Compendent is doing a series of interviews with the staff of Sunridge Community Church in Temecula, California. The purpose of this series is to get a sense of how a growing Christian church has put together a group of uniquely gifted individuals to help the church make an impact in its community, and who can also help their operations run more smoothly.
For this interview we sat down with one of the newer members of the Sunridge staff, Heather Fretz, Director of Groups and Connections.
Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions, Heather. Can you start by explaining your current role at Sunridge Community Church in Temecula?
My role at Sunridge is Director of Groups and Connection. I coordinate small group experiences like “Rooted”, whole church studies, and home groups, and also plan and execute whole church connecting events. Most recently, I was in charge of putting on our church’s 30th anniversary celebration.
How has your role changed or evolved since you were hired?
Since I was hired, my role has expanded to include working with some of the ministries within our church. With our Women’s Ministry Director, I’ve worked on the annual women’s retreat and Christmas dessert, and a large-group evening Bible study. I’ve also helped put on some of our children’s events, such as Trunk or Treat and our church’s summer Bible camp, “The Week”. In addition, I’ve been our working with our Director of Outreach on coordinating different ways for Sunridge to be more involved in the community, meeting the needs of the people in the Temecula Valley.
Connection is a broad concept that can include many ideas, so I am able to be a part of a lot going on at Sunridge, which I love!
What made you want to join the staff at Sunridge?
When I was asked to consider this position, I was at a point where I knew I wanted to do something different, since substitute teaching wasn’t appealing to me anymore. I have always had a passion and heart for the church and the people in it. It was a great opportunity for me to be able to work for something that I believed in, alongside a staff that I was already friends with.
What unique skills or perspectives do you think you bring to the Sunridge staff?
I am a people person who loves to cultivate and encourage friendship among others. Laughing together and learning about people are some of my favorite things to do! I am a detailed, organized person and this is very helpful when planning events for hundreds of people.
What do you enjoy most about your job and/or being a part of the staff at Sunridge?
I look forward to coming to the office every single day. I feel honored to be used by God in this way at this particular time. I enjoy the people that I work with so much. We are able to talk about real things in our personal lives, we work hard to seek out what is God’s best for the people we serve, and we have a lot of fun together!
How does your role help Sunridge fulfill its mission of “Helping People Find and Follow Jesus”?
The vision statement for my role is: “To cultivate meaningful connections and authentic community among the people of Sunridge resulting in compelling Christ-like transformation.” Everything I do is for the purpose of creating more and more opportunities for this to happen in the lives of God’s people at Sunridge!
