Lee Purkey
Lee, known simply by friends as "Purk", was born in Newport Beach, spending his childhood years in Huntington Beach as a skater/surfer kid. After his family relocated to Northern California, he graduated from Santa Rosa High School and went on to receive his B.A. in English from U.C. Davis. While at Davis he met and fell in love with his amazing wife Angelie. After graduation, both went on to attend Fuller Theological Seminary, each graduating with a Masters Degree.
Lee served as a youth director in Pasadena and Los Gatos before his ordination as a pastor in the Presbyterian Church (USA). He served as Pastor of Family Ministries at West Valley Presbyterian Church in Cupertino and was called as the Pastor/Head of Staff to First Presbyterian Church of Santa Cruz in the fall of 2001. It was Lee who took the initiative in building the bridges needed between the two former churches to form the unique opportunity that is now Vintage Faith Church.
He and his wife Angelie live in Soquel with their two sons Nathaniel and Joshua, where they enjoy sports and other outdoor activities. Lee is an avid researcher into classical and military history. He enjoys model building and is a self-proclaimed "mad scientist"-garage tinkerer. Lee is passionate about sculpting, especially in stone and metals, and enjoys drawing/sketching, cartooning and other creative arts. He also enjoys design work and interior staging for worship environments.
Lee's heart for family ministry comes from his own life experience. He feels blessed to be born out of a beautifully broken blend of sinners and saints- from dust-bowl drifters, Oklahoma wildcatters, moonshiners, artists, inventors, preachers, and convicts. Out of this curious blend of chaos and creativity comes his own Maverick sensibilities- being careful to sprinkle convention and modernity with the delicious liberty, mystery, and joy that Jesus brings into his life. Not having grown-up in a church and having these practical sensibilities has uniquely equipped Lee to be a visionary and lay hold of God's dream that the Church can and must work cooperatively if people and communities are to be positively impacted with the gospel.
"Apart from Christ, my greatest source of joy and energy comes from the blessings of my family, especially my sweet wife Angelie and my sons Nathaniel and Joshua. I am zealous to give my children an inheritance of faithfulness and love in Jesus and find parenting both a challenge and a joy which inspires my ministry to children, youth, and families."
