Kathy Varner

Office Manager

I was born in Del Rio, Texas in 1956. I was the third child of four children. My older sisters are twins and I have a younger brother. My Dad was in the Air Force so we moved quite a bit in the first eight years of my life. I lived in Texas, Mississippi and North Carolina before moving to Chico when I was in the third grade. We settled here after my Dad retired from the Air Force in 1964. My Mom was a preacher's kid and a Christian, so we were brought up in the Church of God. I became a Christian when I was in third grade. I loved growing up in Chico. My parent's home is less than a block away from Bidwell Park, so as a child I loved to go over in the park and play for hours. (That was back in the day when it was safe). My parents still live in the same home that we were raised in here in Chico. After graduating from high school, I moved to Sacramento for about a year to get my AA degree at a business college there.

I returned to Chico in 1975 and was married to my high school sweetheart in September 1975 at age 19. I obtained a job working for an accountant for several years before my husband started a photography business. I helped run this business for ten years. During this time I had two wonderful sons, Jimmy who was born in 1980 and Luke who was born in 1983. They are the light of my life and I am so blessed to be their mom. They were the best thing that happened to me during those ten years of marriage. Unfortunately that marriage ended in divorce but it led me down a path to meeting my wonderful awesome husband Jeff who I have been very happily married to since 1987.

In 1988 we had our daughter Heather who is the joy of my life. Being a mother has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. Even though it can be rough at times and I felt very unequipped for some of the challenges, I know that God was gracious to me in my short-comings as a parent and I am very proud of the wonderful adults all three of my children have become.

I went back to work after my daughter started school at an accounting firm and eventually went to work for one of my clients - ProPacific Fresh. I worked for them for twelve years as the controller of the company. I resigned in 2006. I was hired in February 2007 as the receptionist for Neighborhood Church and God has continued to move and position things in such away that I am now in charge of the Finance/Business office (something I never expected or pursued). God has orchestrated it all. I love being here on the NC campus and a part of this ministry. My heart belongs to this ministry and I am commited to doing my part to see the Power of God minister in this place.

Ministries
I have sung on various worship teams over the years, taught bible study, served in women's ministries, helped start the Vineyard Christian Fellowship of Chico in 1994, worked with young marrieds in a mentoring role and have been on prayer ministry teams. My greatest passion is sharing my story with groups of women - something I don't get the chance to do often enough.

Education
I graduated from Pleasant Valley High School in 1974. I attended a business college in Sacramento where I obtained an AA degree in Accounting. Most of my accounting background and education came from working for years in an accounting firm where I was trained and taught by several CPA's. I couldn't have asked for a better education than personal mentoring from them. They taught me 90% of what I know about accounting and taxes.

Interesting Facts

• I love photography as a hobby
• My family traveled to France where our daughter was living in March 2009
• I love to travel, dance, the ocean and snorkeling and would love to learn to scuba dive.