Spiritual Spotlight: Couple moves from Maine to serve in Sequim Adventist church

Couple moves from Maine to serve in Sequim Adventist church; community service remains a top goal for church’s new pastors

By Matthew Nash • March 3, 2015 7:58 pm
New pastors Mark and Collette Pekar look to meet more people in the church and community after starting at the Sequim Seventh-day Adventist Church in January. The couple said they have a heart for community service and that Collette is the “dreamer” and Mark is the “practical one.” “He’s my brakes
New pastors Mark and Collette Pekar look to meet more people in the church and community after starting at the Sequim Seventh-day Adventist Church in January. The couple said they have a heart for community service and that Collette is the “dreamer” and Mark is the “practical one.” “He’s my brakes

by MATTHEW NASH

Sequim Gazette

From one tip of the country to the other, Mark and Collette Pekar plan to make their next ministry in Sequim possibly their last.

The couple who spent 20 years in Brunswick, Maine, started in January at the Sequim Seventh-day Adventist Church, 30 Sanford Lane, with the intent to retire here.

“It was totally unexpected. We knew nobody there (in Maine),” Mark said. “All the pieces just fell into place. We figured it’d be a short stint but we just found the right fit.”

Mark, originally from Akron, Ohio, and Collette from Seattle, said their former church’s leadership was strong and its congregation consistently supported each other and were in sync on projects such as building an addition to the church (Brunswick Seventh-day Adventist Church).

“We’re confident God will do something here,” Mark said.

They’ve been active in reaching out to people in the church making countless home visits already.

“We want to get to know people and figure out who the leaders are because it’s critical to have good leadership in the church,” Mark said.

“We want to turn the ministry over to the people to lead community groups and children’s and adult activities while building programs. We don’t want the church to be pastor-dependent. It’s not where we want to go.”

Collette said they are praying for positive changes and new opportunities in the church.

“One thing that’s big to us is community service,” she said. “We’re looking to see what else we can do here. We’re very eager to find where those gaps are.”

So far, Mark said they’ve found the people in their church have a lot of energy, a tendency to do community service and hold a lot of knowledge and experience in the church.

“We want to see how we can we tailor-make roles to people in the church,” Collette said.

Background

Mark and Collette’s pastoral career started in Yakima for two years before moving to Pendleton, Ore., for two years and St. Maries, Idaho, for six years before going to Brunswick.

In Maine, Mark led Brunswick Seventh-day Adventist Church as pastor and Collette served part time as pastor for Freeport Seventh-day Adventist Church on the campus of Pine Tree Academy and as a chaplain at Parkview Adventist Hospital.

They met at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Mich., and received their Masters of Divinity in 1985. Prior, Mike earned his mechanical engineering degree from the University of Akron and served as an engineer for three years, including one year at NASA.

Collette double-majored in elementary education and theology at Walla Walla University and taught for three years, including two years in a Native American preschool in language development.

Mark said he wasn’t a Christian growing up and not until he was prompted by friends did he pursue his faith in college.

Since she was 18, Collette said she’s always wanted to be a pastor despite never meeting a female Adventist pastor before then.

Together, the Pekars have three children, Andrew, 24, Katie, 21, and Amelia, 17. They join Collette’s mother Gerrie Woods and her husband Bert who has attended the church for 15 years.

Both volunteer with Mountain View Christian School, which is supported by the Sequim church.

For more information on the Pekars and the Sequim Seventh-day Adventist Church, call 683-7373.