the staff of first baptist church
Rev. Hans Kistner - Senior Pastor
hans@firstbaptistsb.com
I love living and working in Santa Barbara which has a small town feel with international cultural influences. The mountains remind me of my home state of Virginia and the ocean is the place I dreamed of living near when I grew up. My family enjoys living where we once vacationed!
Over 6 years ago I was called to join with this community in order to engage the new culture without losing touch with tradition. Neo-emergent describes our posture as holding hands with the past and reaching for the future. We have American Baptist Ministries such as our Missions support, American Baptist Women’s circles and American Baptist men. We are also planting a network of house churches through an emergent movement called The Fields Christian Communities. God’s grace and Christian Community are the two themes that permeate my philosophy of Jesus’ ministry.
I dream of seeing an inspired community of people intersect our world with a gospel that speaks through actions of love. I dream of a traditional church that welcomes those from decades past to find meaningful, Christ-centered opportunities to be Christian community. I dream of a network of house churches that each have the same outline for their purpose and vision statements but work them out according to their demographic calling. In a church where diversity of expression is free and agreement on essentials of healthy Christian spirituality. To see these dreams come true is requiring our congregation to lay down former priorities, establish new practices and rebuild young leadership. We are pioneering a new church that can be transitional from the 20th to the 21st century. We depend on God’s Spirit, prayer, hard work and consensus to move forward toward Christian spiritual health.
Elaine Parkey - Choir/Music Director - Celebrating 26 years in 2007!
elaineparkey@cox.net
Elaine has fun directing one of the last church choirs on the Central Coast! She is talented but more, she is loved. The 15 member choir leads our worship each week with beautiful anthems accompanied by organ and piano.
Elaine has been the Choir Director for 25 years but has been a member of FBC for over 35 years and engenders love for people and the Lord we try to emulate. Elaine has accompanied stars like Maureen O’hara, Tennessee Ernie Ford and was an accompanist with the Roger Williams Choirs.
Elaine is married for 53 years to Charles.
Darrell Degenhart - Organist
Melanie Duxbury - Youth & Missions Intern
melanie@firstbaptistsb.com
Diana Montiel - Mission Intern
dianamontiel@hotmail.com (805)637-5415
Belinda Busby - Office Manager
office@firstbaptistsb.com
Debbie Price - Book Keeper
