Reverend Bonnie Lange
Becoming an Interfaith Minister and Chaplain is Rev. Bonnie’s encore career. She is serving as a bridge minister at La Selva Beach Community Church, an open and affirming congregation of the United Church of Christ and happily admits it’s the best life work yet! Previously, she volunteered for Hospice of Santa Cruz, the Pastoral Care Committee at Peace United Church of Christ in Santa Cruz. Bonnie was ordained at the Chaplaincy Institute in 2019 and also currently serves as President of the Board of Directors for the ChI seminary and community. Bonnie and her husband, Bob, live in Soquel, CA and particularly enjoy entertaining two nearby grandchildren at various beaches along the Central coast. Before moving to CA in 2017, Bonnie lived in Camas, WA. Her earlier work life included marketing and training and development positions at Clark College, HP, Tree Top and The Pillsbury Company. She grew up in MN, received a BA from St. Olaf College and MBA from University of St. Thomas, Minnesota.
Mary MacLellan, Office Manager
Mary is delighted to join the team at LSB CC. She has worked in both accounting and human resources fields. She has been a CPA for both profit and non-profit organizations including a large accounting firm, a health care start- up company, a community choir. She volunteered as treasurer for community organizations such as Little League, PTAs and Athletic Boosters organizations. Mary currently also serves as a CASA advocate in Santa Cruz County. Mary can often be found walking the beach between her home in Seascape and La Selva with her Portuguese Water dog, Fenway, named after the athletic field in Boston. In her spare time, she may be on the tennis courts at Seascape Sports Club, working in her garden or reading a book. Mary also enjoys spending time with her three adult sons. In her cover letter and interview, Mary expressed her intention to be part of a community and her desire to support a mission/purpose that helps others. Welcome, Mary!!
David Larstein, Music Director
David has been sharing his musical talents with the La Selva Beach Community Church for over 15 years. He is an accomplished pianist, excels at keyboards, and has composed a treasure trove of original scores to enliven Sunday Morning worship services and special events. He holds a graduate degree in music composition from San Jose State University. When he’s not playing in front of the church, David is practicing behind the scenes with the church choir. The patience and skills developed from this valuable service is leveraged nicely during his day job as piano teacher for the children of many of our members and friends.
Rev. Deborah Streeter
Our covenanted minister Deborah Streeter writes a weekly blog, each Wednesday, about Blue Theology (ocean stewardship and spirituality.) You can read it at Blue Theology Tide-ings and at Blue Theology. Also see principles of ocean literacy.
Rev. T’Shala Auroralaia
An ordained UCC minister and certified Spiritual Director, T’Shala was recently installed into a four-way covenant ministry with LSBCC, serving as Bereavement Coordinator/Chaplain with Kindred Hospice-San Jose, and as Spiritual Director/Chaplain with Doveheart Sanctuary-Santa Cruz. In private and group sessions, T’Shala also offers compassionate counsel, soulheart tending, and practical coping tools to individuals and faith communities facing major change. Theologically rooted in the mystical mercies of Christ, T’Shala shares her liturgical gifts as worship leader and flutist at Sunday services and facilitates contemplative healing circles as the need arises. A cat whisperer and woman-identified woman, she presently lives with five feline companions, a plethora of peanut loving squirrels, and an elder plecostomus named Plucky.
