You know us missionaries…we like to talk. It’s more rare than common place since we are so spread out around the world. But when you do get the chance to rub shoulders with those in long term missions the topics of conversation are vast, but one topic is never left out, never pushed to the side. The topic is support. That is every missionary’s lifeline. The word “support” often simply connotates financial support. But those of us who serve, that word means WAY more than that.
When we walked through Pastor Steve’s office door back in 1996, we shared that we felt called into long term missions. We thought surely, Pastor Steve would know what our next steps would look like. We were met with encouragement but also a fun little smile as he shared that since the church hadn’t yet sent out any missionaries, he didn’t really know what next steps were! Canyon Hills Community Church was founded only a year prior with a number of us standing with Steve and Tammi to start a new daughter church in Bothell Washington.
Let’s get back to the topic of support and talking with fellow missionaries. After being on the mission field for only a few years, we realized that we had something really special with Pastor Steve and CHCC. Time after time we heard horror stories of missionaries feeling lonely and isolated, feeling like outcasts, not feeling safe as they stepped out into the world of missions. Fellow missionaries would tell stories of begging for prayer coverage, resources, funds and sadly, to be remembered, from their own churches. Now don’t me wrong, selling your house and worldly possessions, leaving your church, your family and friends is insanely scary. Not to mention, we had three super young kiddos that came with Chris and I. Words cannot due justice; the amount of terror and exhilaration for Chris and I in those months leading up to our departure in April of 1997. But where so many missionaries struggled, we were/are so very blessed. Even though we were thousands of miles across the world, (without internet/phones in our early years) we never once felt those things listed above from other missionaries… never once. That’s because support is more than money. Having the support of Canyon Hills and Pastor Steve, we always felt seen, safe, valued, heard and encouraged in addition to finances. We had no idea how bad others had it until the stories would come, the tears would flow of those that struggled, that served right alongside us but had come from different sending churches.
We have had over the course of our 27 years in missions some really great mountain top experiences and some deep valleys of sadness with the loss of my parents, Chris’s near fatal accident while serving in Belize in 2010, our base closure in 2019 and its many issues and more recently, our son Josh and his disappearance while hiking in 2021. Through those mountains and valleys Steve, our missions pastor Corey along with the elders of Canyon Hills created our safe place and safe haven. Of course God is ultimately our safe place but God has used our sending church for that tangible safety. In the mission world, it’s unheard of to the degree that we have been loved on and cared for all these years.
This last Sunday, October 13th, Chris and I hopped on a plane to say goodbye to Pastor Steve for his very last sermon as head pastor of Canyon Hills Community Church. We felt it only fitting to be there with his last sermon as we were there for his very first sermon 29 years ago. There were many tears of joy and sadness for those throughout the arena. I cannot begin to count the texts, the FaceTime calls, cell phone calls and meals we have had over the years with Steve. One fun memory I was reminded of is the time Pastor Corey and Pastor Steve flew to Belize to experience first hand, missions with the Toneys (can anyone say killer mosquitoes?!)
Steve… thank you. Thank you for never forgetting us, for laughing and crying with us, for your support from afar and near. Thank you for being one of the most amazing persons we have been able to call friend. Thank you for being so real and grounded and never letting the role of “Head Pastor” get to your head. Thank you for letting me pick on you, pester and bother you via text. Chris and I know that Pastor Coby, the elders and Pastor Corey and members of CHCC will continue to love us and all their “supported” missionaries well in this transition. But it just won’t be the same.
Pastor Steve, your legacy will always be a part of our family’s testimony in serving in missions.
Happy retirement!
With Love,
Chris and Lynn