Executive Board Insights with Jonathan Sakovich
So the funny thing about the champions is, a lot of times our volunteers, they are people that are kinda running programs. They get up in front or whatever. You know? Many of them. Not all of them.
Sarah:But one of my champions this year, was Justin McWhorter, and he was so uncomfortable the whole time that, like, having to talk to other people. Yeah. So Justin, he for us, he does kind of a lot of the convention work behind the scenes. He loves to be in his black behind this behind the stage and everybody else. Both meals was it was effort for him to even come to get dressed up.
Sarah:It really amused me. But also about Justin, he's he was tapped by 2 of us to be champion. Yeah. Roger Roger Byrd also asked him to be his champion, again, for a lot of the behind the scenes stuff that he does. So, but I was teasing him up, the high heavens, because he the small talk around the table,
Jonathan:he was struggling.
Pete:You put him in the front row too.
Sarah:I know.
Pete:That was that was bad of you. That was mean.
Sarah:Yeah. I know. That's right. He's fine. He'll be fine.
Announcer:Welcome to the GC Collective Podcast, brought to you by the California Southern Baptist Convention.
Pete:Welcome everyone to the GC Collective brought to you by the California Southern Baptist Convention. I'm Pete Ramirez, your executive director. And today we have with us
Sarah:Sarah Graham, communications as always.
Pete:And we also have with us a special guest. He is the pastor of Walnut Baptist Church in the area of Los Angeles, and his name is Jonathan Eric Sokovich or
Sarah:Sokovich? This is the big question. I think California Southern Baptist wanna know how to pronounce your last name.
Jonathan:You know, there's there's actually two ways. Generally, it's either Sokovich or Sakovich or how did you how do you say it?
Pete:Sakovich. Now
Jonathan:there's 3. There's 3 ways.
Pete:Well, this is the Hispanic way, which is probably the correct way of saying it. Sokovich. Right?
Jonathan:I I guess, generally, we just probably say Sokovich. Sokovich. Okay. That
Sarah:word. Sokovich.
Pete:Well, welcome to our program. Do you listen to the program, like, regularly?
Jonathan:To be honest, I do not listen to it regularly, but I do listen to it at times. Okay. In fact, I was just on the April 1st one.
Sarah:Oh, yeah.
Jonathan:Listening through that.
Sarah:Okay. Good.
Pete:Well, you've been invited because you've been a board member for now almost 7 years, and you are the vice chairman of our board, and we just had our board meeting, and so we want to get the perspective from you about our board and our meeting that we had and and stuff like that. But before we do that, we always start with, you know, something that we're celebrating, something that's amazing that's happened, And I know that Sarah has something that she is very proud of. Sarah, why don't you share?
Sarah:Well, you should be proud of it too, Pete, because we, the communications team at our office submitted the for the, Wilmer Seefelds Baptist Communicators Awards, and we submitted the podcast. We just thought, you know, let's see what happens. Lots of people have podcasts. National has a podcast. And we actually came in 3rd place.
Sarah:Congratulations to us. Yeah.
Pete:So that means we're famous. Right?
Sarah:We are famous.
Pete:Among the Baptist. Like
Sarah:Come on.
Pete:Doctor Orch. That's right.
Jonathan:I think
Pete:you would say that. Right? Things like the Baptist.
Jonathan:I I I wish for that one.
Pete:We are in 3rd place among the Baptists. That's great when it comes to this. This is great.
Sarah:They did say some of their feedback that we got, they said there was a lot of insider information, and I I couldn't decide whether I thought that was a positive or a negative because we're so much about family Mhmm. That when you listen in our family, you know who Victor is when we say that. You know what I mean? So I don't know that I'm going to necessarily take that feedback much to heart and just take it as a compliment.
Pete:Okay. Okay.
Sarah:That's what going for.
Jonathan:But,
Pete:hey, our communications department did more than just win the 3rd place for the podcast. What else did we get, Sarah?
Sarah:It's true. We won in several divisions. Michael Salorio won for a a new logo design for the Fellowship of Church Musicians conference. So congratulations to him. Actually, we should say Matt gets some he's here, but he doesn't have a microphone today.
Sarah:Poor Matt. He got a lot of credit for our podcast one. But the one I'm most excited about is this week at CSBC took first place for overall publication. So Wow. Subscribe,
Jonathan:that's great. Awesome. Hey. Winning awards is always a good thing.
Pete:Sure. Among the Among the Among the among the We
Sarah:got really great feedback that we're gonna take with us and and, you know, make some improvements. But our publication is this week at CSBC is really important to us as a communication piece. And so it it did very well.
Pete:That's great. Mhmm. But, Jonathan, it's been wonderful having you on the board the past 7 years. I've sir I've been on the staff convention for the past 6, and so I've seen your growth. You mature.
Pete:And now at 5 o'clock, you have a shadow around your face.
Jonathan:I mean, Jiminy. You really Thanks.
Pete:You know, you you you're just maturing in this role. I think when you started, you had 2 children. Now you have 4?
Jonathan:No. No. 3.
Pete:3. Okay. No. Not one of them. No.
Pete:That's it.
Jonathan:4 a 4 month old.
Pete:But why don't you share with us, Jonathan, what are some of your experiences being on the board? What are some things that you've learned? You know, just share with us.
Jonathan:Yeah. I was, definitely a greenhorn coming up to the whole executive board and being part of that was quite an an interesting experience. Probably the one of the wonderful things being a new pastor, a new senior pastor, you know, back in 2,008 18, that's when I started on the board and part of a new pastor, you know, First Baptist Church of Walnut Valley, you tend to feel very isolated as a, especially as a younger pastor, just man, there's just like what do I do? Where do I go? Like, you know, is there other people having these same things going on?
Jonathan:And being part of the board has really helped just kinda expand to see the unity that California has has in reaching people for Christ.
Sarah:Yeah.
Jonathan:Seeing all the things, all the different types of, different different, committees and how it works. Probably the greatest thing and I say the strongest thing in, being a part of the board is is just again, it's coming back to that unity for Christ and reaching people for Jesus. That that that's what that like, that's kinda like what we're doing, you know, we're better together. Mhmm. And really that's just like coming across.
Jonathan:And it's really helped me develop kinda, like, as a leader. Right? Seeing how to, you know, help meetings are run.
Sarah:Right. You
Jonathan:know, Robert's rules of order. Like, what in the world is that? Right, right, right. And, it's really just helped expand, like, connections and really helped me to even be more just more you know as a southern baptist to really take more you know, can you say this and and not being sin, but pride as a southern baptist. Right.
Jonathan:Yeah. Right. Right. Right. Can you say that?
Jonathan:Right?
Sarah:That's true.
Jonathan:But, you know, they really just to really enjoy that rather than just be like, yeah. Southern Baptist, you move on with your life. But just like, no. What we do at the local church, you know, is is affected in like, you know, the all of California. What California is doing on the state level affects our churches and it just makes it makes it exciting because you feel like you're part of something bigger.
Jonathan:Yeah. And it you really get to see that.
Sarah:Yeah.
Jonathan:Because most of the time, you're just as as a pastor or or any any particular position in church, you're just focusing on your church and totally forgetting that there's so much more going on. Yeah. God's working everywhere. Yep.
Sarah:So, Jonathan, one of the reasons that we invited you here is because you're the vice chair of the committee. The chair is actually right now, Sean Beatty. Correct. Right? And I just wanna say and I and I like to whenever I get the chance that what I love about the convention life is the polity that we have, the structure that you're not there because we put you there.
Sarah:No. You're there because the church leadership has put you there. Yes. The the way our our structure works. And Pete and I are where we are because the board, you guys have put us here.
Sarah:Yes. So it's it's a very bottom up, democracy type structure that we have in California Southern Baptist life or in all Southern Baptist life. So I just anytime I get the chance, I like to bring that up, to remind our listeners that, you know, that that is our structure and it's really significant. Speaking of the board, before we get to talking about the champions retreat, there was some business that you guys still handled. This wasn't just, you know, meals and stuff.
Jonathan:Yeah. It would be nice if it was. Right?
Sarah:Yeah. You guys came to do some work. What what can our people be praying for as you guys are making decisions for our convention?
Jonathan:You know, there is just there's a lot that happens on that board. It's a very active board, which is great. You know, I was part of the transition when we were 48. Right? That's 40.
Jonathan:Excuse me. 40. Excuse me. Where where we're 40 and then down to 28. Yeah.
Jonathan:See, I got that 8 in there. Yeah. I saw that and and saw that change and, it really has become a very active board, very much involved. Just a lot more conversation and a lot a lot of a lot of thought. Mhmm.
Jonathan:And there's so much that we cover. I think one of the one of the biggest things that we've been covering and I think everyone been kind of seeing it is just like the whole financial aspect.
Sarah:Right. Cooperative program giving.
Jonathan:Yep. Cooperative program giving. And just but just you know like finances as a whole is just everyone right before everyone's eyes, right, with inflation and everything's going up. And our churches are, you know, the churches are feeling it.
Sarah:Right.
Jonathan:And, but, I mean, also with the state as a whole is feeling it. Right? Because everything just goes up. And, you know, you've got the state essentially is the, you know, like the missionaries involved that the churches are supporting Mhmm. To do, to to again, to reach even farther out, to be more involved.
Jonathan:And one of the big things is dealing with, CP is the the amount that we have, I've been giving out with, like, 35%.
Sarah:Right.
Jonathan:Yeah. Currently. And You mean to the national agencies? Yes. To the national agencies.
Jonathan:Yes. Yes. Excuse me. Well, one of the things we've been talking about is potentially, lowering that number.
Sarah:Oh, yeah. The percentage.
Jonathan:Yeah. The percentage of it. And we don't, you know, have an exact number, but it's definitely something, to, keep on the radar and just looking with everything that's going on and and with with all the, financials, just just money in general, you know, and the the dollar not being as much as it was. Right? The inflation, we, you know, things cost more.
Jonathan:Yeah. And it costs more for, just to, for for example, for the state to do what they're doing. And so I think that's one of the bigger things that we're really trying to figure out here, as just moving forward as as a So
Sarah:you haven't made that decision? You guys are just wrestling with it?
Jonathan:No. No. We're just wrestling with it, talking about it, seeing, you know, we're seeing, you know, it was great seeing how much the, like, I I recently, my church recently got a a letter showing how much how much we gave and what we're giving, and seeing online where our finances are, that massive number. I can't remember the exact number, what we have currently for our
Sarah:It's hard to say because we're always sort of behind.
Jonathan:But we're sort of behind.
Sarah:Well, we did just post 1, the giving report, the first quarter giving report and
Jonathan:Yeah.
Sarah:The, the big CP number.
Jonathan:So I think that's a great way of just being in prayer, as the board maneuvers with this, to use our resources to the best of our ability to reach people for Christ but, that, you know, as with anything it costs money. Right? It's just not it's just not
Pete:And the reality, Jonathan, is that it's not just inflation. It it's also that some of our churches, their numbers have not returned since COVID. And another thing is that, you know, the convention is not what it used to be. You know, you were loyal. You gave a certain percentage and Yeah.
Pete:You know, that's not there anymore. There's a lot of disengagement from the convention as a whole from a lot of our churches for many reasons. Mhmm. And so we do find ourselves in more difficult challenging times when it comes to cooperative program giving
Jonathan:Yeah.
Pete:And giving through the cooperative program. And so those are the challenges that definitely our board is dealing with and really the big challenge is gonna come, as we're trying to get ready for next year's budget. And I know that our budget finance committee will be working, very hard between now September to come up with a balanced budget
Jonathan:Yeah.
Pete:For next year. And so I really appreciate the work that the board does. Yeah.
Jonathan:Yeah.
Pete:It's a
Jonathan:lot of work. It's a lot. We're very much involved in our process.
Sarah:It's waiting. Yes. Yeah.
Pete:Well, as the executive director of the convention and also as previously having served in other roles, I am so grateful for the leadership that you've brought to the board through the years. You've helped our teams be better. Your input has been very valuable.
Jonathan:Oh, wow.
Pete:I I've learned that you are one that likes to bring motions to to the meeting. This is true. Yeah. Yeah. Sarah, have you ever heard of the Sokovich motion before?
Sarah:No. I have not.
Pete:So, like, about 3 years ago, right after COVID. Right?
Sarah:Okay.
Pete:We we are having a meeting and, you know, people got used to staying home and doing things on Zoom and pastor Sokovich decided that, perhaps it would be a good idea not to have to drive up to Fresno for board meetings 3 times a year. That it might be a little bit too much for some, especially when they have younger children and that maybe we could just do one online. Oh. And so there was a motion brought by him. Right?
Jonathan:Yes.
Pete:Remember remember when you brought that motion? Yes. And and and do you remember what how how people responded to that motion?
Jonathan:It was a little bit horrific. Yeah. Really? We're like, wait, what? And there was a lot of lot of conversation.
Jonathan:It was like, there's a lot of people invested in this. Sure. Sure. On both sides. And I was like, that's great.
Pete:Sure. And so then the following year, we we kind of tabled that motion because it was such a deep motion.
Jonathan:Such a I did.
Pete:Great motion. So it was tabled. And then the following year, we decided to do what we just finished doing this past week and that is the champions retreat. And so the champion retreat has become a way of saying thank you to those that are that serve our convention and don't necessarily get
Sarah:paid. Right.
Pete:Right? Is there how many people came to our to our champions meeting this past week?
Sarah:We had upwards of about a 140 people.
Jonathan:Wow.
Sarah:It was a lot.
Pete:Right. Right. And and we held it this year at our beautiful campus where we're actually doing the podcast Exactly. This morning at California Baptist University.
Jonathan:Yeah.
Pete:We're actually sitting right now in a dorm that smells like a dorm. This is very true. Fuck. So we can thank you for that because you were kind of like the the brainchild to saying, hey, let's do something different.
Jonathan:Yes.
Pete:And and can I tell you that I believe that this champions meeting and saying thank you to people, and we still do the business while we're here? Right?
Jonathan:Yes. We do.
Pete:Has really helped our board to gel and to become a family.
Sarah:Yeah.
Pete:Had did you get the sense of that, either of you?
Sarah:For sure. For sure. Yeah. And we're very intentional about the way we seat people. So board members and champions, I will say I think our board members are champions as well.
Sarah:Right. Right. They they fit the category of doing heavy hitting work without being paid. Right. So, but mixing them up with other entity leaders, DOMs, you know, those kinds of things.
Sarah:And so
Jonathan:Right.
Sarah:We intentionally spread them out.
Jonathan:Right. Yeah. And, you know, I think that's one of the greatest things about this, the champion thing and just, you know, on the board to the idea of family. Like, really carrying over and you see that you don't really feel like you're walking into a room of just of strangers. Right.
Jonathan:You do feel that people a, want to be there, and b, they want to know you. Mhmm. Right? There's not a lot of people just like, well, just don't talk to me. Don't be involved with me.
Jonathan:Like, there's a lot of connection. Like, Again, that unity, it comes across. You really do see the people enjoy being involved with people. In California, sometimes that's hard to say in places, because people are like, leave me alone, but I'd never get that on the board, and I'd never see that, the champion. Yeah.
Jonathan:So last year, you
Pete:were not able to go. You got sick, right? That that was true, yes. And so, definitely. This was your first experience.
Pete:Yes.
Jonathan:What did you hear? Well, what I heard is, I would have to say, hope. I have heard a lot of hope and a lot of strategy of that that people are being intentional with all the resources that the state is involved with. It was great hearing those church planters about what was going on and the support that they got. It was great hearing about what was going on with missions.
Jonathan:Was going on.
Sarah:Oh, you're talking about the IMB representative? Yeah. Danny Moore. Yeah.
Jonathan:Yeah. Yeah. Danny. Thank you.
Sarah:Danny Moore. Yeah.
Jonathan:And, it was just, you know, hearing what's going on with, just all that, like, what's going on with our communications and online. Like, it's just like this this whole new, like you really see the outreach and that hand of of trying to 1, bring people together with our convention and help them to funnel in the saying, hey. Here's a different avenues and resources that that are being used for the glory of the kingdom. Mhmm. To say that this is an us thing.
Jonathan:This is a we thing. This is not like he or she or or, you know, their thing. It is it it is an us. It's a we. And and that's probably the biggest highlight of of this of these champions and and the fact that we get to honor these people, that it shows that the work is not going unknown.
Jonathan:Right? And a lot of I think a lot of people feel that all the work that they do for Christ isn't seen. Right. And and we and we we fall into, like, you know, the aspect, well, God sees, well, God sees. Yeah.
Jonathan:And I think the champions, this this this whole aspect represents that, like, yes, God sees and we see Mhmm. And and we're and and we're working as his people. Like, we are his hands, we are his feet, but we're also his eyes. Right? So to remind people that what you're doing is for the Lord.
Jonathan:And, I think that's like one of the biggest encouragements, from this that I think that in today's world, which is just really full of discouragements Mhmm. That people get to see what they're doing is not in vain.
Pete:Well, I'll tell you something, Jonathan. One of the things that I love about the champions retreat is that this is a time for us to say thank you.
Jonathan:Mhmm.
Pete:So as much as it is, yes, sharing the hope that's there, which you definitely hear in the testimonies and and just even looking at strategies and then, just seeing how those are being implemented. Just saying thank you to people. Yes. I see as I look around the room when I'm there, I I look at people that are hard just hard workers just serving the Lord. And a lot of times, I know they feel like they're on their own because I remember what it's like to be a a senior pastor of a church and
Jonathan:Yeah.
Pete:To feel like you're on your own. But when you're there together and then people say thank you, and they give you a nice meal, and and they treat you with love. And and I I think that just is so valuable Yeah. For those people that come to our meeting Oh, yeah. That are recognized there.
Jonathan:It's like a shot in the arm to keep going.
Sarah:Yeah. I also think too that it the thank you in, you know, in partnership with what Jonathan's saying, seeing the bigger picture, like, I'm being thanked alongside this IMB missionary. Right. I'm being thanked next to, you know, this person from this agency, this director of missions. And so, that that thank you is then amplified because you see that I am part of something bigger.
Sarah:And, hopefully, our hope is that, you know, their flame for service is fueled with the encouragement and then seeing how they fit in in the bigger Southern Baptist California family.
Jonathan:I would I would definitely say just adding on to what, what you said there is that I think that's one of the biggest things that you just generally don't hear is that thank you.
Pete:Right.
Jonathan:Right? Like, it's just overall. And, so, yes, that came very, very much across with the thank you and and and recognizing.
Pete:And how important it is for pastors and leaders at at the local level to do that to your own volunteers at church. Right? I think that's a lesson that we can take from all this. Right? Yeah.
Jonathan:That's a huge lesson. Yeah. I I could probably do a lot better saying thank you.
Pete:Well, I think that, you know, we learn we learn from one another. Right?
Jonathan:So Yeah. I learn a lot. Right. Right.
Sarah:We had that last year too.
Jonathan:Oh, sure. That's true.
Pete:So is there anything else that you would like to add about this champions meeting that we just had this week this past week?
Jonathan:Anything I'd like to add about the champions meeting. I mean, you guys covered so much. It's kind of it's just kind of hard to to really to to
Sarah:pinpoint one thing.
Pete:Yeah. No. No. No.
Jonathan:Why don't
Pete:you talk about the campus? Why don't you talk about school? Oh, okay. Well because this is your first time on campus.
Jonathan:It was my first time on the campus. Pph pooms. Yeah. This is definitely my first time on the campus. I got to see this massive avocado tree.
Jonathan:Right. That was incredible.
Pete:Right. Right.
Jonathan:But, probably the one and I also got to see the, that that new medical.
Sarah:Yeah. The mobile unit that they just kinda launched, I guess.
Jonathan:Yeah. That was quite an incredible, masterpiece there.
Pete:Yeah. Just like you, of the 140 plus people that came about more than a third, it was our first time stepping foot at this university. Isn't that amazing to us? Yeah. Right.
Pete:That's an amazing stat because you think everybody knows about Cal Baptist University. It's our university, and yet so many have never had stepped foot on this campus Yeah. Until this week.
Jonathan:It's a beautiful campus. It is. It's an extraordinary campus. When you're walking around just looking at everything, you're just like, man, everything's so clean. Everything's so nice looking.
Pete:That's because the students are here this week. That's because the students are know, they keep it clean all the time.
Jonathan:Let me tell you the one place that I really toured was that cafeteria. Oh, yes. I went to every booth.
Sarah:Yes. Every station.
Jonathan:Every every station and made sure to be like, okay. What's here? Let me try this out.
Sarah:That's true. I bumped into it. I said, wow. Jonathan, all you need now is a slice of pizza, and I think you have everything. Yes.
Sarah:I saw your tray.
Jonathan:But someone else added something to my tray, and it was the waffle.
Pete:The waffle. Right? Jane Alice, doctor Alice's wife, she's the waffle queen. And so she taught me how to make waffles for everyone.
Sarah:They were So cooked perfectly.
Pete:Oh, it's
Sarah:Well done.
Pete:They're excellent. I mean, those machines are very well calibrated.
Sarah:I should also say, since we're talking about California Baptist University, they did so much incredible work to support this event for us.
Pete:That's right.
Sarah:The conferences and events people, I should shout out their names, Corey and and, Bianca and Martha and then a bunch of student workers. There was, then Jennifer and her crew at Provider. They the meals were unbelievable. Delicious. I heard that so much last night.
Sarah:And so oh, we're so grateful for them and all that they have been doing for months to set us up for this event well.
Pete:Well, Jonathan, we liked to share with people what's happening in our state. We love to celebrate that at the beginning of our of our podcast, but we like to finish our podcast always with a funny story, and I know you have a funny story for us. Come on. Ring it.
Jonathan:Okay. Yeah. So this is more of a, young and dumb story.
Sarah:Oh, they usually are.
Jonathan:Yeah. Young and dumb story. And I I kinda I will I'll I'll name it don't poke the bear. Oh. Right?
Jonathan:And you generally that's a life lesson. Don't poke bears. Mhmm. And just in life, well, my a couple buddies and I, we went up to Yosemite and we would go camping. This is, like, when our That's
Sarah:our neighborhood.
Jonathan:So, and there was happened to be a big bear, scare. Like, a lot of bears happened to be there that year. So, of course, as a bunch of young guys, we watched this, ranger in the middle of the night go running after a black bear. And he was like, get out of your bear. Get out of your bear.
Jonathan:We're like, that's cool. What do you think we did? We should try that.
Sarah:Oh, no. Please no.
Jonathan:So we did. And here's the thing here's the thing. Before we did, we were trying to figure out, like, what what what are we gonna do? And we have this I have a friend. He's really funny, really strange.
Jonathan:So he called us the. Oh. We're just called micassa. My house in Spanish, I would guess. Like, you just called us what what will we call them?
Jonathan:Micassas? I'm like, why are we calling them? Micassas? This makes no sense. Well, what we're doing doesn't make any sense.
Jonathan:So we decided to run. And when we saw we looked for bears. We found a couple.
Sarah:You found bears.
Jonathan:Yep. We found bears.
Sarah:Oh, okay.
Jonathan:And and we ran after, get out of your bearing. Guess what? They decided to to run away. Cool. Alright.
Jonathan:This is easier than we thought. Uh-huh. Well, one well, one of the nights, we're hanging out in our camp, and there was kinda like a bunch of camps around, like kinda like goes around in a big circle. So all of a sudden we started to hear a bunch of screaming in the middle of the night and we were like wow what's going on and we look and there's a bear and of course you know we're we're the mikazes you know, we're we're we're gonna get this bear. So sure enough, we run out, we run after that bear, we're like, get out of your bear, get out of your bear.
Jonathan:Guess what?
Pete:No. It didn't run.
Jonathan:Don't run. That bear decided to become a Mikasa himself. Yeah. And then he started to run after us, and we all started screaming like little girls. Yes.
Jonathan:We were screaming our our our bare wits out. And one of the the guy who came up with the name was dragging me, like, you gotta get out of here. We're like, I'm trying my best. We gotta go. So as we're being pulled up, I'm being pulled away by this guy, we realized that all of a sudden one of our buddies got left behind.
Jonathan:Oh my goodness. So we're, like, he's dead. No. He's dead. Because that bear was just was just running after us.
Jonathan:He's dead. And so by the grace of God, we look out. We run back to our camp, and he's not dead. He was able to throw some, particular items in front of this little walkway that that happened to be there and the bear left and, you know, of course, he's like shaking. We're all shaking and we're like, well, why was the bear here?
Jonathan:Here's something very strange. I didn't realize this about with the bear. The bear actually what ended what he ended up doing is he went into a cooler on the outside, open unlatched it, opened it up, brought out a, brought out these tortillas that were double bagged Mhmm. And opened each individual bag very gently Mhmm. And ate the tortillas and and and had the bag just placed on the floor.
Jonathan:You would think you would just tear it apart. I didn't realize that bears somehow could do that. I don't know what they did.
Sarah:The bear?
Jonathan:The bear. The bear
Sarah:did it. 2 layers of Yes.
Jonathan:Unless it was one of our buddies who were there and then the bear found him, but that's not I I I it it was the bear. Civilized. It was very civilized, and and then decided to show us that this is his house, not our house.
Sarah:I'm I'm
Pete:guessing you never went after a bear again again.
Jonathan:No. No. Never again.
Pete:No more bears. Children, if you're listening, please do not attempt to do this next time you go camping.
Sarah:Were they they were your tortillas?
Jonathan:Goodness. Yeah. They were our tortillas.
Sarah:My goodness.
Pete:Yeah. They're extraordinary.
Jonathan:I didn't know bears could do that. They're they're fascinating creatures. They probably will take over the planet at some point.
Pete:Man, you are it's fortunate that you are alive. I know. I know.
Jonathan:I know. Have you
Sarah:been to Yosemite since?
Jonathan:Yes. But they never had the bears. Okay. There was just that 1 year that there was just tons of bears.
Pete:Unbelievable. Well, Jonathan, thank you for being on the podcast with us today, Sarah. It's always fun, isn't it?
Sarah:Yes. It's my favorite.
Pete:Folks, thank you for listening today, to the GC Collective brought to you by CSBC. Have a great day, and God bless you.
Sarah:Bye bye. Bye.
