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| Alfonso@campushill.org |
Dr. Alfonso Valenzuela, Senior Pastor
Alfonso Valenzuela has established a career as a professor, pastor, and author in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. His expertise in the area of marriage and family life has made him a sought-after authority and speaker in this field.
He has lectured in several countries, including Russia, England, Africa, South America, Puerto Rico, Mexico and all over the United States. He received a Bachelors in Theology from Montemorelos University, a Masters of Divinity degree from Andrews University, and a Masters in Psychology from National University. He has also attained a Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) and a Doctor of Philosophy degree (Ph.D.) from Fuller Theological Seminary.
In addition to the dozens of articles he’s written for various publications, he has written several books on marriage, family and preaching. He was a pastor and youth leader for several years in Los Angeles. He taught Counseling and Marriage and Family Studies at Andrews University for almost twenty years.
He has served as Vice-Chairman of the Tulare County Mental Health Board of the State of California; he is nationally certified in Family Wellness and is currently pursuing a license in Marriage and Family Therapy in the state of California.
Pastor Valenzuela and his wife Jeanine have two children: Veruschka and Alan.
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| Larry@campushill.org |
Pastor Larry Christoffel, Pastoral Care & Nurture Ministries
Pastor Larry Christoffel is Pastor for Education and Pastoral Care, and is advisor to several ministries, including community services, homeless ministries, peacemakers, Religious Liberty, and Adult Sabbath School
In 1986, Pastor Larry Christoffel, his wife Joyce and their three children (Erik, Jeff and Greg) came to Campus Hill Church where his assignment was to be a chaplain on the Loma Linda University Campus and work with young adults. Joyce accepted a position teaching 6th grade at Loma Linda Academy which she has continued to hold to the present. Joyce has served as an elder for 20 years and has served in leadership positions, including her present assignment as Children’s Ministry Director. Over the past 24 years, Pastor Christoffel has worked in many different departments, including nurture and evangelism. He teaches a regular Sabbath School class which is presently studying the Gospel of John. He also teaches a Wednesday noon Bible Study class which is offered with a soup and popcorn lunch.
Pastor Christoffel attended public schools through grades 1-12, graduating from Hopewell Highschool in Virginia in 1962. He completed a BA in theology at Columbia Union College in Takoma Park, Maryland in 1968 and a MDiv at the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary in Berrien Springs, Michigan in 1970. He pastored from 1971 to 1979 in Columbus and Cleveland, Ohio, taught Bible at Mount Vernon Academy in Ohio between 1979 and 1980, pastored in Gainesville and Cleveland, Georgia from 1981 to 1986.
His grandfather, Elder W. B. Ochs, was Canadian Union Conference president, Pacific Union Conference president, General Conference vice president and from 1950 until retirement in 1962 the General Conference vice president for North America (before the North American Division was formed). His dad, Ivan Christoffel, died several years ago, having worked as a research chemist and investor. His mom, Marjorie Ochs Christoffel, is a retired piano teacher living in Hopewell, Virginia. His oldest son, Erik living in San Clemente, California, has a company which matches those with computer skills with companies looking to hire them. His son, Jeff, living in Irvine, California, is general manager of Pasadena Honda and owner of Coos Bay Nissan in Coos Bay, Oregon. His youngest son, Greg, is owner of an insurance company in Parris, California. The Christoffels have three grandchildren—Haidyn (daughter of Erik and Tracey), Moriah (daughter of Jeff and Katherine) and Brad (son of Greg and Jenny).
Pastor Larry, as many of the church people call him, enjoys reading, writing, walking, chess, and studying theology. His greatest passion is for the Gospel and considers proclaiming it the heart of his mission in life. A seminary professor, Dr. Carsten A. Johnsen, told him, while he was a seminary student, that his name, “Christoffel,” is probably related to the name, “Christopher,” and comes from two Greek words, “Christ” and “to lift up,”—i.e., “to lift up Christ”. When he said that, Larry responded, “You have just given me a new identity. Over the years, lifting up Christ has been his greatest challenge and greatest desire.
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| Cristian@campushill.org |
Pastor Cristian Iordan, Youth & Media Ministries
Pastor Cristian started his ministry at Campus Hill Church in the spring of 2003, as a Pastor for Children's Ministries. In September 2004 he answered a call to develop and bring to a new level the ministry of Media at Campus Hill Church. For the next few months a new ministry was defined and structured and at the beginning of 2005 Campus Hill Church started broadcasting its worship services, concerts, conferences and other events on Hope Channel, LLBN and HDOCTV. In 2010 Pastor Cristian answered a call to be the Pastor for Youth Ministries in our church. The once attendees of Children's Ministry are now the youth that reunite with their former Children's Pastor.
A graduate of the Adventist Theological Institute in Bucharest, Pastor Cristian holds a Bachelors of Arts in Pastoral Theology. In 2010 Pastor Cristian obtained a Masters of Science in Marital and Family Therapy from the University if Loma Linda. Pastor Cristian is married to Ramona and they have a daughter - Faith and a son - Caleb.
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| Gabriel@campushill.org |
Pastor Gabriel Katrib, Visitation Ministries
Born in Syria, Elder Katrib served there as a teacher, pastor and mission president from 1955 to 1969. He was drafted into Syria's military service on four different occasions as well as the Six Day War in 1967. Because of religious convictions, especially the Lord's Day (Sabbath), Pastor Katrib would not bear arms and was allowed to work as a medic during his military service.
In 1969 he moved his wife and children to Lebanon where he was pastor and departmental secretary for nine years. When civil war broke out, Pastor Katrib and family were in constant danger so in 1979 he moved his family to the United States. Shortly after arriving in America he was invited to pastor in the Ohio Conference for seven years. The Katribs then moved to Pennsylvania where he served as pastor in two different districts for ten years.
Pastor Katrib first retired in 1996 and moved with his wife, Hanneh, to Arizona. While living in Arizona he was asked to pastor the Green Valley Church where he served for seven years. After serving the Seventh-day Adventist Church for over 42 years, Pastor Katrib and Hanneh retired for the second and final time and currently reside in Loma Linda.
A dedicated servant of God, Pastor Katrib could not resist the call to volunteer as pastor for visitation at Campus Hill Church where he currently serves.
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| Mike@campushill.org |
MICHAEL HANSON – “Pastor Mike” has recently joined the staff of the Campus Hill Church and comes to us with over 40 years of ministry service. He is married to Sharon Thurber Hanson, the eldest daughter of Wayne and Virginia Thurber. The early years of their ministry were spent in the Texas and Carolina Conferences with service ranging from Bible Teacher at Valley Grande Academy in Southern Texas to Director of Communication/Health Services in the Carolinas.
Since 1980, the Hansons have ministered throughout the Southern California region including the Paradise Valley, Corona, Palm Desert, Thousand Oaks, and La Mesa churches in the roles of both Senior and Associate pastor.
The Hansons celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary in 2008, in the company of friends and family. They have two grown children living in the Inland Empire: Heidi and Brent Langford and two grandchildren (Jacob and Rachel), in Calimesa, and Jim and Krissy Hanson, in Redlands.
Mike and Sharon are probably best-known for pastoral care, singing, and ministry project work throughout the region. In 1997, they formed a California non-profit corporation for ministry called Concerts of Hope. Through this ministry they have provided revivals, concerts, musical services, chaplaincy services, and mission project opportunities. Most recently, in 2009/2010, they teamed with the singing group All2HIM to raise funds to bring a Rwandan SDA family, in exile for over 16 years, back together in the United States.
Mike, a native Angelino and Californian, graduated from Glendale Adventist Academy, has an undergraduate BA in Theology from Southwestern Adventist College, and an MPH in Health Administration from Loma Linda’s School of Public Health. He especially enjoys visiting church members, teaching, singing, and preaching. When he’s not providing ministry service he enjoys spending time with his grandchildren and “hanging out with Sharon.”
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| Kazar@campushill.org |
Kazar Ackerman - Pastoral Assistant for Youth Ministries
Kazar Acherman was born and raised in California. He is a P.K. (Pastor's Kid) and a proud
father of a 7 year old daughter named Kazaria and a 19 year old step son named Jevon.
Kazar has been married for 11 years to his wife Leua.
He is a junior in college at La Sierra University, where he is pursuing a degree in Religious studies and Biblical Archaeology.
Kazar was baptized in 1999 and he has worked with youth since 2000. He has held many retreats in California and one in Hawaii where he baptized many youth. He went to the Philippines in 2009 for evangelism where he baptized 30 people.