Our new Sabbath School class will be meeting each Sabbath before the main worship service at 9:45 a.m. in the downstairs classroom. We’re following curriculum, videos and discussion topics from well-known Biblical scholar and minister N.T. Wright in a series called Simply Christian. This class is a safe place for those who are new to Christianity to explore the faith and some of life’s big essential questions and also offers deep insights and challenges to those who are more seasoned Christians.
We be examining the scriptures and have discussions around questions such as: Why do we expect Justice? Why do we crave spirituality? Why are we attracted to beauty? Why are relationships so painful? How will the world be made right? Is it possible to really know anything about God? How does God relate to the world? How do we “do business” with God? How do I read and engage with the Bible? And much more! It’s a fun and illuminating journey. Hope you can join us—all are welcome! E-mail pastors Ryan or Syd.
UPDATE: Sign the petition to City Council! CLICK HERE
On November 1, the Hollywood Adventist Church joined with a coalition of clergy and representatives from other congregations and faith communities in Los Angeles, pledging to move $2 million and 200 years of business from Bank of America and Wells Fargo.
More details on this commitment are developing at the church. For more information, check out this post by Move Our Money USA on the recent action.
“We the clergy and leaders of LA Voice stand here today, willing to lead by example,” said Pastor Ryan Bell of the Hollywood Adventist Church, one of many LA Voice clergy leaders who are pulling out their congregation’s money and organizing to pass a Responsible Banking Ordinance through the Los Angeles City Council.
HomeWalk is United Way of Greater Los Angeles’ annual 5K Run/Walk to end homelessness taking place on November . Each year thousands join together to do their part by fundraising and spreading the word that homelessness is a solvable problem.
WHY HOMEWALK?
In Los Angeles County 51,000 people are homeless. Over the past 4 years, HomeWalk has mobilized 18,000 walkers, raised $1.7 million and funded organizations that have moved 9,000 people into permanent housing. All proceeds go directly back to the community, supporting permanent solutions to end homelessness for chronically homeless people, veterans and families. Solutions such as permanent supportive housing and rapid rehousing have proven highly successful in citied such as New York and Denver. In Los Angeles County the solutions we support have over 85% success at keeping people off the streets for good with a 43% cost savings for tax-payers.
Join us in providing relief for those suffering in East Africa.
East Africa is experiencing a devastating famine, some estimate the worst in 60 years, that is causing extreme suffering in the region. Recent news reports suggest that more than 29,000 children under the age of 5 have died in the last 90 days in southern Somalia alone. The U.N. indicates that 640,000 Somali children are acutely malnourished and many families have left their homes and headed to refugee camps in Kenya and Ethiopia. Rains are not expected for the rest of the month and conditions are expected to worsen. More than 12 million people in Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti need aid.
In partnership with Worship Harvest Church in Uganda and Community of Faith in Texas, Hollywood Adventist Church invites you to join in the effort to relieve suffering in East Africa by committing to pray or fast during the week of September 10th-17th or by giving a financial gift to provide 80 tons of food (water, rice and beans) to feed 300,000 people in a refugee camp in Northern Kenya. The food will be distributed in person by Hollywood Church members David and Syd Shook along with their Burundian team leader, Claude Nikondeha. The church will receive a video update letting our members know how their participation impacted those involved in the relief effort. Please take a moment to watch this message about the relief effort from Claude Nikondeha.
If you’ve already signed up to pray, fast or give then we thank you for your commitment. Some church members expressed an interest in online giving. The last day we will be accepting online donations is Wednesday, September 17. To donate online, click “Donate Now” which will take you to the church’s online donation website, and enter your donation amount in the field marked “East Africa Famine Relief.” If you’ve missed the deadline to give, we still invite you to pray and fast with us during the week of September 10–17. For those who have committed to pray, a prayer guide will be available for you at church on September 10.
Thank you for your commitment to stand with those who are suffering both here in Hollywood and around the globe. We are excited to see your participation make an impact in coming weeks. May God bless you as you support our brothers and sisters in East Africa.
We’d like to invite you to be a part of a very special relationship that’s been forming between a team from the Hollywood Adventist Church and a family that recently transitioned out of homelessness through our partners at Imagine LA.
Last year, a group from Hollywood Church decided to take up the Imagine LA challenge and are currently partnered with the Ortega family. They’re a 4-member household: a single mother, April, and her three children, Evelyn, Francisco and Aprilenese. Our team has been able to provide the Ortegas with the love, laughter and support they needed to get back on their feet again, and have in return reaped a beautiful new friendship and a chance to experience homelessness firsthand in Los Angeles.
The Ortegas have a special need right now. April (the mother) recently sustained an injury and is unable to work which is putting an extra financial strain on the family. One way we could really bless the Ortegas this month is to donate healthy groceries. A local organization called The Treasure Box provides families and individuals with a substantial box of grocery store quality food retailing between $60–$85 for only $32. Each Treasure Box contains between 21–25 pounds of high quality, frozen foods, including meat, as well as vegetables, fruit, a side dish and a dessert. One Treasure Box is enough food to nutritiously feed a family of four lunch and dinner for almost a week.
To donate a food box to the Ortega family this month, click “Donate Now” which will take you to the church’s online donation website, and enter your $32 donation in the field marked “Imagine LA”. The Hollywood team will make sure that the Ortegas receive your gift. If you’d like to be a part of delivering your food box personally or are interested in volunteering please contact Brianne at bjslus@gmail.com.
We are planning a very special Sabbath service for September 10 to commemorate the 10-year anniversary of 9/11. We will be joined by local imam Jihad Turk as we commend our shared Christian and Muslim value and practice of peacemaking to our members and our community.
Join us on September 10, 2011 at 11 a.m. at the church.
Every Sabbath at 10 a.m. is our new adult Sabbath School class, Beliefs Revisited. This will be a discussion-format study group to revisit and study our basic, fundamental Christian beliefs. All are welcome.
The class will meet at 10 a.m. in the Downstairs Office (near the back of the church).
Here is an invitation from one of the discussion leaders, Adam Buck:
Over the past several months I have been challenged by a number of people outside of our church on my Christian beliefs. As I attempted to discuss my beliefs with them I began to realize that my answers were less than adequate. This inspired me to attempt to broaden my understanding of the beliefs specific to Adventism. I began discussing my newfound inspiration with Pastor Ryan as well as several members, and after several discussions we decided to start a study on the 28 Fundamental Beliefs. The purpose of this study is to further understand why the 28 beliefs were established and what application they have to our lives today. This will be a discussion-based study where we encourage questions, opinions
and debate.
On Thursday, August 4, 2011 our new freeway sign was installed! This sign has been dilapidated and broken for many years now, even though the sign is one of the most visible signs in our neighbourhood. Everyday, thousands of people drive south on the 101 Freeway, and along Hollywood Blvd., past our church and see this sign.
The new sign was designed by Scott Arany. Effort was made to respect the church’s iconic architecture and history. The cross logo was adapted from bricks in the church’s front façade along Hollywood Blvd. The font used is Futura, designed in 1922 by Paul Renner. This font shares many characteristics with the historic metal type found on our steeple and on the east wall, as both sets of letters draw from art deco influences with modern sensibilities.
Installation was by local sign installation specialists Tako Tyko. Many thanks to the Southern California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists for helping our congregation with the costs for this vital and high-profile renovation.
The Hollywood Adventist Church is seeking a qualified individual to serve part time as the Peace & Justice coordinator, overseeing our congregation’s community organizing and service initiatives and leading our members to put their faith into action in the world.
For a complete job description and to apply, contact Pastor Ryan Bell at rjbell@hollywoodsda.org.
WE DID IT!! We’ve been on a long journey, dreaming and planning for the Crossroads at Hollywood mural that will be painted on the west wall of the church (facing the freeway). This week it’s time to celebrate! We exceeded our fundraising goal of $10,000 and raised a total of $10,260! We’re now working closely with artist Man One to move the project toward completion. We’re excited to collaborate with local taggers, artists and community members as we communicate a message of peace in our neighborhood. There will be lots of opportunities for volunteer involvement so keep your eyes and ears peeled for updates in the coming weeks!
Four years ago we started the process of putting a mural on our West wall. While the challenges we faced have taken time to overcome, now we are now ready to move forward! All that stands in our way is $10,000 for materials and scaffolding. We currently have a web page for fundraising:
There is a time limit. We have 60 days to raise the money or a percentage gets taken by IndieGoGo.
There are two things you can do to help:
1. You can donate!
2. Share the link to this site with friends and colleagues you believe would have an interest. This project is about our community, for our community, and communicates our desire to be a place of peace in the midst of Hollywood.
