The McWilliams currently attend Ascension Presbyterian Church, which meets in Alderwood Manor, Wa., a P.C.A. congregation, which began as a part of - a "multi-site" congregation in North Seattle, but became a particular church a decade ago.
Barry tells stories as "Eldrbarry" and is very actively involved in the Seattle Storytelling Guild,serving on the SSG Board as President from 2016 to the present, and editing their newsletter. Since the Spring of 2020, He has facilitated Story programs on Zoom. He enjoys Reading both fiction and non-fiction - with frequent trips to the Everett Public Library until Covid closed its doors, forcing him to rely on e-books. He likes Walking around North Everett and the waterfront, Cooking and an occasional Sewing project. Marianne enjoys quilting, cross stitch and crochet and sorting her Legos, and she loves spending time with her grandchildren. They enjoy building Jigsaw puzzles together.
Barry also likes playing Table Games with friends and his other interests include his vegetable garden, feeding birds, spending time with his rabbit, and solving Sudoku puzzles. He collects Chess sets and builds Wood Ship Models from time to time. He listens to NPR and likes Jazz and Classical Music. See his "Secret Ambitions" page for more on these varied interests.
Barry is an honorably retired ordained Teaching Elder in the Presbyterian Church in America. He attended Covenant College (Class of 1972), and Covenant Theological Seminary (Class of 1975.) After some pastoral work in North Dakota and Illinois, he served as Associate Pastor (1979-1995), and as Assistant Pastor for Equipping Ministries (1998-2003) at Chapel Hill Presbyterian Church in nearby Lake Stevens, Wa. CHPC is now named Crossroads at Lake Stevens. He has done a lot of teaching - his most recent class was on the Attributes of God. Other classes he has taught have included Bible interpretation: "Dusting off the Good Book"; Reformers of the Sixteenth Century: Making the Good Confession: ; What does the Bible say about Being Married?; Ecclesiastes: A Reality Check; Encounters: How do Christians relate to Contemporary Thought; and Stewardship 101: For the third world and the rest of us..
Barry started telling stories in Reach Out Summer Vacation Bible Schools, then developed six VBS Curriculums available on this site, and often used storytelling in his teaching and preaching the Gospel. His curriculum, Wanted! Children after God's Own Heart! © has been used by many churches since 2000. He has a useful Christian Teacher's Manual.
Barry and Marianne made a number of Short Term Missions in Hungary and Uganda between 2001 and 2007, beginning with a trip to Hungary and Uganda in the Spring of 2001, and Barry's trips to Uganda in March, 2003, May, 2005 and November, 2007. Marianne and group of other Northwest women made a two week quilting ministry trip to Hungary and Poland in the Spring of 2002, and she made her fourth trip to Kaposvár in March, 2004. Barry and Marianne also travelled to Hungary for Sarah's Wedding(s) in 2002 and the births of our two grandsons, Robi in 2004 and Benji in 2007. Missions related pages on this site include links for Hungary, and Uganda and an extensive Missions Reading List.
Barry and Marianne have a son Paul who works for IBM in San Jose, California at IBM's Laboratory in the Santa Teresa Hills as a Technical Writer. Paul was married to Brianne O'Fallon of San Jose in August, 2006 and they live in Morgan Hill, Ca. Victoria Marie McWilliams was born July 3rd. 2012 in San Jose, CA.and her sister, Elizabeth Grace McWilliams, was born on February 17th, 2015. Brianne received her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Samuel Merritt University in the Spring of 2009. Paul enjoys Biking and hiking on many trails around the Bay Area, and visiting local parks. He did the 200 mile Seattle to Portland Ride in 2016. Paul also has an interest in photography and painting watercolors.
Paul was a 2004 graduate of the University of Washington with a degree in Technical Communication. Before College and the University, Paul served for four years in the United States Navy aboard the U.S.S. Salvor, one of the USS Navy's "high tech" salvage ships. Paul continued serving in the U.S. Naval Reserves while taking classes at Everett Community College drilling with Harbor Defense Command Unit #113 in Seattle, Wa., a deployable unit that co-ordinates Coast Guard Port Security Units and Navy Coastal Warfare Units. He participated in Operation Northern Edge in Alaska in the Spring of 2001 and Seahawk that Summer. After graduating with High Honors from Everett Community College, in the fall of 2001, Paul was called back for an additional year of active duty at Naval Station Everett before beginning his studies at the University of Washington.
Barry and Marianne's daughter, Sarah Balogh, served as an International Messengers missionary in Kaposvár, Hungary from 2000 to 2008. Sarah was married in the summer of 2002 to Bruno Balogh of Mende, Hungary. They have two sons and two daughters. Both Robert Norman Balogh (Robi), born October 21st, 2004, and Benjamin David Balogh (Benji) born on August 3rd, 2007 were born in Hungary. Daughters Abigél Eliza Balogh (Abi) was born November 11th, 2009 in Everett, and Samantha Rose Balogh (Sami) was born April 27th, 2014. After several years of ministry in Kaposvar, the Balogh's moved South Everett in March of 2008, and now own a home and duplex in North Everett, near Barry and Marianne. Having them close by has been good, with outings to local parks and beaches, the Imagine Children's Museum, the Woodland Park Zoo, and The Pacific Science Center. Sarah wass a part time Certified Nursing Assistant at Providence General Hospital in Everett, currently doing consulting work, and Bruno does maintainence work for a couple of hospital campuses in Bellevue, Wa. They recently purchased and extensively renovated a large three story 1892 home on Everett's eastside, that was originally built by an owner of the Sumner Iron Works (More on SIW).
Please E-mail me at: eldrbarry@eldrbarry.net
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