Pastor Torvend and his family arrived in 1957 to start a new congregation sponsored by the ALC. They moved into a parsonage in Santa Clara, canvassed the neighborhood and began services in the Old Cupertino Post Office with 103 people in attendance. Space was limited so they used a real estate office, a nearby nursery school and even recreational vehicles for Sunday school. In March of 1958 the congregation was formally organized and services were held In Fellowship Hall (now Torvend Hall) in November. The first Mount Cross retreat was held and Women's organizations were active.
The church library was founded in 1961 and Zoar Hall (funded in part by Zoar Lutheran Church in Oregon) was completed. The Bethel Bible Series was begun and the women formed Bible Study Circles. Dan Hassenpflug was the first intern of Bethel. In 1964 the Bethel Nursery School was begun. Lorraine Solberg came as the Parish Assistant. The present sanctuary was dedicated in 1965. In 1967 Pastor Blom was called, Chrismons became part of our Christmas decorations and "The Little Gray House" gave way to a new building program.
Pastor Kintzi joined Pastor Torvend in 1971. Youth programs were expanded and small group ministry was expanded. A Stephen Ministry project trained and hired youth leaders. Lynn Kintzi organized the first Women's Retreat. Paul Hadin became the first full time youth director and the first musical was performed. Pastor Brown arrived in 1974. He restructured the church council. We began our first annual Easter Sunrise Service. Our friend Dorothy Meyer came as Parish Assistant and Robyn Winegardner served as the third Youth Director. In 1976 Pastor Gutknect was called, Fellowship Hall was remodeled, and the Evergreens started meeting. The preschool began its transition into an elementary school.
Pastor Gutknect and Pastor Clausen implemented a co- pastor ministry. By 1983 the church and school staff had grown to 23 people and Bethel celebrated the 25th reunion by giving $25,000 to Coastside Lutheran Church. Lynda Alexander replaced Evelyn Frieden as Organist. In 1985 Pastor Place joined Pastor Gutknect, the sanctuary received a new roof, Supper Club had its beginning and caregivers were trained through the Stephen Ministry program. Tom Hoegel became the new Youth Director. Chris Christensen and Pastor Dave implemented the weekly Search Bible Study Series. Further expansion to church facilities was completed and the new organ was installed in 1989.
Pastor Walz became the Visitation Pastor. Norita Hoegel and LaVinnia Pierson became Worship Coordinators, which soon led to our contemporary service. The Worship Team and Celebration Choir were formed and outdoor worship began in the summer of 1992. Bible Times Village was implemented. Pastor Jim was called in 1994 and Dale Peppers succeeded Mark Shaull as Sanctuary Choir Director. Musicals and music styles of every sort have been performed. Classrooms were added to Zoar in 1997, and we survived the flood of 1998. With a renewed emphasis on outreach, forty years of Christian growth, fellowship, stewardship, and service have shown the impact of Bethel Lutheran Church on present and past members and the community served.
As we reflect on the 40 years of Bethel's past, it is clear that Bethel has been a healthy and thriving congregation from the very beginning. We give thanks to God for the pastors, lay leaders, and members who have guided Bethel through these past four decades. Even as we celebrate, we look forward and plan for another decade of faithful witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. While faithful and constant in our witness to the Gospel, Bethel also needs to be aware of the dynamics of change that are necessary to keep it a thriving congregation entering the new millennium. May the Spirit of God always refresh and renew Bethel.
-Pastor David L. Place
We are at an exciting place for ministry at Bethel. We are deeply rooted with a strong heart for outreach from the very beginning of our ministry in this place. There is a long history of people caring for people and gathering together in small groups to nurture and support one another. Today, our facility is bursting at the seams, with strong worship and diverse and growing ministries of all sorts encouraging and serving God's people. Nurtured by our deep roots and the solid foundation of our past, we are faithfully reaching out to more and more people with the hope of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
-Pastor James D. Cords