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Hollywood Hub: A Central Place for Community Care
What began in 2013 as a shower program at Hollywood church has grown into the Hollywood Hub—a centralized community resource center providing support for people experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity. By consolidating multiple services to one location, the Hub is designed to increase access to care, improve efficiency, and bring dignity to guests seeking support.…
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Santa Barbara Pathfinder Club Volunteers at the 2026 Rose Parade
The Santa Barbara Pathfinder club proudly participated in the 2026 Tournament of Roses Parade, not only marching with energy and joy but also helping to decorate the floats adding their creativity and dedication to every detail. Their teamwork and Christ-centered spirit made the event truly special for both participants and spectators. “Our Pathfinder club had…
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New SCC Podcasts Explore Meaningful Conversations
With the launch of the new Southern California Conference (SCC) media production studio, ministry is taking on fresh forms of creativity. For SCC Treasurer/CFO Kathleen V. Diaz and SCC Executive Secretary Danny Chan, that meant stepping behind the mic to start meaningful conversations through podcasting. This interview explores how their shows blend technology, faith, and…
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Norwalk Church Launches Life Transformation Center
This fall, the Norwalk church celebrated the realization of a vision that has been in the works for more than three years. It all started with a visit from Paolo Macena, leadership director for the North American Division. “He encouraged us to use our facility as an urban center of influence to provide services needed…
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“God Has Done a Good Thing”: L.A. Eastside Korean Celebrates Mortgage Payment
More than 200 people gathered at the quaint building in Hacienda Heights to celebrate a significant milestone for the Los Angeles (L.A.) Eastside Korean congregation: paying off its mortgage. The history of the L.A. Eastside Korean church, formerly Hacienda Heights Korean church, began more than 40 years ago when a group was formed out of…
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Hispanic Region Recognizes Outstanding Lay Members
The Hispanic Region of the Southern California Conference has committed to honoring outstanding lay members—faithful men and women who, with dedication and passion, have distinguished themselves as soul winners in their local churches. This recognition expresses deep appreciation for their tireless service to the mission offering a small gift and a certificate as encouragement for…
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Camp Cedar Falls Sustains Damage in Summer Storm
On the evening of Sept. 18, 2025, Tropical Storm Mario passed over the San Bernardino mountains, tracing the path of the El Dorado Fire of 2020. Flash flooding and mudslides ravaged the local mountain communities. In a letter shared on Sept. 30, Southern California Conference (SCC) President John H. Cress wrote, “As you know, in…
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Rolling Hills Church Celebrates 50 Years of Faith & Community
This October, the Rolling Hills church family celebrated its golden anniversary with a full weekend of events. Throughout five decades, generations have found belonging and fellowship in this community. From Sabbath School and Bible study classes to youth and Pathfinder meetings and midweek prayer gatherings, vibrant ministries have brought life to the church and blessings…
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Smyrna Church Celebrates 45 Years of Love and Faith, Awaiting Jesus’ Return
Smyrna church’s 45th anniversary celebration brought together friends, visitors, and members from near and far. With the theme “45 Years of Love and Faith, Awaiting Jesus’ Return,” the celebratory day focused on reflecting on God’s faithfulness of the past and looking forward to how He will continue to lead in the future. Although the church is…
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Enduring Faith in Jesus: For Such a Time as This
This fall, Tamarind Avenue church celebrated 60 years of ministry in Compton. The congregation can trace its roots as early as 1957 from a seed planted by R. Hope Robertson, then pastor of the Philadelphian church in Long Beach. The former Baptist Church of Compton became the location of Tamarind Avenue church under Robertson’s leadership…
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Nine Korean Churches in Los Angeles Unite for a Month of Evangelism
The Korean Adventist community came together this fall for Korean Adventist Family Evangelism of Los Angeles (KAFE LA), a month-long evangelism series under the theme “On That Glorious Day.” The first three weekends in October held an evangelism emphasis—family and children, youth, and young adult—and the final weekend was a day of united worship. “I…
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Hope on 54th Street
“We don’t work on the Sabbath, but we do serve,” Shantane Marshall, pastor of Fifty-Fourth Street church, said of the church’s twice-monthly food distribution. For 15-20 years, Fifty-Fourth Street has operated a food pantry that provides quality food items to people experiencing food insecurity. The food distribution takes place every 2nd and 4th Sabbath…
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Santa Monica Church Hosts Anti-Aging Luncheon and Lecture
Anticipation ran high for the “Anti-Aging Nutrition Luncheon and Lecture” held Sabbath, September 20, at the Santa Monica church. Participants learned about the “Blue Zones” and their cultures of longevity where healthy people live to be over 100 years old in good health. Weeks in the planning, the event was organized by a small team…
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The Journey of Wellspring Congregation: A Living Story That’s Still Being Written
It was a Sabbath, in many ways, like any other. Church members and visitors gathered for worship—receiving a message, singing praise, joining in prayer, and fellowshipping over food. But this day was special. It was the culmination of 25 years of God’s leading for a congregation that would on that day be organized into a…
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SCC’s New Conference-Wide Training Draws More Than 500 Church Leaders
“I’ve been waiting for something like this,” said Helen Adarme, member of Vallejo Drive church. “We learned a lot, and we’re hoping that what we learned will trickle down to actual action not just for us but also the community—and we hope for more!” Through the years, different departments in the Southern California Conference…
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Tehachapi Church Connects With Community Through Health Expo Plus
For Tehachapi church, a desire to connect with the local community has brought about a full calendar of events. This summer, the church hosted a “Health Expo Plus” event at a local park on the main street through town. “This event was the first ever of this magnitude hosted in Tehachapi by our church,” Pastor…
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Pathfinder Honors Day Brings Together More Than 500 Pathfinders
This year’s Pathfinder Honors Day held at San Gabriel Academy welcomed more than 600 Pathfinders and leaders from the Southern California Conference (SCC). Pathfinders took classes to receive honors in a variety of categories. Throughout the day, sixteen different honors were offered, with Pathfinders able to take up to six honors. Classes ranged from one…
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Doors and Hearts Are Opened at Youth Rush
We’re living in a crazy time right now,” Angie, first time canvasser, said, “but the fact that we’re out there and books are going out, it just shows that people, despite the fear, have a longing for something greater and deeper.” Andy Villanueva, Southern California Conference (SCC) literature ministries director, knows that every summer has…
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Two Ministries, One Mission: Educator and Pastor Summit Fosters Collaboration
This summer, before the start of the new school year, educators and pastors in the Southern California Conference (SCC) gathered at Glendale Adventist Academy for a day of connection and collaboration. This One Mission Summit focused on strengthening the partnership between these two ministries under SCC’s mission to exalt Christ by cultivating healthy churches and…
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Glendale Adventist Book Center: A Place for Hope and Wholeness
When a customer walks into the Southern California Conference (SCC) Adventist Book Center, it’s not just about business or transactions. Often, the store is a place where customers can find a listening ear and receive a prayer. The shelves are stocked with encouraging and thoughtful books to uplift their spirits. The variety of healthy food…