The Canyon Lake City Council on Wednesday recognized Pastor Pete Van Dyke as Canyon Lake’s April Citizen of the Month.
Van Dyke and his wife, Pat, have resided in Canyon Lake for the past 46 years. In October 1976, Van Dyke was a guest pastor on a Sunday morning at Canyon Lake Community Church (CLCC). Three months later, in January 1977, Van Dyke and his wife relocated from Illinois to Canyon Lake where he became the first full-time pastor at CLCC.
Van Dyke retired as senior pastor in January 2016 but continued on with the church and currently holds the position of pastor of congregation care.
Viewed as the “Community Pastor,” Van Dyke has opened numerous Canyon Lake events and city council meetings with prayer and makes himself available to the needs of the community. He has officiated in more than 1200 funerals and memorials and 750 weddings, most of which were Canyon Lake residents.
Van Dyke fulfills the spiritual needs of many Canyon Lake residents and beyond. At CLCC, Van Dyke leads GriefShare in which he reaches out to help those who have lost a loved one, and Celebrate Recovery, a 12-step program that helps people with “hurts, hang-ups, and habits.”
Pat has also contributed to the betterment of the community and CLCC. She helped form the Women’s Ministry Program at CLCC and conducted adult Sunday school classes. She also served as a volunteer columnist and photographer for The Friday Flyer for four years and, since January, for the Canyon Lake Insider.
The pastor and his wife are beloved members of the community.
The Canyon Lake Citizen of the Month initiative was created in January of 2021 to honor Canyon Lake residents for their service to the community. Each awardee is recognized by the mayor with a certificate. Community members are encouraged to nominate Citizens of the Month by submitting their name and a short paragraph detailing their good work to [email protected]. Residents of all ages are eligible to be nominated for this recognition.
