Finding God at the End of the Chairlift
You never know where you’re going to find God. But on top of a mountain seems as good a place as any.
At the top of Mt. Rose, the closest ski resort to Reno, Nevada, Ted Bandaruk — a retired school teacher-turned-ski instructor then mountain minister — was talking about Jesus.
“What do you like about Jesus?” Bandaruk asked one of the kids in the crowd.
Get in a good day on the slopes and a good word with God. (Photo: Jo Piazza)
“He’s nice,” she replied matter-of-factly as a snowboarder slid into the prayer circle.
“Are you joining us for church?” Bandaruk asked the newcomer with a beatific smile.
“No. I just fell,” the snowboarder murmured sheepishly, crawling away.
Bandaruk had brought his own musicians with him, and encouraged the small group of parishioners to sing along to “Go Tell it on the Mountain,” the chorus of which takes on a new significance when you are literally telling it on a mountain.
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Bandaruk’s mountain ministry is part of a series of interdenominational worship experiences on the mountaintops of the seven major Lake Tahoe ski resorts, including Mt. Rose, Squaw Valley, Northstar, Homewood, and Diamond Peak. They’re sponsored by the First Baptist Church of Tahoe City.
All the ski chaplains are volunteers from a variety of churches and denominations.
Bandaruk came to mountain ministry after retiring as a school teacher, following an admonition from his wife to find something to take up his time. That led him to become a ski instructor — which led him to his role as mountain minister on Sundays.
“I’ve found my calling,” Bandaruk told me cheerfully. “I get to ski and talk about Jesus.”
Services are held each Sunday beginning at 2 p.m., and last about 15 to 20 minutes.
