The Vineyard Boise turns 20 years old - helping the ugly and unwanted.

The Mansfield family arrived in the Treasure Valley just over 18 years ago. My bride, my two oldest kids and I made the long travel trip through Southern California's Cajon Pass  - up and through Hesperia, the Victor Valley and on into Idaho.

Little did we know that just 18 months before our departure, a band of rag-tag Southern Californians had packed up all that they had in Lancaster, CA and travelled that same route up into Idaho - to plant a Vineyard.

Not a vineyard for growing grapes, but a Vineyard for growing lives.

Twenty years ago this weekend, the first church service for Vineyard Boise happened.

And on this Sunday in 2009 the community is celebrating these two decades of faith lived through service.

Pastor Tri Robinson founded the Vineyard Boise and is in the process of passing the reigns of leadership to Pastor Trevor Estes. 

How unusual...working oneself out of a job. Especially for a founding visionary...church, business or corporation. It's just not a normal thing to see transitions happen in peace and in a scheduled method. People come and go...

But hasn't that happened during the whole history of Vineyard Boise?

People have come and gone, over the years. Some in peace others in pain. We came in pain, almost 10 years ago...burned-out from a decade ourselves of "serving" as missionaries to the public policy arena AND from running for US Congress - at our daughter, Meg's request.

And we found rest among the ex-addicts, undesirables and awkward people. Poverty, pain and ignorance seemed to be all around us. Theology 101 also seemed to be the order of the day...

   

And we needed it.

Thank you to Pastor Tri and Nancy, Lori and Sharon, Pastor Chad, Pastor Trevor, Pastors Sharon and Greg, Pastor Joe and Janet, Patty Yocum, Lou and Cindy Esposito, Pastor Casey and Pastor Andy. Thanks Steve Ball, Doug Parkinson, April Starret and so many others. Thank you to all my precious students from VCHSC.

Thank you, my sweet Susan and Colin, for our time together as teachers and student, lo these 8 years of unique homeschool co-op education.

Thank you, Pastor Tri for officiating my daughter's wedding (and for acknowledging her "first kiss" to her husband at the altar).

Thank you, too, Pastor Tri for officiating at my son, Nate's funeral. He would have liked the Vineyard.

Thank you, Vineyard Boise, for helping me see dirty things as if they were clean.

Thank you for allowing me to go into the Jail in Jesus' name. For your help in birthing New Hope and for allowing me to serve last year in a short-line of excellent Principals at the Vineyard Christian Home School Co-op.

Dennis

Comments

[Dennis Mansfield]

Chad-man, My family and I so prospered under your teaching at the Vineyard. You are a hero to me on so many levels. Thanks for being my bud. Den

[JIm Dalos Jr]

thanks for inviting me to vineyard I feel @ home& wish we had one in Twin

[Chad Estes]

Thanks for remembering us, Dennis.

Chad