The Staff at Valley West Christian Center
Meet them below.
staff
The Staff at Valley West Christian Center
Meet them below.
Roger Leach
Pastor Roger Leach, the founder and only Senior Pastor of Valley West Christian Center, has been in ministry for over 35 years. He has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agronomy, a minor in Biological Science with teaching experience in Junior Colleges at Mt. San Antonio College and Merced College. Roger has a Life Time Standard Secondary and Community College Teaching Credential, he also has a degree in ministry from Berean College. Pastor Roger has also founded the Valley West Affordable Housing Non-Profit that provided and built several affordable senior housing complexes in Madera, Hanford, Taft, Richmond, Monrovia, and Van Nuys, Ca. His involvement in the senior housing stopped in 2002 due to the increased duties in Madera. In 2002, Pastor founded and became Director of Sherman Thomas Charter Schools, developing three charter schools, that have enjoyed great success in education reform. He has been invited to several forums at Oxford college in England to share his insights of the charter school movement. Pastor Roger has a passion for teaching God's Word with simplicity and inspiration that brings understanding and insight for everyday victorious living.
Dixie leach
Dixie Leach, a gifted singer, musician, and song writer has been married to Roger for 50 years. She started her singing and writing of Gospel songs at the age of five, when at the time of celebrating the death and resurrection of Christ, she wrote a song entitled "Just Take Your Cross Right Up and Follow Me". She has continued writing songs and ministering to many throughout the years and in 1983 released an album titled "Alive in Him" which featured many songs in which the Holy Spirit breathed into Dixie's life. This album is more relevant today than in the years of release. People are really seeing and hearing the inspired words and music from this album. Since that time, DIxie has become a Praise, Warfare, and Worship Leader. There are many worship leaders of today in the church world, but none so talented and sensitive to the direction of Holy Spirit to bring an anointing to people. Dixie now mentors other young worship leaders to bring an uplifting prophetic experience of God's presence.
Lance leach
Lance Leach was born (1970) and mostly raised in Madera, a graduate of the MHS class of 1988. His parents, Roger and Dixie Leach, raised him in church and when Valley West Christian Center was founded in the fall of 1987, Lance a senior in high school, was the first youth leader of the church. He would go on to pursue education, but would be called back into youth Ministry in 1990 choosing to go to Christ For The Nations, in Dallas Texas. There only one year, the church was growing, and asked him in the fall of 1991 to come back to Madera and be the full time youth pastor at VWCC. Lance would later graduate from Fresno Pacific University in 1995, and a week later marry Barbara Knepp, of Santa Maria, California and begin life and ministry with her.
As the Pastors to the Youth of VWCC, Lance and Barbara began to grow their own family as well. Jackson, was the first born in 1998, followed by Olivia in 2000 and Penelopi in 2002. Lance moved into the capacity as Associate Pastor and continues to serve VWCC in this capacity, getting to serve congregants of all ages and seasons of their lives. Still ministering to youth at FCA on the Madera High Campus, substitute teaching at the High Schools and coaching Babe Ruth Baseball. You can occasionally catch him on a random Wednesday night in the nursery as well! Lance’s true joy in serving VWCC is getting to know all the “life stories” within our congregation. His true joy in serving the community of Madera, is to show the ‘joy and blessings of the Lord” to those who are yet to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
Barbara leach
Barbara Leach is a part of the team at the Madera District fair, and is always coming up with ways to serve and make Madera the best place to live and raise a family. She serves within VWCC in children’s ministry as well as shared leadership for the women in WOVEN. Born and raised in Santa Maria, a graduate of St. Joseph’s High School. Barbara is an intense worshipper, woman of prayer and loves to sit, talk and share life together with her family here at VWCC.
Charles rigby
Charles and Clarissa Rigby have served as the Youth Pastors and directors of Reality Youth Ministries for nearly 20 years. Charles has spoken all over the United States on College and University Campuses as well as high schools and conferences encouraging and equipping students. Charles has a gift for encouraging and mobilizing students in power and prayer in order to courageously influence their cities and the nations of the earth for the Glory of Heaven. Charles is no stranger to campus ministries, having served as part of Jesus Culture's Campus Awakening team and leading many campus ministries locally. In 2011 Charles started "I Am Influence," a local young adult movement that hosted conferences specifically to encouraging and equip students as they pursue God's design for their life and influence others for His Kingdom. Charles has served on the Madera City Council, as Mayor Pro-Tem and as chairman of the Madera Housing Authority. Charles was awarded Top 40 under 40 honors in 2016 by the Fresno Business Street. Charles is also the recipient of the 2017 Pacific Southwest Regional Council of the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Agencies Housing Commissioner of the Year Award and current Head Varsity Boys Basketball Coach at Matilda Torres High School.
Charles and Clarissa have two sons named Rodger Edison and Chason David.
Sandy arter
Sandy Arter has been attending Valley West Christian Center for 31 years. For the past 25 years she has been part of the church staff. Sandy started working in the Children's Ministry with the leaders and directed the ministry for 10 years. For the past 10 years Sandy has worked in Care Visitation where she visits shut-ins and those who are in rest homes or hospitals. Sandy also helps coordinate Valley West's Hospitality team and is part of the Madera Rescue Mission Auxiliary.
Sandy is married with four children, six grandchildren, and one great grandchild.
Mariann perez
Mariann M. Perez spent her childhood in Riverdale, CA and then moved to Madera in 1988, where she later graduated from Madera High School. She gave her life to Jesus in January of 1990 and has never looked back. She has been a part of Valley West Christian Center ever since, other than working in ministry in Louisiana from 1994 – 1996. Mariann has had the privilege of serving on numerous mission trips to Mexico, Costa Rica, and several European countries, as well as, local mission opportunities. Mariann graduated cum laude from Fresno Pacific University in 2002 and began to work full time as the Executive Secretary for Valley West Christian Center in 2003.
Mariann has been married to her best friend, Paul T. Perez, since 2001 and is the mother to four life-changing children, three amazing in-law children, and the Mima to seven beautiful grandchildren.
Megeane Von Flue
Megeane serves as our Nursery Director. She and her husband Andrew have been serving VWCC faithfully for many years. Megeane has a heart and vision to serve families, specifically mothers and fathers who feel challenged with raising little ones. She and Andrew have an incredible testimony as they leaned heavily on the Lord and the support of their church family during the birth of their twins Noah and Ethan. Megeane and her nursery team are excited to serve your family every Sunday Morning and Weds. Night. Megeane and Andrew have three other children: Hannah, Dylan & Gavin.