ABOUT
Our Mission and Values
The Gathering is a ministry committed to helping churches grow. Many times congregations and pastors are working at serving those in their care and could use assistance in advancing the Kingdom of God.
Our Mission is to support the local pastor and church and provide counsel and services to help churches grow. Regardless of the demographics, local challenges and dynamics of the local church, each church can grow!
Our Vision is to serve churches, helping them to expand their vision and effectiveness in serving the congregation and reaching others.
Our Values are:
•The compassion of Christ, which leads us to care for others and share in their joy or sorrow.
•The diversity of congregations.
•The hospitality of the church, as we welcome all people.
•The discipline of Christianity, as we seek to follow God's Word and nurture others in following Him.
•The worship we offer to God and our respect for Him and others.
If you are interested in assistance in helping your church to grow, give us a call at 818-970-3610.
Pastor Terry & Laura
Our heart is to reach people for the Lord and assist churches in their vision for God's kingdom.
Biography
Terry was born in Chicago, but lived here in Southern California since his teen years, he came to know Christ as a teenager, traveled to England on a missionary trip and moved to the Sunland area to become the youth pastor of a newly established church in 1979. In the years following, he became the senior pastor, and later, merged the church with another congregation in the city of San Fernando. Terry & Laura also assisted Montrose Community Church, building the congregation, leading them out of bankruptcy and potential loss of their church, and then launched a new ministry called "The Gathering" in October 2016..
In his early pastorate, he established a private school for families who teach their own children at home which has served over four thousand students. This private school, Sunland Christian School, was granted special status in helping establish the legality of home school through a California Appellate Court case in 2008. He founded the National Independent Study Accreditation Council in 1996, which provides third party accountability to home school programs throughout the United States, and serves as it executive director. In the earlier years, Terry produced and hosted "Educating Our Children" a weekly radio broadcast for nine years on a local religious fm radio station, KFSG.
He holds a Bachelor of Theology degree, is an ordained minister and a certified celebrant (serving families in grief throughout the valley). He studied at Fuller Seminary, working towards a Marriage Family Child Counseling degree. He and Laura also have a small business, Creative Memories, providing services for families who have lost a loved one.
Laura was born in San Fernando and raised in Sylmar, California and graduated from Sylmar High. She became a preschool teacher and earned a degree in child development. She grew up in a local church in San Fernando and served in every capacity during her time there. She sang in the choirs since childhood, taught Sunday School, provided children sermons, was a Women's Spiritual Devotion leader, member of the Education Committee and assisted the pastors as a Licensed Lay Speaker and studied to become a local pastor. She periodically would help to design the worship and preach on Sundays.
She had also created a Senior outreach program, and worked as a care giver for senior citizens. Along with her mother she assisted in developing a girl’s weekly homemaking program, "Sunshine Girls," which served young girls through teenagers for seventeen years. She had developed many other programs in the church and served on several committees within the church. She also was a member of the leadership council at a local public elementary school.
Together, Terry and Laura are very personable. If you have any questions, or would like to talk with Terry or Laura, they can be reached at (818) 970-3610 or by email at thegathering.socal@gmail.com.