Partnering with an Elementary School and Serving the Community

Richard (who shared his testimony) and Joseph

Epiphany Fellowship Los Angeles has a wonderful partnership with 54th St. Elementary in South Los Angeles offering an after school program and mentoring to the children. This past month we hosted a Sports and Performing Arts Camp to the children of South LA. In the inner city there are very limited resources for parents and their children. 54th St. Elementary invited the kids of the school as well as the community to be a part of this week long camp. Oceanside Christian Fellowship in El Segundo partnered with us as well to have their congregation serve with us as a 1 week local missions trip from their church!

It was an amazing week serving the community, loving on the children there and sharing the gospel to the kids and parents. The community was very responsive and wished it could have been longer for their kids. We offered Hip Hop Dance Class, Acting Class taught by Christian actors and producers within the church, a Soccer Clinic, a Football Clinic run by former football player from USC and the NFL and a football coach, and a parenting forum for the parents giving insight in raising their children.

Throughout the week the coaches and volunteers shared Bible Verses and godly principles. The end of the week accumulated with a finale showcase for the children to show their parents what they had learned and Richard from Epiphany Fellowship LA sharing his testimony to the children and parents. It was a powerful, amazing week to the community of South Los Angeles. Please check out the playlist we made below on YouTube highlighting the week! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQjQrSbz0XP9Sc-tEYYGkNCkPQMYl-DXA

The Changing Face of Evangelism

This past February Joseph was asked to be a part of Cru’s Church Movements National Team.

He is helping to shape the direction in which Cru partners with hundreds of churches,denominations, seminaries and church planting networks. This has been an exciting opportunity for him as he loves being a part of this team that is helping churches and Cru to partner together to spread the gospel and the love of Christ throughout the United States.

¨ 155 million people define themselves as post-Christian (don’t believe God, do not go to church, do not believe in the Bible).

¨ 86% of Millennials (22-37 years old) consider themselves non-Christians.

¨ 2.5 million leave the church each year as 4,000 churches permanently close each year (Barna Research Survey)

One aspect he has been developing with the Church Movements National Team is a training called: The Changing Face of Evangelism and the Well-Being of the City. It is a half-day training for leaders evangelism within churches and movements that includes:

Barriers to Evangelism
Tools in Sharing Your Faith
The Three Modes of Evangelism
Sessions for Pastors and Missional Leaders helping them think and lead in terms of evangelism in the Church.

In the Fall Joseph will be leading one of these training times with multiple churches within Los Angeles. Thank you for continuing to pray for this and for believers to gain a passion to share their faith—only 5% of believers share their faith.

Family Update…

We are treasuring this summer as we prepare for Luke to go to Cal Poly Pomona this Fall. It is a hard transition for us to see our oldest to go on to college but we are excited for the plans the Lord has for him. Please continue to pray for Him (and us!) during this transition to college and adulthood.