SHEPHERD BIOS
Rick and Laura Espinoza
Laura and Rick were married in 1991 in Houston. They have lived in Houston for 28 years.
They have two children, Sarah and Samantha. Their son, Rick Jr., passed away in 2018 leaving a big hole in their heart. The family loves the outdoors, sports, and playing all kinds of games from board games to video games.
Rick served 10 years in the army. He is the General Manager at La Madeleine in Clear Lake. They came to CLCC in 2011. Rick says, “My sister in law, Elvia, made it obvious that this is where we belong. I love our church family and am grateful for the way our church is so quick to respond to the needs of others.”
Rick’s prayer for CLCC: “Heavenly Father, I come to you in prayer to ask that you be with your church, give us wisdom to see and hear what you want us to do. May we always feel your presence, may we always strive to fulfill our vision of R79 and may we always put your needs ahead of ours. Grant us humility to be a great example to our children and everyone we encounter and, Lord, we thank you for everything.”
Don and Tammy MacFarlane
Tammy and I met in 2010 at the Georgetown Church of Christ. I was retired military as well as law enforcement, and since I was still young, I took a job as a driver for a distributing company. Tammy was working with the Family courts. Taking classes at church together led to friendship, which led to love, which led to a wedding on June 29, 2013. I was born and raised in Puerto Rico and moved to Michigan to attend college. In 1999 I moved to Texas as most of my family lived in Austin and San Antonio. Tammy was raised in Pasadena and had settled with her family in Hutto, Texas.
Tammy has two children from her late husband - Shelley, the oldest, has two children, Colton and Sarah; and Emily, who is married, is expecting a little boy in October of 2022. I have two children as well: Sarah, who lives in Michigan, and Sumer, who lives here in Houston with our grandson Ares.
We both retired and moved down this way to be near Tammy’s family. Our home is in El Lago off of Nasa 1. We feel God led us to the Clear Lake Church of Christ, and I consider it an honor and privilege to serve our members as an Elder and Shepherd.
Mark and Christie O'Rear
Mark and Christie have been married since 1981. They have 3 children: Josh, and twins Jennifer and Jessica. Mark and Christie love spending time with their kids and families, and are grandparents to 4 grandsons (so far). Mark graduated from Texas A&M University and is in the construction business. Christie is a UTMB graduate in Physical Therapy, and specializes in treating elderly patients in their homes.
Mark participates in Men On A Mission, and enjoys teaching Bible classes and leading small group discussions at Clear Lake. Christie has been involved for years in the SMOMS single moms ministry, and often helps out with Praise Kids. Mark has fished all his life, and loves music, Texas native plants, Aggie sports (especially football), and writing. Mark and Christie watch a lot of Hallmark movies and Astros baseball together, and Christie loves the fellowship and intense competition of bunco (and being Nana to the grandboys)!
“Clear Lake Church of Christ has been our church home and family since 1988. As adults Christie and I have grown up and raised our own family here. Clear Lake has been the spiritual center of our lives, the source of many of our most lasting and significant relationships, and integral to our faith journey following Jesus. Because of everything this church has meant to my family and me for so long, it is a blessing and privilege to take a turn serving as one of the shepherds here.”
“My prayer for our church is that, as we each follow Christ and grow as disciples, we will worship and serve together as a healthy, loving family of believers. I pray that we will unselfishly minister to one another and those around us, each of us seeking the interests and needs of others above our own. I also pray for the unity Jesus sought in John 17, even as we are diverse in so many ways, so that Clear Lake will be a refuge of love, grace and pure religion (James 1:27). Father, bless this body of believers as we love one another and engage the world, and always guide and protect us, in Jesus’ name.”
Gary and Lee Anne Robbins
Gary and his wife Lee Anne have long and strong Christian family heritages. Married in 1988, God has blessed their relationship and given them two children. Amy teaches 2nd grade at Whitcomb Elementary. Wes is married to Samantha Sharp. They teach 1st and 5th grade, respectively, in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. To the Robbins, family is relationships.
Gary retired from ExxonMobil in 2021. Lee Anne is trained as a nurse with experience in pediatrics but has been home since Amy was born.
The Robbins love traveling. Gary has a bucket list to visit all US National Parks, so they always have a trip planned.
Lee Anne says: “Clear Lake Church of Christ is the Robbins’ family.”
Gary says: “My prayer for Clear Lake Church of Christ is two-fold. First, that we will help connect faith experiences across generations (intergenerational). Second, that our church membership will reflect our community (cross-cultural).”
Efrain and Gladys Ruiz, Jr.
Gladys and Efrain met in 2001 through church and were married in 2004 in Houston. They have lived in Houston for 22 years.
They have two children, Efrain III and Daniel. Their family loves Texas road trips, spending time with their extended family, and playing all kinds of games together from board games to video games.
Efrain served 6 years in the US Navy Submarine Force. He is currently a Branch Manager for Chase Bank in Houston. Gladys works for Clear Creek ISD as the Registrar for Clear Lake City Elementary.
Gladys and Efrain came to CLCC on Easter Sunday 2021. Gladys says, “As Covid-19 was winding down, Efrain and I decided to search for a church that resembled the kind we both grew up in. One day he said ‘Something is drawing me to this church on El Dorado. I keep coming back to it on my internet searches!’ I think God was making it obvious that CLCC would be our new home and so here we are! What sealed the decision was how quickly our boys took to the youth ministry and the loving welcome we all received.”
Efrain’s prayer for CLCC: “Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you Lord for this Church. Thank you for my brothers and sisters and may we always love each other as you love us, Lord. May we always act in a manner befitting your name in our efforts to impart that same love to our local community. May our church be a refuge for those seeking redemption and healing, a resting place for the weary, a family overflowing with love for one another, Amen.”
Steve and Bethany Self
Steve and Bethany were married in 2007. Steve is a life-long resident of the Houston area. Hailing from a suburb of Boston, Bethany moved to the Houston area in 2004.
They have 3 children, Connor, Kendra, and Ava. The family loves playing card games, board games, and video games. They love eating good hamburgers and any good desserts.
Steve works in the communication industry and manages offices in Houston, Beaumont, and Corpus Christi. Bethany is the interim director of Opera studies at Rice University. They joined CLCC in 2011.
Steve’s prayer for CLCC is that those to visit or attend the church would be immersed in the powerful presence of God. That they are drawn by honest worship, loving congregants, and deep, biblical teaching. That CLCC shines for God and helps the hurting and the lost to know and experience His loving grace, and powerful transformation. And that God makes it clear to all people that they have a place in Him, that they are passionately loved by Him, and that He has a purpose for their lives.
Kevin and Jana Stafford
Kevin and Jana were married in 1993. They have two married daughters, Myklyn and Camryn. Both Kevin and Jana have lived in the Houston area most of their lives.
Kevin works at LyondellBasell Chemical Company. He came to CLCC in 1990. Jana joined him in 1993 when they were married.
“We have been blessed by God with amazing relationships in this church that have in turn poured into our daughters, leading to their incredible love for Jesus and a continuously growing faith for all of us. The church is truly family to us and we believe it is God’s calling to serve as a shepherd out of love for His church and His kingdom.”
“I pray that as CLCC seeks to follow the Holy Spirit in everything we do it will result in supernatural love and unity within His body, and that love would overflow into the community around us and impact His kingdom in a powerful way.“
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