As a covenant child, Brent was born into a godly, PCA family in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He attended Christian schools and graduated as Salutatorian of his senior class. Brent attended John Brown University on a soccer scholarship … read more
As a covenant child, Brent was born into a godly, PCA family in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He attended Christian schools and graduated as Salutatorian of his senior class. Brent attended John Brown University on a soccer scholarship with the intentions of pursuing a soccer career, but early into his freshman year, God changed his plans and he began to pursue a call to ministry. After becoming engaged to his wife, Brent transferred to Oral Roberts University to complete the last three semesters where he graduated Cum Laude with a B.A in Pastoral Care and a minor in New Testament Studies. In 2002 he received his M.Div from Covenant Seminary in Saint Louis.
After Seminary, Brent served three years as assistant pastor of youth and families in Sebring, Florida before accepting the call to GCC Palm Harbor in October of 2006. Brent and his wife have been married for 21 years and they have have two wonderful boys.
If there was a single verse that would describe where Brent is spiritually, it would be Psalm 27:4, “One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple.”
My wife Sue and I have been members of this church since 1989. We've been married for 57 years and have two children (a son and a daughter), and 5 grandchildren. We live on Lake Tarpon in … read more
My wife Sue and I have been members of this church since 1989. We’ve been married for 57 years and have two children (a son and a daughter), and 5 grandchildren. We live on Lake Tarpon in Palm Harbor.
I am a Vietnam veteran and, after serving my country, attended the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland where I majored in Business Administration.
I was involved in the health care industry for 33 years and retired as a Vice President of Sales for a pharmaceutical company.
God enabled me to believe in Jesus Christ in 1974 and I’ve been involved in church leadership ever since. I was ordained as a Ruling Elder in the PCA in 1997. I currently serve on our Session and other areas of service, including teaching Sunday School, music ministry, and adult fellowship activities.
After high school in Madison, Wisconsin, I served in the Navy for five years as a sonar man: two years on a wooden minesweeper and two years on a diesel submarine while attending an electronics technical … read more
After high school in Madison, Wisconsin, I served in the Navy for five years as a sonar man: two years on a wooden minesweeper and two years on a diesel submarine while attending an electronics technical school. After graduating from school and joining the Navy, I met my wife Sally on a blind date. Eight months later we were married. I was able to adopt her son Daniel, and we later adopted our second son James.
After completion of the technical school, I worked for Wisconsin Power & Light for five years. I was elected for two terms as a city councilman in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. I then enrolled at the University of Wisconsin and received a B.S. in Electrical Engineering. In 1975, we moved to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, where we were involved in the Evangelism Explosion Ministry of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church (PCA). As a result, Sally and I both became Christians. We attended Coral Ridge until my company transferred me to Clearwater in 1981. I was an electronic sales engineer for a Florida-based manufacturer representative company until my retirement in the year 2000.
We became involved in several local ministries, one to high school students and another to Christian teachers in public schools. We also went on a short-term medical trip to Haiti. After my wife of 56 years passed away in May of 2022, I began attending Grace Community Church and became a member. After a class on leadership, I was ordained as a ruling elder. I live at Coral Oaks Retirement Home where I have been teaching Bible studies for the past six years. I enjoy interacting with members of Grace as well as having them over for meals and fellowship.
For decades, I was an immature Christian seeking comfort in the fire insurance policy I thought I had purchased with my faith. Testing my beliefs was stressful, so I didn’t. Stumbling into an understanding of Reformed … read more
For decades, I was an immature Christian seeking comfort in the fire insurance policy I thought I had purchased with my faith. Testing my beliefs was stressful, so I didn’t. Stumbling into an understanding of Reformed theology amazed me. The questions were stressful, but the revelations of truth gave me a freedom and peace where previously I had only a degree of presumptive certainty. The truth of God, beyond a shallow understanding of Christ’s redemptive work, progressively gave me more than I thought possible in this life.
It’s been an interesting journey: Methodist to United Methodist to Southern Baptist to Presbyterian Church in America with a sprinkling of visits to other denominations and independents, including charismatic, Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Christian, other variations of Presbyterian, a home church & more.
Now retired, I’m able to not only be a Deacon at Grace Community Church (PCA) but also serve as President of Reformation Academy, a Christian para-church ministry that seeks to assist Brothers & Sisters in Christ in learning, sharing & applying truth for our mutual benefit and ultimately for the glory of God, our Redeemer.
In partnership with his wife of 54 years, Alan has been actively involved in the life of the local church (and the church, at large). He has been a church camp counselor (where he met his … read more
In partnership with his wife of 54 years, Alan has been actively involved in the life of the local church (and the church, at large). He has been a church camp counselor (where he met his wife), a youth Sunday school teacher, an adult Sunday school teacher, a campus ministry treasurer, a church treasurer, a deacon (in two denominations), and a church foundation board chairman.
He and his wife have raised three successful children and are the proud grandparents of six.
Alan graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in Mathematics and began his professional career with IBM as a junior programmer in Endicott, NY. Alan is a retired information technology project executive/director (and continuing ‘geek’ having earned a degree in cybersecurity in 2016 after retirement). He has moved his family seven times including a three-year assignment in Australia. He has worked on three continents and in 15 cities.After all this, he affirms that there is ‘no place like home.’ It is a foretaste of our eternal home.
Alan and his wife enjoy world travel on cruise/river ships and guided/self-directed land tours where we always marvel at God’s handiwork in the land, sky, and people of every race, nation and language.
He is a strong advocate for Grace Community Church and its Reformed teaching provided in a consistent, effective manner.
