Scott A. Wood
Senior Pastor

Hi, my name is Scott Wood. I am the Senior Pastor of Crescenta Valley Community Church. My mission in life is to influence people with the love and truth that is in Jesus Christ and to see their lives transformed so they can fulfill His purposes and plans for them. I thoroughly enjoy co-pastoring the church with my wife Kathe whom I love deeply. In December we will celebrate 29 years of loving faithfulness and loyalty to each other. We have a 20 year old son, Benjamin, and an eighteen year old daughter, Whitney. Both Benjamin and Whitney are involved in the life giving ministry of our church family.

I attended and graduated from Eugene Bible College in 1976. My first exposure to a local Foursquare church was in Eugene, Oregon under Dr. Roy Hicks Jr. It was under his inspiring and powerful leadership that I learned about the importance of obedience to Jesus Christ in every area of my life and that my personal relationship with Jesus is the key to being a faithful and fruitful pastor and shepherd of God’s people. Just a few short years laster, I served as one of the assisting pastors under Dr. Roy Hicks Jr. at Faith Center in Eugene Oregon from 1980-1981. In 1981 Kathe and I left for Pasadena Ca, where I enrolled at Fuller Theological Seminary and graduated in 1985 with a Master’s of Arts in Marriage and Family Ministries.

In 1987 Kathe and I received our first pastoral call to the Foursquare church in Pomona Ca. After five years of faithful and fruitful service in Pomona we received our invitation to become the pastors of Crescenta Valley Community Church. I have been here 13 years and I have loved every minute of loving, leading and caring for our precious church family and our community.

God’s purpose for my life is very much in sync with the purpose statement of Crescenta Valley Community Church which is “To develop fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ through a personal relationship with Father God, the local church and those who do not yet know Jesus Christ.”

My leadership and teaching style is marked by a passion to see people truly experience all that God has for them. In order for that to happen my teaching is true to the Bible, and taught in such a way that it is easy to understand what God wants for people with an emphasis on applying God’s truth to our everyday lives. My life purpose is to see people come into right relationship with Jesus Christ and reach as many people for Jesus and His Kingdom as possible.

In His Love, Pastor Scott

Kathe Wood
Co-Pastor

Kathe grew up in Seattle, Washington but once she moved to Southern California, she quickly became a true Californian. She loves the sun! She presently pastors with her husband here at CVCC. Kathe studied music from age 9 through college with her emphasis in piano and received her Master's in Music Education at University of Oregon. While in Eugene, Oregon, she met her husband, Scott, at Faith Center under Pastor Roy Hicks, Jr., where both of them served in leadership. It was in college where she had her 'calling' to use her music and all of her training to lead people in worship rather than simply 'perform'. She and Scott moved to Pasadena in 1980 where Kathe went on staff at LIFE Bible College as full-time director of music.

As co-pastor at CVCC, Kathe's responsibilities include worship leader, Special Events Coordinator, and overseer of Women's Ministries. Leading people in a worship experience that is genuine and relevant is her special passion.

Her heart is to see men, women, boys and girls find their 'place' in the local church - the place where they 'fit' and flourish so they can truly be fulfilled.

Beth Krausse
Children's Pastor

My name is Elizabeth (Beth) Krausse. I've been married to Peter, for 30 years, a victory in it's self! We have four adult children: David who graduated from Life Bible College with a degree in Greek and Hebrew and currently works at Trader Joes. Susanne graduated from Northridge with a BA in Fine Arts and she is the artist at Trader Joes. Joy is currently attending Cal State Northridge and is a Math Major and also works at Trader Joes and James attends Cal Lutheran, plays Football and is a Math Major, he too works at Trader Joes (Obviously we are big TJ fans!). My husband and I are very thankful that all of our children love Jesus.

I grew up in Pasadena and attended John Muir High School, Pasadena City College and Kings College in Van Nuys.

Pete and I moved to La Crescenta in 1981 and began attending CVCC at that time. I have always been involved in the Children’s ministry here. I led a Wednesday night program called Kids’ Praise Rehearsal, and also directed various children’s musicals including one I wrote called “Jonah: Obedience is Better than Drowning”.

In 1998 I accepted Pastor Scott’s invitation to come on staff as the Children’s director, responsible for children ages newborn through sixth grade. In 2003 I received my Pastoral license. Serving as the CVCC Children’s Pastor and being a part of what God is doing and how He is impacting the lives of children for eternity is an awe inspiring responsibility and one of the greatest joys of my life

Rick Whitlow
Administration and Finance

Rick is CVCC’s Pastor of Finance and Administration and has been on the Team for 6 years. He became a Christian 31 years ago, and has been Foursquare for almost 30. He spent 16 years in commercial banking and 4 years in accounting and management before responding to God’s direction to leave the commercial world and pursue a career in ministry 7 years ago.

Rick graduated with honors from CSU Fresno, and from USC. He has undergrad degrees in Chemistry and Accounting, and an MBA from USC.  

He loves being married to his wife of 23 years, Joann, and he has a wonderful daughter, Jysi that comes complete with a son-in-law (Josh) and two of the cutest grandkids – Taylor and Rylan. The Whitlows have attended CVCC for 20 years.  

Rick feels that is most important for him to be doing things that make a difference in the lives of other people, and since he joined the Staff he feels God gives him the opportunity to do just that every day.  

His goals include continuing to teach seminars to help people with their personal finances; to reconcile faith and science; and to help people comfortably defend the pro-life position. He also expects to see the remodel of the children’s and youth buildings completed by the end of 2009, and continued movement toward CVCC becoming a greater asset to the Crescenta Valley community at large.