Meet the Staff
Earl Houtz, Ministry Coordinator / Announcer
Birth #2 finally took place in December 1982 – another outcome of intense prayer from Karla and Mother.
FAMILY: Karla and I have three daughters: one resides with her husband in Kalispell; the second living with her husband and children in Lynnwood, WA; our youngest, Angela Christine, went to her permanent home with Christ on February 9, 2016. We are very proud to have 12 grandchildren, 5 great-grandchildren, and a church family that is very special to us. Karla and I also include in our “family” a very important Compassion International young man in Haiti.
OCCUPATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS include: Co-owner of Roemer’s Tire Center, Missoula; Owner of Earl’s Tire Center, Kalispell; Business Administrator of (then) Flathead Christian School, Kalispell; Sales Consultant at DePratu Ford, Whitefish; Business Administrator of the Kalispell Corps of The Salvation Army, Kalispell. I became a YNOP guest announcer in 2003, allowing Dave Brown to gently poke fun at me on Wednesday mornings. At semi-retirement I joined the YNOP staff as Ministry Coordinator in Mid-April of 2013.
HOBBIES have changed over the years, but among my favorites still are photography and worship music.
MUSIC: Southern Gospel, God-directed worship music and hymns, and classical music top my list. My favorite work is Handel’s Messiah.
CHURCH & MINISTRY ACTIVITIES over the years have included choir, deacon, and Men’s Ministries. A short-term mission trip in 1996 to Togo, West Africa, found my leaving a portion of my heart in that continent. It was such a privilege for me to assist in the renovation of the CMA Church in Hays, MT during 2012-13. I experienced another true blessing while on an Operation Christmas Child Special Distribution to Belize in 2015.
GOD’S FAITHFULNESS, UNCONDITIONAL LOVE, & UNENDING GRACE over the years has been remarkable and wonderful. Never has that been more evident than during the hours, days and weeks following the passing of our special needs daughter, Angela, at age 39 in February 2016. Among the results of God’s giving Angela to us was that I began to understand His Unconditional Love that she expressed to everyone in her life. God “looked beyond my faults and saw my need” and gave me Angela to see Him through her. I will always praise Him for His Grace and His gift of our precious Angela.
MY SPECIAL VERSE: John, Chapter 8.9-11:
When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”
You can hear Earl on Your Network Of Praise each Wednesday morning from 6:30 – 9:00.