George Pickard

George Pickard
COTH: Chaplain for Business, and Recovery

Educational Background that helped prepare you for the role you play at the church.
My technical and administrative tendencies have been influenced through earlier Physics and Logistics degrees. Denise and I were called to Christ in 1998, two years after being married, and I spent three years as a small church administrator. After receiving my calling in 1998, the Holy Spirit sent me to George Fox Evangelical Seminary for my MDiv, and then to the Oregon State Hospital for my chaplaincy training. I am ordained by the Evangelical Church Alliance. ECA, an interdenominational alliance, has no church or denomination. Its ministers offer their services to all Christian churches and denominations. Whatever educational background I have completed, I will never complete reaching for the depth of meaning to me that Romans 5:5 continues to have: I continuously walk to path of increasing experience beyond understanding of the majesty of God’s gift to me of the Holy Spirit through Whom I receive His love into my heart. What an awesome gift to convey to others, my world of neighbors, His people, and children in need.

Professional Background that helped prepare you for the role you play at the church.
Since I came to Christ late in life, I consider my total professional background as being used by the Holy Spirit to prepare me for His purposes. I have not arrived at the COTH with the traditional ministerial background. I have discovered my propensity for a more structured business environment is being slowly replaced with a more casual and relaxed professional mode. I am even trying very hard to wear my shirttails hanging out.

Personal Background that helped prepare you for the role you play at the church.
My parents are “Builder Generation” products, and I have been heavily influenced by their non-display of love and acceptance, no discussion of family issues, and a work ethic of perseverance and silence. I left their Presbyterian church at age eleven when I was told that the line of God’s acceptance was straight and narrow, and if I ever got off the line even if it was not due to me, that I would go straight to hell. Coming out of this background, my achievement drive overpowered past losses and present problems. I now realize that this tremendous and secularly successful drive was to compensate for my earlier loss parental love. Following my 27-year military career, I buried myself into small business manufacturing – plastics for pipes and aircraft, and steel for outdoor BBQ systems. I also have participated in and led SCORE teams that serve the SBA to assist small businesses. I experienced helping to start companies, turning them around, and when necessary shutting them down. Outside the COTH, Denise and I have discovered the world of on board cruising. During the Easter and Christmas seasons, I am an interdenominational chaplain for Princes Cruises. A very experienced pastor with me here at COTH, has observed that this must surely be: “Suffering for Christ!”

What is the passion that drives your particular role in the church? Denise and I have sensed that we were led out of Bend, OR, to McMinnville then specifically to COTH, and more recently into Celebrate Recovery. My calling of 1999 has remained a strong focus: “Bring Corporate World to Christ.” For the first time in my Christian life, I feel that here at COTH I am living out my calling. I am deeply passionate about my Spiritual counseling to those in recovery. I sense that through this experience the Holy Spirit is strengthening my preparation for offering Spiritual counseling services to business owners and leaders, and then to their employees. The Celebrate Recovery system feels as the tool and the method that I have been led to use for the rest of my life and serve to Christ. This latter role in service to the business community is evolving as I mature in Christ, here at COTH. To my surprise, the most catching comment that I have made to business owners is “Have Ear Will Listen.” Clearly, confidentiality and “image” are essential to any relationship I am led to develop. To this purpose, I have entered the CR 12 Step program to give to Christ the negative behavioral aspects of my self diagnosed “achievement addiction,” and to walk the path so many of our business owners and leaders need to wrestle with. Denise has joined with me on this 12 Step path as a husband and wife team, walking together in Christ.

Do you see yourself in this role in 5 years; if not where would you see you in the church?
I am maturing in Christ. From my secular background, and my nine years as a Christian, I see myself (Denise and me) tuning into the small quiet voice of the Holy Spirit, and obeying. We have been very clearly led by the Holy Spirit since we were married in Sep 1996. I presently have been led to serve the COTH and our senior pastor. I do this with a passion never experienced in my past.

--- Through Christ in Faith. --- George