Bayside Leadership Team
Bayside Community Church is a non-denominational fellowship under the direct headship of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Pastor and Church Council (men elected by the congregation and functioning biblically as Church Elders) continually seek His direction and affirmation in all that we do as a church body. ('In Him we live, move, and have our being.' -Acts 17:28)
This board prayerfully considers issues of the church and provides leadership for all the ministries of the church on a day-to-day basis. Matters requiring Congregational approval are decided by the voting of the Congregation at a duly called Business Meeting.
Michael Sims - Pastor
Michael Sims is a ThM graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary in Dallas, Texas, and a BBA graduate from Houston Baptist University in Houston, Texas. Michael currently serves as Pastor for Bayside Community Church in Valdez, Alaska. Prior to serving at Bayside, Michael served as a Pastor in Elgin, Texas and was an accountant in Austin, Texas.
Michael's wife, Amy, enjoys homeschooling their four wonderful children. As a family they love camping, hiking, and being outdoors.
Kipp Norris - Elder
Kipp Norris is a graduate of Whitworth College in Spokane, Washington, and currently teaches geography and language arts at Gilson Junior High School here in Valdez.
Kipp serves as Board Chairman of the church, and for the past 23 years he and his wife, Ann, a junior and senior high school music teacher, have hosted meetings and activities for Bayside and community youth. Kipp also teaches adult Sunday classes at Bayside Church.
Kipp and Ann have four children.
Bobby Gibbs - Elder
Bobby Gibbs attended Morris Brown College in Atlanta, Georgia, where he studied Business Administration. He moved to Valdez in 1980 with his wife, Diane, an elementary school teacher. They raised their four children here. Bobby worked at Harborview Developmental Center caring for the physically and mentally disabled and later as a Correctional Officer with the Valdez Police Department for 16 years. Currently, Bobby is the supervisor of the Valdez Teen Center.
Paul Silveira - Elder
Paul Silveira completed his dental science degree at Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland, Oregon. He moved to Valdez in 1995 with his wife, Sandy, and their two children to set up a dental practice. The Silveiras have since adopted two more children, and all have been home-schooled by their mom.
Paul has been on two mission trips to Indonesia where he helped set up a dental clinic at a refugee compound operated byInternational Friends of Compassion. His daughter, Hadassah, accompanied him on his first trip there to help with training. She's the one getting married, and her dad, Paul, is third from right.