Pastor

Jim Newman.

LEADERS AND STAFF

Jim Newman has been a part of Community of Grace since 1985, serving voluntarily over the years in a variety of areas. He joined the church staff in 1998, serving as Youth Pastor until 2004. In 1999 he was licensed to preach and in 2000 he was ordained as a Minister of the Gospel and became an Associate Pastor. Jim also became involved with the church’s recovery ministry and has been involved with the recovery ministry since 1990. Jim became the Pastor of Recovery in January of 2006 and led that ministry until the spring of 2017. In 2006 Jim began serving as a Healthy Church Consultant for the East Bay Baptist Association (EBBA) and continued in that role until 2019, the EBBA is comprised of 120 churches within a 30 mile radius. Jim worked with many of the churches of the association in order to help them to function in greater health in their operations and ministries, in doing this Jim became a pastor to a number of the pastors in the association and beyond. As of late 2007, Jim’s role expanded at Community of Grace to include becoming the Pastor of Pastoral Care. In 2014 Jim became the Transitional Pastor of Community of Grace and then became Senior Pastor, a position he still holds at this time. Jim is also a licensed mediator with the State of California having been trained through the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), he was also trained through the SBC as an intentional interim pastor and is a level 4 consultant.

Pastor, and Director of Elmhurst

Learning Center

Marilyn Escoto

Marilyn serves as Pastor, and Director of Elmhurst Learning Center. She was ordained into the gospel ministry in February of 2003. She has been serving in this ministry since September of 1988. Marilyn’s vision for the school is to see children trained up to become powerful leaders and disciples of Jesus Christ who will impact their communities and world. The school fosters good moral values, integrity, a high regard for others and for self. The school strives to develop children who excel in character along with imparting a vision of excellence to the children – teaching the children that “…all things are possible with God,” (Mark 10:27) giving them the understanding that there is no limit to what they can become or accomplish with great perseverance and God on their side. Marilyn has a passion to see hurting families restored and transformed by the love and power of God. To aid this process of restoring families she enjoys encouraging parents to engage in parenting classes, Steps of Grace recovery program, communication seminars and marriage counseling. Marilyn’s other passion is seeing God’s word brought to life through the arts and drama. In 1986 she founded Revelation Drama Ministry. Through this ministry she has had the opportunity to see the Lord reach many souls and touch many hearts throughout the years via this venue. It is Marilyn’s desire to continue to write songs, plays, and books that will make a difference in the lives of many. Marilyn is the proud mother of five adult children, a daughter and four sons; grandmother of fourteen grandchildren…four girls and ten boys. Marilyn enjoys cooking and spending time with her family whenever possible.

OUR PURPOSE

Developing Transformed Lovers of God who Transform their World

WHO WE ARE

As a community, we partner with God to equip people to walk in the fullness of their purposes by helping them deepen their relationship with Jesus and others, by helping with restoration of the soul, growth in maturity and character development, and by empowering them to accomplish the things God has called them to do. When love is the foundation, it becomes a safer place to take risks, succeed and/or fail, but still grow. As people experience victories, they will take what they learn and lead others into experiencing God and the next steps of their destinies.

COMMUNITY OF GRACE

CORE VALUES

The Presence of God: The first commandment of loving God means that we first pursue living in His Presence enjoying Him. Everything revolves around His Presence. Worship is the practice of pursuing His Presence and should be expressed extravagantly. [“Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever.” Westminster Catechism (1647)]

Honor: Honor acknowledges who people are as seen through the eyes of heaven which positions us to give them the value that they deserve, to receive the gift of who they are in our lives, and treat them accordingly. It includes effective confrontation, which is a key to sustaining an environment of grace. Honor has love as its foundation, is nonjudgmental, and respects each other even in differences.

Community and Family: Family is the government of Heaven. Expressed on this earth, the members of the body should relate to each other as family with love as our foundation. Fellowship to build a cohesive covenant community is vital to our mission. Community requires us to be hospitable, extending ourselves to each other.

Supernatural: Living in the supernatural should be normal and expected for followers of Jesus Christ. It includes things like healing, miracles, signs, wonders, angels, translations, transportations, resurrections, etc. Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go to the Father.” (John 14:12 NASB)

The Word of God: The Bible is our foundation of objective truth. His sheep can hear the voice of God but it doesn’t contradict the Bible. Prophecy is significant in the pursuit of God’s purpose though it doesn’t add to the Bible.

Leadership Team

LARRY JUSTICE

MARILYN JUSTICE

JIM NEWMAN

MARILYN ESCOTO

BARBARA MARTINEZ

RENE DALTON