds and the power of the grace of Jesus. We are indeed grateful for Deanna, his partner in life and ministry, that has imparted such a hunger for the living and active presence of Jesus and has modeled a surrendered heart before Him as she faithfully oversees the music ministry. Also on the pastoral team are Pastor Ed Kopper, Pastor Ray and Judy York, and Pastor Peter and Donna Bobbitt. We are grateful for the diverseness of this team, the many gifts and talent that God has designed to bring much fruit in this season. Their passion for the Lord and making His kingdom their primary concern has sharpened the faith of so many.

Future: It is a great delight to see our children rising up to minister in Jesus’ Name, to know and follow His calling on their lives. While we look forward to the Lord’s coming, by His grace we will keep our hearts aligned with His and we will serve His purposes, finding great joy that the relationships that have developed through this journey will last for eternity.

. . . It is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him" 1 Cor. 2:9 (NIV).

PASTORS WHO HAVE SERVED IN GREEN VALLEY CHRISTIAN CENTER
REV. OTIS CULVER 1934 - 1936
REV. FORREST LUMSDEN NOV. 1936 - SEPT. 1938
REV. HAROLD BYRAM 1938 - 1943
REV. CLIFFORD CATLEDGE 1943 - 1945
REV. CHARLES COFFEY 1945 - MAY 1956
REV. JULIO PANATTONI 1956 - AUG. 1961
REV. ROBERT FLORENCE NOV. 1961 - JUNE 1966
REV. EDWARD KLINSKY JULY 1966 - OCT. 1976
REV. STEPHEN PRUETT NOV. 1976 - DEC. 1982
REV. LEE COFFELT JAN. 1983 - SEPT. 1990
REV. DENNIS SMITH DEC. 1990 - PRESENT