Member Spotlight >> Tiffany & Rogji Setia
Tiffany and Rogji Setia joined Kingwood Christian Church in November of 2018, shortly after The Table service began.
Rogji, who owns an air conditioning business, heard about the church’s new contemporary service from Belinda Walls and Marianne Creveling, who were his customers.
Although Rogji had grown up going to church, he hadn’t been to one in years. Growing up In the Internet age, he said, his two older sons hadn’t really seen him interacting with a lot of other adults.
“I realized it was part of parenting. They gain the most from watching what you do, not really what you tell them,” he said. “I thought it was important to get back into a church with my two younger sons while I still had a chance.”
Now, the family is an integral part of the Table service. Tiffany and Rogji both serve as deacons. Their son, Aiden, 15, sings in the Table band. And son Gavin, 12, helps out with AV. Both are involved in the youth group. Rogji’s two older sons are Ethan, 21, and 23-year-old Rogji Jr., called Paco.
The Setias, who grew up in northeastern Mississippi, have been together more than 20 years. They met working at IHOP, when Tiffany was still a teenager and Rogji was in his early 20s. When Rogji’s father moved to Texas, they followed in 2003.
But it wasn’t until they discovered the Table service that they really felt like they were part of a community here.
“If you come into the Table service, it’s so welcoming,” Tiffany said. “You almost want to help.” It didn’t take long for the Setias to get involved in the church. This year, Tiffany is chair of the deacons. And Rogji is the Property Committee chair.
Getting involved, he said, gives them a sense of purpose. “It’s being a part of something that is bigger than you and that’s very important. You’re standing up for what’s right. I’m just loving this service that’s been created and am hoping more people can find a home here.”
If you’re new, he said, “the quicker you get involved the better.”
The Humble couple learned quickly how much the congregation embraces newcomers. Shortly after joining the church, Rogji’s grandmother died and they couldn’t afford to get back to Mississippi for the funeral. Soon after mentioning the issue to an elder, the elders decided to help the Setias get home.
“We’ve never been part of a church like this before,” he said. “It’s a church that helped me get home for a funeral.”
The Setias are grateful that so many longtime church members, including some who typically attend the Traditions service, have become friends and mentors.
“Miss Linda and Mr. Richard Goddard have been an extreme blessing to my family and to my wife, “ he said. “Knowing them, talking to them, and being able to visit with them - they are really wonderful people.”
They mentioned others as well - the Gentrys, the Kings, the Parkers and the Garbers, who have all been an inspiration to them.
Larry Gentry encouraged Rogji to be the property chair this year. Although he works for an HVAC company, Rogji started his own business, called Chill Setters, on the side a few years ago. He had been doing some of the AC work for the church.
“When I started helping with the church, it was because I saw things that needed to be done,” he said. “I started powerwashing the parking lot. I didn’t ask anybody. I just told my older boys, let’s clean it.”
Tiffany, who works as a real estate agent for JLA, laughs about how she became deacon chair. “I like to help, “ she said. “But I was sort of voluntold to be the chair this year. I was the deacon who had been doing it the longest. I don’t mind doing it.”
One of the things she likes about the church is how quickly needs are met.
As an example, at a recent board meeting she mentioned the need for a mini-fridge that could be used to store Communion juice for the Traditions service. Craig Parker immediately offered to buy one and the fridge was there the very next day.
It’s that helping attitude that gives the church its sense of community.
Tiffany had Covid last year, but hadn’t thought about notifying anyone at church. But when the Setias were absent for a couple of weeks, people checked on them.
That’s the kind of caring community KWCC is.
This is one in a series of occasional profiles, written by Susan Bullard, on members of Kingwood Christian Church. Love 101: Do Your Part.