Dr. Cody Gunderson
Senior Pastor

cody@sti.net

Pastor Cody has served as Senior pastor for Yosemite Lakes Community Church for 30 years. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from West Coast Bible College, a Master of Divinity from Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary, and Doctor of Ministry from Fuller Theological Seminary.

Pastor Cody’s passion is equipping and mobilizing the church family in developing relationships, strengthening families and spreading the Good News of Jesus. Cody’s background and life experience is a great asset for ministering in the Mountain area. The Christian Broadcasting Network , CBN, produced a video of Cody’s life story; showing how God took a life headed in the wrong direction and turned it around to make a difference in the lives of others.

When Cody isn’t preaching and teaching he enjoys spending time with his family, snow skiing, and horses. Cody and his wife, Cheryl, reside in the Coarsegold area with their children.

Pastor Tod Harris
Associate Pastor

tod@nctv.com

Pastor Tod Harris has been serving as a licensed minister since 2003 when he was called to a lifetime of ministry. He came to YLCC from Northwest Church in Fresno where he served as Pastor for seven years. He is pursuing a Masters in Divinity at Fresno Pacific University.

Pastor Tod has extensive experience preaching and counseling. He has worked with the Celebrate Recovery Program for the past several years and serves as the District Representative for the valley.

He is passionate about his relationship with the Lord and ministering the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He believes that God’s grace is the essential component in ministry and life in general. Pastor Tod, his wife Brenda and three children reside in Coarsegold.

Pastor Brenda Heckman
Children's Ministries

brenda@nctv.com

Pastor Brenda comes from a family of seven ministers. At the age of nine she learned ventriloquism. She started a clown ministry, puppet ministry and was very active in drama and choir. From the time she was ten to eighteen, she taught Vacation Bible School for her relatives during the summer. At seventeen she traveled with Heart Family of Nashville Tennessee, performing in forty-eight states, Walt Disney World and the Caribbean. She has a degree from Fresno City College and has studied at West Coast Bible College and with Evangelical Church Alliance. Brenda joined the YLCC staff in 1997 as Children’s Pastor. She is responsible for children from birth through sixth grade. Her duties include oversight of the Nursery, Sunday school, AWANA, Christian Academy Preschool. Brenda and her husband Ernie live in the Coarsegold area.

Pastor John Lorenzana
Youth Ministries

rebellion12.12@live.com

Pastor John joined the staff of Yosemite Lakes Community Church as Pastor of Student Ministries in 2011. John was born and raised in California and now lives in Coarsegold with his wife Lisa and their three daughters. John felt a call to the work in ministry in 1998 and is pursuing his ministerial degree.

While working full time in the building trades and studying, he served at Mountain Christian Center for six years working with the youth, teaching adult singles (M.A.C.S) and preaching, as well as serving on the worship team. John worked with troubled teens in the juvenile detention program at Mt. Bouillon in Mariposa County and has a heart for the youth of our community. He has been involved with the Yosemite Girls basketball league and Yosemite Softball league and loves to see youth involved in community sports. Pastor John served as a leader in the YLCC youth ministry prior to joining the church staff.

Pastor Dale Scott
Pastor of Pastoral Care

ylccoffice@nctv.com

Pastor Dale was born and raised near Childress, Texas. While hitchhiking across the Texas Panhandle, in a small motel room, Dale found a Gideon Bible and the meaning of life through its pages. After serving in the Navy, he earned a BA in General Education at California Baptist University. He felt call to the pastoral ministry and obtained a Masters of Religious Education degree from California Theological Seminary in Covina.

He continued his education and received his Administrator’s Credential while going to night school at California State University. He became the active President of all Baptist Day Schools Teachers of California. For twenty years Dale worked at First Baptist Church in Van Nuys, CA as principle and in the pastoral care ministry.

Dale came to YLCC fifteen years ago and has served as Associate Pastor at our church in addition to his current service as Pastor of Pastoral Care. He and his wife Jeanette reside in the Coarsegold area.

Jason Von Wagner
Pastor of Programming Arts

jvonwagner@sti.net

Pastor Jason is a committed Christian with a passion for worship and ministering to people. He was born in Merced, California, then moved to Bass Lake with his family. His passion for music began as a student during which time he learned to play the saxophone and guitar. Jason has studied at Merced Community College and University of California, Fresno.

Jason joined the worship team at YLCC in 2001 and served on that team for five years. Since 2001 he has also led the youth group worship team. He accepted the position of Pastor of the Programming Arts Department in 2007. He, his wife Jennifer and family reside in the Coarsegold area.

Karin Sayre
Christian Preschool Director

karsay29@hotmail.com

Karin came to YLCC from Salinas where she was a member of the Northminster Presbyterian Church and worked with young children at the Church of the Good Shepherd Preschool.

Originally from New Jersey, she has a degree in Special Education and has worked in several preschools over the years. She has over 30 years of experience with young children, including the operation of her own childcare program for 10 years. She is excited about her position as Director of the Yosemite Lakes Christian Academy Preschool and shares her enthusiasm with her little charges.

Karin, her husband Edward and children enjoy boating, camping and attending sporting events.

Linda Holcroft
Church Office Manager

ylccoffice@nctv.com

Linda came to YLCC eighteen years ago to serve in the church office. She is originally from Corcoran where she grew up in a Christian home. She lived in several other California communities before moving to Coarsegold twenty-one years ago.

She loves her work and feels “this is where God wants me to be”. Serving the church family in this position offers daily variety and is an opportunity to honor God. She views the position as her ministry and feels blessed to be serving God’s people.

Linda and her husband Ron are “empty nesters” with one son living in Fresno and the other son serving us in the Marines.