About US

Nancy McCambridge was born in Los Angeles, California, in 1950. She moved to Lakewood with her parents in 1950, where she still resides in the same house. After graduating from Bellflower High School in 1960, Nancy married and raised four children. Today, she takes pride in being a grandmother (Gma) of 15 and a great-grandmother (Gigi) of 9.

For over 40 years, Nancy worked in the trucking industry, eventually becoming an Accounting Manager and Secretary of the Corporation until April 2015. During this time, she also served as a Notary Public, mainly handling notarizations for the corporation.

In her free time, Nancy enjoys various hobbies such as playing the piano, tole painting, sewing, embroidery, crocheting, reading, and solving crossword puzzles. She also finds joy in attending and watching her grandsons play baseball, despite the distance as they attend college in different states.

Nancy finds fulfillment in singing with the church choir and cherishes the fellowship it brings with other members. Additionally, she actively participates in the Women’s Association, finding ways to bless others through outreach programs.

Nancy's dedication to Christ Presbyterian Church spans 17 years, including 6 years as a Deacon and 11 years as an Elder, completing her 12th year in December 2020. She looks forward to continuing her service as a valued member of the team.

Joyce Molinar grew up in Long Beach with loving parents. In 1972, she married Ed Molinar, spending their early years together in Germany where Ed was stationed with the U.S. Army. Upon returning to Long Beach, they started a family, blessed with three children: Jason, Amy, and Jonathan, and now enjoy two granddaughters, Madison and Hailey.

After her youngest son entered kindergarten, Joyce pursued education, earning her A.S. degree and becoming a Licensed Vocational Nurse. She worked in Pediatrics at Harriman Jones/Health Care Partners until retiring to care for her granddaughters. Joyce finds joy in sewing, crafts, water exercise, volunteering at Longfellow Elementary School, and traveling.

Raised in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, Joyce sought a spiritual home where she felt truly connected. In 2006, she found Christ Presbyterian Church Lakewood and immediately felt at home. Over the years, Joyce has been actively involved in various church activities, including the Women’s Association, Bible studies, small groups, and Vacation Bible School. She served as the Elder of Children’s Ministry for three years and is eager to continue her service as an Elder, dedicated to serving the community at CPC.

 Charlene Van Nostran, an Elder at Christ Presbyterian Church Lakewood, was born in Detroit, Michigan, to loving Christian parents. After completing her education, she embarked on a diverse career path before joining Ford Motor Company in 1959. For 25 years, she served at Ford Pico Rivera, CA, as an Administrative Assistant before retiring.

Having been Presbyterian most of her life, Charlene has been an active member of various churches, including Grace First Presbyterian Church of Long Beach for 28 years and Christ Presbyterian Church of Lakewood for 10 years. She has rejoined CPC for the past 9 years, where she has served as a Deacon, Deacon Moderator, Elder, Bible Study leader, and Vice President of the Women’s Association.

Charlene is also a member of P.E.O., a philanthropic education organization supporting women's education through scholarships and loans. Within P.E.O., she has held positions such as Corresponding Secretary, Recording Secretary, Vice President, and President.

In her leisure time, Charlene enjoys reading, particularly mysteries, and takes pride in sharing stories about her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She holds a deep affection for her church and church family, expressing gratitude for the opportunities to serve the Lord Jesus Christ.

 Janet Tabah was born in Cameroon, West-Central Africa. She spent years in Vienna, Austria, where her husband worked for the UNIDO, and their four children were born.

Janet moved to the USA to pursue her studies, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from UCLA School of Nursing after attending Santa Monica College. She began her nursing career at Bellwood General Hospital in Bellflower before settling in Cerritos.

Throughout her journey, Janet has been a member of various Presbyterian churches, including Culver City Presbyterian Church and Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church in Los Alamitos, before joining CPC in 2004. She found a deep connection to CPC's intimate community, serving as the Women’s Association president in 2008 and 2009, followed by four years as a deacon and six years as the Elder of Discipleship.

Janet's passion for singing, particularly hymns, led her to find fulfillment in the church choir. Her time at CPC has been enriching and rewarding, and she expresses gratitude for the blessings in her life. Janet eagerly anticipates continuing her service as the elder for discipleship, honored to serve the Lord and the church community.

Kelly Pittman is a Southern California native with a 34-year career at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Residing in Lakewood for two decades, she has been an active member of CPC for 16 years, leading the prayer team.

Throughout her church involvement, Kelly has served as both a Deacon and an Elder, particularly focusing on Mission Outreach. She has also contributed to various teams, including the Women's Association board.

In her leisure time, Kelly finds joy in gardening, solving puzzles, and visiting her daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter in Idaho.

Nancy Kirstenpfad was born in Howell, MI, in 1939. Growing up in Brighton, MI, she attended the same school from Kindergarten through graduation in 1957. Her plans to pursue nursing changed when she married Gunter shortly after high school.

Relocating to California in 1958, Nancy and Gunter settled in Lakewood in 1964, where they became active members of Christ Presbyterian Church. Their son, John, was born in 1969 and now has a wife and two daughters.

Nancy's professional journey included roles at Farmers and Merchants Bank, Pacific Savings and Loan, and Hexcel Corporation. Throughout the years, she has served as a deacon, an elder, sung in the choir, and led the Lydia Circle Women’s Bible Study.

Nancy cherished her nearly 63 years of marriage with Gunter, grateful for his presence until he passed away. She finds fulfillment in her role as a Deacon, embracing the opportunity to serve others within the church community.

 Kathleen Andrews was originally from Central California and moved to Southern California in 1981. While working at Southern California Edison, she met Dorothy Page, a choir member at CPC Lakewood. Inspired by Dorothy, Kathleen began attending church in 1998, eventually joining the choir and officially becoming a member in 2002, where she was baptized by Rev. Dana Allin.

After taking a break, Kathleen recently rejoined the choir and now serves as the secretary of the Women’s Association, fostering fellowship among the women of the church. Grateful for 20 years at Christ Presbyterian Church Lakewood, Kathleen proudly calls it her church home.

Norma Brown, a Deacon and leader of the women's Bible study group at CPC, cherishes her role in serving the church community. Recently bestowed with the gift of "Grandmotherhood" by her son, Norma finds joy in doting on her beautiful grandson, whose every move delights her.

Born and raised in Southern California, Norma graduated from Hawthorne High School. Throughout her life, she held various jobs, and now in retirement, she dedicates her time to volunteering at Lakewood Regional Hospital.

Emmy Edwards, known to many as one of the few kids who grew up in the church and as one of the instrumentalists, serves as the Youth Ministry Director at CPC. Passionate about showing Christ's love through engaging activities, readings, games, and music, Emmy strives to make church a fun place for young people to learn about God and the Bible.

Currently in college, Emmy is pursuing a degree in Music Education and plans to graduate and transfer with an AA. With a love for music and proficiency in playing instruments, Emmy also excels in teaching various subjects. Previously, she worked at Jordan High School for four years, where she enjoyed coaching the spirit team and marching band. Over the years, Emmy has gained valuable experience from a variety of jobs.

Debbie Derks, born in Lynwood, California, was raised by loving Christian parents. She attended St. John’s Presbyterian Church of Compton, where she was actively involved in the children’s choir and Sunday school. After graduating from Lynwood High School, Debbie and her family moved to Lakewood.

In 1976, Debbie began attending Christ Presbyterian Church, eventually becoming a member. She has served as both Secretary and Missions person for the Women’s Association and has ushered for church services for many years. Professionally, Debbie worked as an Administrative Assistant for PEVCO for 20 years before joining Lew and Associates, Inc. in 1998, where she remains employed.

Outside of work and church commitments, Debbie enjoys cooking, baking for loved ones and church events, reading mysteries, westerns, and suspense novels, as well as embroidery, gardening, writing letters and cards by hand, camping, and hiking.

Grateful for the blessings bestowed upon her and her family by Jesus Christ, Debbie finds joy in serving her community and pursuing her hobbies.