Family Spotlight
Pam and Gary Flach have attended First Christian Church for about four years. They have been members for three.
You'll recognize them first for having spent so much time in the Connection Cafe on Sunday mornings. They started serving the breakfast goodies with Mercedes and Marshall a few years ago. Then one day, after Pam Flach casually mentioned to Pam Wagner that it would be nice if other people would volunteer to help, the Wagner gals – Pam, Natalie and Amanda – began helping out. They were soon joined by Shannon and Rick Witt and the Cafe has become a mission field of helpers as the need has grown.
Gary also spends his time and talents on the Vision Team, where he serves as church treasurer.
Like so many members of our Disciples of Christ church, the Flachs came to FCC from previous religious backgrounds. Gary was raised Catholic; Pam, Methodist. However, Pam converted to Catholic when they married and they raised their children in that faith.
“I was very active in the Methodist church while growing up,” Pam said. “My parents were very involved, and it seemed like our whole social life was involved in the church. But we raised our children Catholic.” So how did they get to FCC?
Gary said their kids went to Catholic school, but after they grew up he and Pam drifted away from the Catholic Church. The big hold out came for them during the time when there was a lot of controversy with the priests. Around that time, Pam's mother asked to come to FCC – she lives with Pam and Gary; Pam's father is in assisted living. The Flachs would go to mass at 7:30 a.m. Then they'd go home and get the mother and take her to church. On Mother's Day that year, not wanting her to come to church alone, Pam and Gary accompanied her to FCC, so she wouldn't be alone.
“We fell in love with the church and what Pastor David was saying,” Gary said. “David says you shouldn't just go through the motions (of religion),” Pam said. And for the first time in 50 years, I now feel like I have a relationship with God. He teaches how to apply the Bible to everyday life.”
The Flachs are from Wisconsin and have been in Venice for 30 years. Gary worked with Winn-Dixie supermarket chain, corporate office, and left when his job was undergoing another change that would have had spend too much time on the road. He had been a store manager and worked in merchandising, and now works at Calusa Lakes golf club as Pro Shop manager.
The Flachs two children: Brad (Alisha) and Heather (Derek) live nearby and have given them six grandchildren, who all attend FCC. Heather and Derek are also helping to raise a nephew.
Both Pam and Gary's parents are alive and in the area. Gary's dad retired from Honeywell, a job that brought the family to Florida where his dad wanted to live and retire. Gary has six siblings, all in the Florida but one who is married to a Canadian and lives there. Pam has three sisters who live in Tampa, Texas and Louisiana.
Pam summed up their beliefs: “God has given us a purpose in life, and truly, Pastor David is doing what he is supposed to do.”
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