Elders
Aaron Halvorsen
Elder/Pastor
Family: God’s kindness has given me an incredible wife, Maggie, three daughters - Norah, Diana, and Audrey - and a son, Simon!
Hobbies: I enjoy reading, hockey, movies, card games, and video games. I’m always down for a good round of Mario Kart or Smash Bros. | Favorite Bible Verse: Romans 8:1; There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. | Favorite Movie: The movie of my childhood; The Transformers: The Movie (the 1986 cartoon, not the more recent Michael Bay iterations/transgressions). | Favorite Book: Charles Spurgeon’s Lectures to My Students. | Favorite Food: It’s real hard to beat a good steak, though a good chocolate chip cookie might do it. And moving to Kansas has turned me into a BBQ lover. | Other notable/fun facts about you? I once rolled two buncos in a row; which may very well be my peak life accomplishment.
Russ Friesen
Elder/Pastor
Family: I’ve been blessed with an amazing wife, Marilyn (married in 1989), and four awesome kids: Libby, Abby, James, and Benjamin.
Hobbies: I enjoy spending time with family, riding bike, playing/listening to music, and following the KC Royals (win or lose – I’m a loyal fan). I enjoy sports and support all our home teams. Is Dr Pepper a hobby? | Favorite Bible Verse: My life verse is Proverbs 3:5-6. Other top passages include Jeremiah 17:7-8, John 5:24, Romans 12:12, and Philippians 2:5-11. | Favorite Movie(s): Sports movies, especially “The Natural” and “Field of Dreams”. Other classics for me are PIXAR “Cars” and “The Princess Bride”. | Favorite Book(s): The Chronicles of Narnia series were fun to read when I was younger, and they were even more fun to read to my kids as they grew up. My favorite book (besides the Bible, of course…) is probably A.W. Tozer’s The Pursuit of God. Recent favorites include Paul Tripp’s devotional book New Morning Mercies and Bryan Chapell’s Christ-Centered Worship. (I’m learning to make space for reading, so my stack keeps getting higher). | Favorite Food(s): In-N-Out Burger (kind of a drive, but it’s worth it when I get to one, which is about every 2-3 years) | Other notable/fun facts about you? CBC has been my home church since I was 3. It’s such a privilege to serve in the church I grew up in, where so many people have impacted me spiritually and encouraged me in my walk as a follower of Jesus. Other stuff: In my teens and 20s I played keyboard in a contemporary Christian band with 3 others from CBC (Life Forever – get your cassettes while they last); studied biology in college; worked several years in the chemistry field; collect root beer bottles (thanks mainly to those who’ve noticed and have added to the collection in my office); learned the value of a quality bike helmet.
Shaun LePage
Elder/Pastor
Family: My wife, Beth, and I have been blessed with six amazing kids (in reverse age order because the youngest is always last): Elijah, Mary, Lydia, Josiah, Abigail and Hannah.
Hobbies: Reading, movies, fishing, traveling, songwriting, guitar, podcasting ("Calvary Conversations"). | Favorite Bible Verse: The New Testament and the Wisdom Literature of the Old Testament. | Favorite Movie: "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" and "Up." | Favorite Book: (Other than the Bible, of course) "Reign of the Servant Kings" by Dr. Joseph Dillow. | Favorite Food: Popcorn, salmon, fried chicken, sausage omelettes, and peanut butter and oatmeal no-bake cookies. | Other notable/fun facts: My wife and I met through a talent contest in 1987, I once played the Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz, I played basketball for Missouri Southern in a previous century, the first ocean I ever swam in was the Adriatic Sea, my favorite card game is Shanghai Rummy, I hate coffee and I once met Jim Varney (a.k.a., Ernest P. Worrell).
Kirk Carlson
Elder
Family: Wife, Brenda, and two sons, Eric and Kevin.
Hobbies: I enjoy long walks with my wife, and good books. | Favorite Bible Verse: I feel like I find a new favorite every day. A couple of my favorites lately are Isaiah 26:3 and Zephaniah 3:17. | Favorite Movie: Second Hand Lions | Favorite Book: "God's Grace to You" by Charles Spurgeon, "The Pursuit of God" by A.W. Tozer | Favorite Food: Italian...and just about any dessert. | Other Notable/Fun Facts About You: Grew up on a farm. I proposed to my wife only 6 weeks after we met... I must have caught her off guard, as she said "yes".
Eldwin Dunn
Elder
Family: Wife, Rolanda; Children, Amber, Andrew, Matthew, and Christopher.
Hobbies: I'm a wanna-be outdoorsman and enjoy shopping for hiking, camping, and hunting equipment that I almost never use. The mountains are my favorite place. | Favorite Bible Verse: I don't have a favorite verse but some favorite passages. Philippians 3:7-14, 1 Corinthians 15:1-9, Ephesians 2:1-10, Romans 11:33-36, Romans 5:1-10, 2 Peter 1:3-11. And many more. | Favorite Movie: No favorites but always enjoy Hoosiers, Searching for Bobby Fischer, & Secretariat. | Favorite Book: Holiness by JC Ryle | Favorite Food: Just about anything well-prepared; no beets please. | Fun Facts: After college I worked for a lab for 2 years. I quit that to become the world's worst commercial real-estate agent; then went back to school so I wouldn't starve. God is good.
Walt Jost
Elder
Family: Wife, Myrna, married 37.5 years. Son: Luke, and his wife Emily, Son: Jonathan
Hobbies: Hunting-fishing, camping, gardening | Favorite Bible Verse: Hebrews 10:24,25 | Favorite Movie: I'm not a big movie buff | Favorite Book: Whatever I am currently reading - Show Them Jesus - Klumpenhower | Favorite Food: Verenika and country sausage | Other notable/fun facts about you? I've been 20' from a grizzly bear in the woods; I've worked in Awana at CBC for 31 years.
Keith Worrel
Elder
Family: Wife, Sheri; daughter, Bethany, son, Adam, son, Benjamin, 7 grandchildren.
Hobbies: Outdoor work (lawn care) | Favorite Bible Verse: James 1:27 | Favorite Movie: None Really | Favorite Book: God's Word | Favorite Food: Pizza, Burgers | Other Notable/Fun Facts About You: Live a very simple, humbled life, trying to honor Jesus in all I do and say.