Pastor Rick Bristol
Rick Bristol is the senior pastor at True North Community Church in Petoskey, Michigan. He arrived as a church replanter in 2017. During the transition period, he still had one foot at sea and one foot ashore because he also served with the military as a Chaplain working with the Coast Guard in Anchorage, Alaska, during that first year.
Rick’s time with the military began when he joined the US Marine Corps in 1993 after graduating from Apple Valley High School and spending a few years traveling and performing with a group called the Young Americans. Rick reported to his first Duty Station: Headquarters Company, 4th Marine Regiment at Camp Schwab, Okinawa. After his tour in Okinawa, Rick served with the 8th Communication Battalion at Camp Lejeune, NC. Richard Bristol was then a Sergeant and completed his military service honorably on October 25, 1997.
He had given his life to Christ at eight yet had not stayed connected to a church. There was even a point where he believed he was an atheist. His atheism did not last through the first few days of Marine Corps Boot Camp. After his time in the Marine Corps, Rick Bristol began attending New Hope Community Church in Apple Valley, CA. He started on his first serious journey in the Word with a small bible he received from a Chaplain in the Marines. He discovered that the more he read, the more he felt the need to keep reading.
He began leading Sunday School on occasion and found a passion for sharing the Gospel. This passion was the first sign that God was moving him toward ministry. During this period, he had an A Capella Gospel Group, which did outreach and revivals. Rick Bristol was working with another non-profit group, the Young Americans when in 2003, New Hope asked if he was willing to come back as their Worship Leader. New Hope Community Church was a Southern Baptist Church in California undergoing significant transitions.
New Hope confirmed his call to ministry, and he mentored under their Senior Pastor there. By the time the church licensed Rick as a Pastor, he was already acting as Pastor of Administration, Music, Shepherding, and Small Group Ministries. To improve his ministerial abilities, he headed back to school. He completed a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Liberal Studies with a concentration in Social Studies at California Baptist University in Riverside, CA. He continued his education, completing his Master of Divinity at Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary. He continued serving as a full-time Pastor of New Hope Community Church, where he was licensed and ordained by the Southern Baptist Convention. He was endorsed, licensed, and ordained by the Evangelical Church Alliance as a Chaplain on May 6, 2008. He was commissioned as a Chaplain in the United States Navy in December 2008, completed Naval Chaplain’s School, and was awarded the Stanley Beech Leadership Award upon graduation. Chaplain Bristol then reported to his first assignment in Okinawa, Japan.
Chaplain Bristol served in Okinawa for three years. With Camp Butler, Chaplain Bristol served two years as the Headquarters and Service Battalion Chaplain for the 1500 Marines of Marine Corps Base Butler. He served as the Northern Camps Coordinator for Camps Hansen, Schwab, Courtney, and McTurious. Additionally, he served as the Primary Pastor for Camp McTurious Gospel Camp Hansen Protestant and the Camp Schwab Protestant Communities. After Rick’s tour in Okinawa, Chaplain Bristol received his dream assignment, a Marine infantry battalion chaplain.
Second Battalion, Eighth Marines (2/8) was the Marine Corps battalion that had been to Iraq or Afghanistan more than any other Marine Corps combat unit. During his time with 2/8, Chaplain Bristol completed a combat deployment to Afghanistan. There, he served as the Camp Dwyer Chaplain and cared for his battalion. To reduce struggles upon return, Chaplain Bristol aided in writing a Battalion Order, which included a requirement for pre-marital counseling and conducted regular marriage enrichment workshops. He was also instrumental in connecting with the local United Way. This relationship resulted in hundreds of volunteer hours provided to the local community. The battalion was awarded the “Golden Rule Award” by the United Way organization. Chaplain Bristol’s actions and the program his battalion began have become the model for other units seeking the same cooperation. After his time in North Carolina, he packed up and moved to his next assignment with the US Coast Guard.
Rick served with the US Coast Guard Sector in Anchorage, Alaska. This duty required several trips throughout his area of responsibility, ministering to the spiritual and emotional needs of the nearly 5000 service members and their dependents. He is one of only three Navy Chaplains in Alaska and regularly travels throughout a region about a quarter of the size of the United States.
Chaplain Bristol’s military awards include four Navy Commendation Medals, one Coast Guard Commendation Medal, the Chaplain Stanley Beach Student Leadership Award, the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, and a Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal.
Rick is married to the former Katherine (Katie) Kujawski of Boyne City, MI. He and his beautiful wife have four exceptional children: Ricky, age 15; Toby, 13; Juliet, 11; and Tori, 9. They love serving the Family of God wherever God leads and are excited to see God’s incredible plans for True North Community Church in Petoskey, Michigan.
Rick’s time with the military began when he joined the US Marine Corps in 1993 after graduating from Apple Valley High School and spending a few years traveling and performing with a group called the Young Americans. Rick reported to his first Duty Station: Headquarters Company, 4th Marine Regiment at Camp Schwab, Okinawa. After his tour in Okinawa, Rick served with the 8th Communication Battalion at Camp Lejeune, NC. Richard Bristol was then a Sergeant and completed his military service honorably on October 25, 1997.
He had given his life to Christ at eight yet had not stayed connected to a church. There was even a point where he believed he was an atheist. His atheism did not last through the first few days of Marine Corps Boot Camp. After his time in the Marine Corps, Rick Bristol began attending New Hope Community Church in Apple Valley, CA. He started on his first serious journey in the Word with a small bible he received from a Chaplain in the Marines. He discovered that the more he read, the more he felt the need to keep reading.
He began leading Sunday School on occasion and found a passion for sharing the Gospel. This passion was the first sign that God was moving him toward ministry. During this period, he had an A Capella Gospel Group, which did outreach and revivals. Rick Bristol was working with another non-profit group, the Young Americans when in 2003, New Hope asked if he was willing to come back as their Worship Leader. New Hope Community Church was a Southern Baptist Church in California undergoing significant transitions.
New Hope confirmed his call to ministry, and he mentored under their Senior Pastor there. By the time the church licensed Rick as a Pastor, he was already acting as Pastor of Administration, Music, Shepherding, and Small Group Ministries. To improve his ministerial abilities, he headed back to school. He completed a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Liberal Studies with a concentration in Social Studies at California Baptist University in Riverside, CA. He continued his education, completing his Master of Divinity at Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary. He continued serving as a full-time Pastor of New Hope Community Church, where he was licensed and ordained by the Southern Baptist Convention. He was endorsed, licensed, and ordained by the Evangelical Church Alliance as a Chaplain on May 6, 2008. He was commissioned as a Chaplain in the United States Navy in December 2008, completed Naval Chaplain’s School, and was awarded the Stanley Beech Leadership Award upon graduation. Chaplain Bristol then reported to his first assignment in Okinawa, Japan.
Chaplain Bristol served in Okinawa for three years. With Camp Butler, Chaplain Bristol served two years as the Headquarters and Service Battalion Chaplain for the 1500 Marines of Marine Corps Base Butler. He served as the Northern Camps Coordinator for Camps Hansen, Schwab, Courtney, and McTurious. Additionally, he served as the Primary Pastor for Camp McTurious Gospel Camp Hansen Protestant and the Camp Schwab Protestant Communities. After Rick’s tour in Okinawa, Chaplain Bristol received his dream assignment, a Marine infantry battalion chaplain.
Second Battalion, Eighth Marines (2/8) was the Marine Corps battalion that had been to Iraq or Afghanistan more than any other Marine Corps combat unit. During his time with 2/8, Chaplain Bristol completed a combat deployment to Afghanistan. There, he served as the Camp Dwyer Chaplain and cared for his battalion. To reduce struggles upon return, Chaplain Bristol aided in writing a Battalion Order, which included a requirement for pre-marital counseling and conducted regular marriage enrichment workshops. He was also instrumental in connecting with the local United Way. This relationship resulted in hundreds of volunteer hours provided to the local community. The battalion was awarded the “Golden Rule Award” by the United Way organization. Chaplain Bristol’s actions and the program his battalion began have become the model for other units seeking the same cooperation. After his time in North Carolina, he packed up and moved to his next assignment with the US Coast Guard.
Rick served with the US Coast Guard Sector in Anchorage, Alaska. This duty required several trips throughout his area of responsibility, ministering to the spiritual and emotional needs of the nearly 5000 service members and their dependents. He is one of only three Navy Chaplains in Alaska and regularly travels throughout a region about a quarter of the size of the United States.
Chaplain Bristol’s military awards include four Navy Commendation Medals, one Coast Guard Commendation Medal, the Chaplain Stanley Beach Student Leadership Award, the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, and a Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal.
Rick is married to the former Katherine (Katie) Kujawski of Boyne City, MI. He and his beautiful wife have four exceptional children: Ricky, age 15; Toby, 13; Juliet, 11; and Tori, 9. They love serving the Family of God wherever God leads and are excited to see God’s incredible plans for True North Community Church in Petoskey, Michigan.
