In the near future we will be adding a ton of our training and monthly questions here. So if that is of interest to you, stop by in a few weeks and see that here.

For those of you who are thinking about volunteering with us please read and then follow the respected links:

We value or leaders. Our program needs great leaders to make a difference helping our JH students know and love Jesus. To get great leaders we have a developed a process that is designed to get the people who really are love working with students, have a growing relationship with God and are committed.

Working with JH can have many different roles: MOPS Patrol, Adult Small group leader, Student leaders (High schoolers), sound and lights, internships, and special event volunteers. Anyone working with our students will have to follow this process:

1) Fill out the appropriate application

2) Have their references (2) come to this page and fill out a reference

3) We will contact you for an interview time to talk about passions, your abilities, the program and whatever seems relevant.

4) Fill out and turn in the Background Check form (gives us permission to run a criminal and vehicle background check on you)

5) Come and observe what ever it is that you are volunteering to be a part of

6) Do the prerequisite training for your area of service.

7) If you have done the previous steps and are approved by the youth staff… Begin Serving God with Students!

Of the world’s many Fourth of July weekend destinations, Tijuana is not high on the list. Yet Laurie Hiller, La Canada resident and LCPC member calls her annual trip to Tijuana “my family’s favorite weekend of the year.” Laurie, her husband John Arya, and daughter Annie recently returned from a trip with five others to the Casa de la Esperanza orphanage in Tijuana, Mexico. Instead of celebrating the 4^th of July weekend with parades, fireworks, and barbecues, they spent their time repairing an orphanage and serving the children who live there.

For the last twelve years, a group led by LCPC members Dan and Susie Campana have attended this intergenerational work weekend. They camp, do light construction, and spend time with the orphans. Returning for their fifth trip as a family, Hiller says, “it just keeps getting better…This is one weekend that God has given us as a family, where we work side by side, in the hot sun, completely “off the grid”, with no electricity, no cell phones and no computers. What a blessing!”

“It is a blessing to see my 16 year old daughter, who detests chores at home, work all weekend long doing things far outside her comfort zone with a smile on her face. It is a blessing to hug the orphans and reconnect with them year after year. It is a blessing to join the other families to create a team of God’s hands in Mexico. The biggest blessing of all, I guess, is that feeling that we wouldn’t rather be anywhere else in the world at that time — that we are on holy ground — that the best vacation in the world for our family is doing God’s work, even in dusty, smelly, hot Tijuana.”

This year’s major work project was to provide security lighting around the orphanage grounds. One team member, an electrician by trade, laid underground conduit and cable. Another wired new lights atop lamp posts. By their last evening, the group could watch the lights come on automatically at dusk.  Others worked to repair bathrooms, repaint bunk beds, and hang doors. As trip leader Dan Campana summarized it: “The fellowship was warm, the work challenging, and the opportunity to join in ministry to the 50 children at the orphanage was inspiring. We are sure that our group receives more than we give.”

This could be good news to many families in a tight economy. The only cost is gas money to the Mexican border. Families camp for free and cook each night, while the memories and impact last far beyond a three-day weekend. Each year this group returns on the Fourth of July weekend and welcomes newcomers. Those interested can contact Megan Katerjian, Director of Outreach and Adult Formation, at 818.790.6708 x628.

Seven people gathered in the church parking lot for a Go Journey this past June 17th. They formed a circle and prayed that God would use them for His glory. Then, the volunteers headed to Hollywood.

About that same time, over 80 teens were gathering down in Hollywood outside our Faith Missions partner Oasis. Oasis provides a safe haven for teenagers who need to escape gangs and drug abuse. Teens gather for food and music, and then listen to a gospel message.

After cooking dinner and interacting with the teens, the seven LCPC volunteers witnessed several teens give their lives to Christ after the gospel presentation.

One volunteer summed up the experience this way: “Oasis is, just as its name implies, a life-giving place in the desert. What a blessing it was to be able to serve there.”

At Oasis of Hollywood, leaders Ron and Judy Radachy minister to youths ranging in age from 5 years old to young adults. Ron and Judy build relationships with participants so they can mentor the teens spiritually, academically, and emotionally.

Ministries like Oasis need our active support to continue thriving. If you’d like to volunteer with Oasis, contact Megan.

Thank you so much for giving to Faith Missions. Your partnership is especially important in these economically difficult times.

Together, we are making a difference.

This was worth every ounce of our energy. Most of December was occupied thinking through, planning, and making this event happen. But what I saw that night blew me away. It reminded me that some things are worth everything.

Early in November, our high school student leaders, a group of 20 students who love God and have a passion for showing others that love through leadership, gathered together to brainstorm our Christmas “outreach event.” Ideas were thrown on the table, discussed, dismissed, and after a long time, we had nothing. Then, we came up with an idea. Christmas at Harambee. This is how it all unfolded.

• First, we found out all of the names of the students attending Harambee school in northwest Pasadena.

• We then asked the school’s staff what kinds of things could we give the students, things that would be a blessing to receive.

• They let us know what their needs were and we went to work.

• We organized a gift-bag decorating and supplying party with all of our high school ministry small groups. Each small group brought toys, school supplies, toiletries, clothing and whatever else the Harambee students needed, and together we filled each bag. We then wrote each child’s name on their bag and decorated them according to their gender.

• Once we had all the bags ready to go we headed over to Harambee’s Christmas Program to deliver the gifts and this became a night none of us would quickly forget.

We arrived at the corner of Navarro and Howard in Pasadena where Harambee sits. After filing out of our cars and into the “Family Room,” we placed the bags under their Christmas tree and enjoyed each of the performances organized by the classrooms and students of Harambee.

These little ones put on an AMAZING show full of laughter, singing, dance, scripture reading and more! After they finished, our leadership students got to decorate cookies with the kids, serve lemonade and freshly baked brownies and we also brought a photographer (Matt Merchant) along to take family photos for each family and then we were able to print them and give a copy to the parents.

The night was loud, full of celebration, laughter and excitement filled the room as the LCPC High School Ministry and the families of Harambee along with their amazing staff enjoyed a night divine. As we were wrapping up the night, I walked towards the cookie decorating room when I over heard a little girl talking to her dad. I remember seeing her tug on his jeans and so innocently ask, “Daddy, is it Christmas today?”

It was a moment when my heart warmed and these uncontainable feelings of joy and love seemed to burst from my soul. This was Christmas at Harambee and we left that place knowing that God was in our midst. And that is worth everything.

Door of Hope is a homeless shelter for families that is right in our backyard in Pasadena. My family began serving dinners at the Door of Hope over two years ago. My husband and I wanted to find something to be involved in and do as a family. We feel that it is very important to instill the value of serving others.

When we first went to the Door of Hope to bring them dinner my children immediately felt a connection with the children. They all ran outside and were playing hide and seek and pushing the little ones on the swings. The families were so grateful for the food we brought. Although we brought the food to them, my husband and I feel that we were the ones that were blessed by how these families touch our lives.

We got a chance to get to know these people as individuals and realize that we are just like them in so many ways. My daughter, Lynn is doing her Girl Scout Gold Award Project for the Door of Hope. She decided that she wanted to have her project involve getting new supplies for their kitchen as well as nutrition and cooking. She will be raising money for the Door of Hope and serving meals over the next three months. She loves that the Door of Hope gives families a second chance to rebuild their lives. They provide shelter, counseling, Bible Study, financial guidance, and lots of love and support.

On Saturday, September 26, 2010, 22 students and 10 adults arrived in Tutwiler, MS to build house number 34 as part of the partnership between La Canada Presbyterian church and West Tallahatchie Habitat for Humanity. This is the 5^th consecutive year students have been traveling to the South to take part in building not only a house, but ties with a community where the average income is about one third of the national average. The students make a number of sacrifices during the week, as they miss school work and tests which will need to be made up, work at a physically demanding job and get very little sleep.

Many of the students are back for their second or third time and the kids in the neighborhood come running to greet them. The students spend their mornings framing the house and then after lunch and homework, will return to the jobsite to continue working or go to the community center where they help local kids with homework or join them in games. Seniors Casey Forgey and Chelsea Meeks who are third year veterans, join Junior Michael McGlashan, who has gone 5 times, to lead the other students in framing walls, placing shear paneling and sheeting the roof. Senior Molly Davis leads new students on a walking tour of the local community, showing them some of the history and heartache of Tutwiler, where some of the homes appear ready to collapse from a strong breeze.

After three weeks of rain, the weather has cleared and stays sunny the entire week allowing, the students and adults to finish the framing and get the roof on in time for a late Friday departure back to Los Angeles. The students are tired after a late Thursday night at Morgan Freeman’s Ground Zero Blues Club, where the highlight of the night is watching many of them perform in front of an enthusiastic audience. First up are Riley Horne, Chris Battaglia, Jack Gilbert and “that man of blues” Jack Horne who lights the crowd on fire. Next up Robin Jamison singing Otis Redding’s “Dock of the Bay” accompanied by her dad Dayrl Jamison on bass, followed by Chris Lazo singing lead while being accompanied by Riley Horne, Chris Battaglia and Jack Gilbert. It’s been a great week of hard work and fun, but as the group prepares to leave one local boy is in tears watching the vans prepare to leave. Two local teenagers complain to Kathy Kristof, an adult leader, “You’re only here for a week. Why just a week?” Kathy explains we are volunteers that need to get back to school and work, but he just shakes his head and says “A week is not enough, we need a lot of houses built around here.” That one sentence is motivation enough for the leaders who know they will find a way to return next year!

It all started four years ago when LCPC members Lauren Diehl and her son Christopher Lazo attended family camp. Lauren and Christopher learned about STARS, a tutoring ministry of the Lake Avenue Foundation in northwest Pasadena.

After the training session, God nudged Christopher to tutor two days a week after school. Mom, Lauren, made arrangements to leave work early on Tuesdays and Thursdays. For the next three years, Christopher tutored the same two students, Juan Carlos and Jim, until he left for college last fall. Lauren tutored two girls, Jackie and Teresa, alongside Christopher.

Lauren and Christopher saw their students begin to achieve academically. They prayed with them, for them, and could see the students grow spiritually. They had the students’ families over for swim parties at their home, and attended first communions. The STARS students became an important part of Lauren and Christopher’s lives.

Not only did the STARS students benefit, but Lauren and Christopher benefitted as well. Lauren reflects that tutoring with STARS “…makes you feel good and it’ll bring you closer to God.”

Find out more at Lake Avenue Community Foundation’s Go Journeys!

One September afternoon a few years ago, I got a phone call from my neighbor. She said, “Melodie, I think we need to go and serve this Christmas, and we’re taking the neighborhood with us!” Her tone was passionate, and I felt compelled to give it a try! She asked if I knew of a place we could go.

I told her I had visited the Walter Hoving Home, a home in Pasadena for women recovering from addictions and prostitution. It’s an amazing place where the love of God is enveloping and transforming the lives of women from the inside out. Walter Hoving, the Chairman of Tiffany’s jewelers who generously endowed the home, liked to refer to these precious women as diamonds in the rough.

That fall, as we made plans for our visit in December, I was plagued with doubt. Would we really have anything to offer these women? How would my La Canada neighbors ever connect with these former addicts and prostitutes? I began to wonder if this was just a crazy idea, and I came very close to calling the whole thing off. But I didn’t, because deep in my heart I believed God’s hand was in this project, and I had to go.

The evening arrived, and we all loved it! At dinner, the women told us about how they met Jesus and how they discovered the love of God in this home. Some of them had experienced a sense of being worthy of God’s love for the first time in their lives! The women sang for us, beautiful songs of gratitude and victory. One woman gave her testimony, a long hard journey of abuse and prostitution. We were all touched deeply by the courage of these women and the evidence of God’s amazing grace in their lives! I noticed every neighbor dabbing at her tears. We received far more than we brought. These lovely women had inspired us with the life-changing power of Jesus.

Later that week at a Christmas party, one of my friends told me that something unusual happened for her that evening. She had been exhausted earlier in the day, and had longed to go home, be with her family and go to bed early. But because she had made the commitment to join us and bring the salad, she knew she had to show up; and she did. Then, by the time the evening was coming to a close, she was experiencing a wave of new energy, something she couldn’t quite explain!

That evening at the Walter Hoving Home was a turning point for her – she went home and mentioned to her husband, “I think we’ve got to start going to church.”  And they did.  And the following Christmas, she was baptized.

That “Go Journey” was life changing for my neighbors and for me. We wouldn’t trade the experience for anything, because we glimpsed God’s incredible power at work, changing lives, even our own. We hope you’ll join LCPC members for this year’s Go Journey to Walter Hoving Home.

Greeters, specially trained to welcome first time visitors, reported many stories of hospitality: Visitors wandered in from a walk down Foothill Boulevard. New members experienced the kind of community that affirmed their new church family. Long-time attenders were re-engaged with new energy. Newcomers experienced first-hand LCPC’s commitment to families and to helping those in need. Having heard about the event through local advertising, one first time visitor showed up with a special request. A greeter discovered his story: He was looking for a job, and he was in need of suitable interview attire. He found what he was looking for–a nice suit, just his size. He and his wife were welcomed with complimentary food and excellent live music. They found a special blessing that day in size 42R.

As part of LCPC’s efforts to reach out to our neighbors, the church will be holding a “Kid Unique” parenting seminar September 23-25, featuring renowned author, mentor and public speaker Dan Webster. “Our aim is to help parents develop and nurture the unique abilities of their children” says Associate Pastor Kristin Leucht. “This event will be our chance this Fall to invite the parents of our children’s friends and classmates to experience the value of our church community,” says Kristin.

If you would like more information about various ongoing LCPC volunteer opportunities, please contact Megan Katerjian by email or phone: 818-790-6708×623.

As part of Faith Missions Week, on Sunday, May 15^th LCPC held a very special church-wide event, charity suit drive “Suit Yourself Day.” Though the day started off with morning showers, by noon there were cars lined up in the LCPC parking lot as drivers donated men’s and women’s business clothing. The business attire will be distributed by non-profit partner Clothes the Deal to 85+ agencies throughout Los Angeles county, including US Veterans facilities and homeless shelters, as well as LCPC’s own outreach partners Union Rescue Mission, Door of Hope, Elizabeth House, and Walter Hoving Home.

While the final number is still being counted, Clothes the Deal Executive Director Brad Brusavich estimated that well over 2000 articles of clothing and 500 suits were donated. “I can’t believe it,” Brusavich commented. “This was the most suits and clothes that Clothes the Deal has ever collected in one event.”

LCPC Associate Pastor of Outreach & Equipping, Jim Milley added, “Seeing all of the suits being collected, I was reminded of Jesus’ breaking the bread and feeding the 5000. The hard work our volunteers put into Suit Yourself Day and the community participation was miraculous.”