San Ramon Valley Mormon Churches Select New Leader

Press release from the Church of the Latter-day Saints San Ramon:

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the San Ramon Valley recently selected Timothy Richards as their new president. Richards will oversee over 2000 church members divided into congregations that make up the Danville California Stake.

"Kristina and I have been blessed to raise our four children in the San Ramon Valley for the last seventeen years. We love being a part of such a diverse, vibrant community. We are also so grateful for our wonderful church community who has given us so much love and support. We are humbled by the call to serve and hope others will find the peace and hope that the gospel of Jesus Christ brings to our lives,” said Richards. Richards was introduced in February as president during a special conference held at Oakland’s Temple Hill.

Tim Richards serves as Chief Financial Officer for Hill Physicians Medical Group, whose corporate headquarters are in San Ramon (Bishop Ranch). He will continue to work full-time while also serving as the stake president.

A stake president is the lay leader of a stake, which is a geographic subdivision similar to a Catholic diocese. A stake president is a man who is asked to serve as a volunteer in this position. and oversees Church programs in a defined geographic area composed of individual congregations called wards, and is responsible to help the members of his stake in their efforts to follow Jesus Christ. He also oversees the activities of the bishops and leaders, counseling them as needed.

Serving with Richards in the new Stake Presidency are two counselors, Robi Aplanalp of Danville and David Salisbury of Alamo. Robi Aplanalp is a Sales Manager for Gartner, advising client senior executives on their mission critical priorities. David Salisbury is a partner at an investment management and financial advisory firm based in San Francisco.

Finishing his term serving as Stake President is Paul Clark of Alamo. Clark and his wife Kristi have accepted a three year position in Wellington New Zealand as Mission Presidents for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Elder Carlos A Godoy, a Church General Authority from Brazil, was recently sent by the Church's First Presidency to preside over local services in Northern California, where he extended calls to the new Stake President and two counselors in the San Ramon Valley. The new Stake Presidency will preside over five congregations that are composed of more than 2,000 church members in San Ramon, Danville, and Alamo.

There are currently 3498 stakes of The Church worldwide, with a membership of 16,805,400. Each Stake is led by a local volunteer Stake Presidency.

The Danville Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was established in January 1960. 210 members formed the first congregation, meeting in the old Grange Hall on Diablo Road in Danville. Today, the stake maintains three chapels — one in Danville on Old Orchard Road, one in Alamo on Stone Valley Road and one in San Ramon on Crow Canyon Road.

This press release was produced by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The views expressed here are the author’s own.