Oh My...From 1981 to 2021​

June 03, 2021

My God is my Salvation, My Strength, My Joy!

To every thing there is a season…Ecclesiastes 3:1

My God is my provider!

Val Peacock, RN BSN **Thanks Val for being our COVID Czar!**

Diane McDowell

Jack Wright

Sonja Huffman and son, Michael

Emilia Dyar

Yvonne Flemming

Pastor Song, wife Sarah, and their children, Daniel, Esther and Abby

Tony and Mily Santano

Drivers, Jamal Beckett, Ed Nelson and Clairfoster Browne

Pastor David Manila, Ocean Gate Church, another supplier for our food program along with The Dream Center and Food Finders

ABCOFLASH our American Baptist Region

A new partnership formed with LA County Health & Human Services Department, Sponsor of our 3 Pop-Up COVID Vaccine Center events

It isn’t often I get to witness a full rainbow and this one appeared on Thanksgiving Day of 2019. I felt God’s presence that His Promises are still true not knowing we were going to enter into a season of the COVID pandemic. This view is from my front door on Western Avenue and the rainbow stretched from 45th Street to 46th Street.

My God will never leave me or forsake me.

Hear my cry, O God; Attend unto my prayer…When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. Psalm 61:1-2

Life can be frustrating:
  • My cell was stolen
  • I contracted the COVID virus (no one else in my family, nor the core food team) I had a very slight case.
  • All three of our buildings needed roof repairs, 2 need full new roofs
  • The catalytic converters were stolen from of our 2 church vans and Gwynn’s cars
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My God is our provider.

“Thank You, God, for Good People! They’re the ones who willingly and generously help wherever there’s a need…”(From Patricia Mitchell’s November short prayers)

First of all, Thank, you Pastor Joe, for your faithful leading, for believing God for His promises. Thank you supporters, all who give monthly, quarterly, yearly, and those of you who respond to a plea and give whenever your heart leads you; each of you have carried us through a very difficult season.

  • Pray for continued protection of our health.
  • Consider being a rotating volunteer to help pick up donations.

  • Share what we are doing with your friends.

  • Help us develop and participate in our summer programs or holiday events for youth in our community. This is a great opportunity for a family service project.

  • Help with tending our garden and sprucing up the play area in our park.

  • Consider teaching our office volunteers how to use Google docs to improve our communication/technology skills.

  • Consider being a monthly financial supporter.

Friends, we know not what the future holds; but we know who is in control. There is still so much to be done in healing relationships, comforting those who are grieving or feeling insecure about life. Please join us.

Lord, bless you and keep you. May He be Gracious to you and give you peace.

Amen,

Pastor Joe and Gwynn Browne

 

Pop-Up Covid Center

See full flyer here. 

2020 Update

A Special Life-Encouraging Trip to the Holy Land

Change is inevitable; change isn’t always easy. Thank goodness, God never changes. God is faithful and continues to provide in changing times. Pastor Joe and Gwynn are so grateful for the opportunity to have visited the land May 2019 where Jesus walked and ministered.

Pastor Joe and Gwynn were photographed in front of the massive lion. Looking and it confirms my inner sense of our Lord saying I AM with you. The blue butterfly is a reminder that His mercies are new every morning. “Great Is Thy Faithfulness”.

Our main prayer in 2019 was to have a youth leader for the youth in our community. This September 2020, God has given an intern for 1 day a week for our youth.

So with great anticipation for the coming year of 2020, we will walk with the Lord in determining His will.

 

However, COVID-19 hit.

And in response, we said “So What!”

People will still be hungry. FICM never stopped serving. Our main food team was comprised of adults with underlying health conditions of over 50 years of age. Fear raised its head for just a moment, but God already had a brand new team of volunteers ready to step in to carry on, to ensure Pastor Joe’s vision never dims.

God protects as we adhere to all the current CDC guidelines. It’s certainly our fortune, a blessing that God has Ms. Val Peacock a retire nurse to keep us on point. Thank you Ms. Val.

Thank you ABCOFLASH Regional office for the N-95 mask we have shared with our essential workers and clients who come for our food program.

2019 Accomplishments

  • 1820 Breakfast meals served
  • 2080 bagged groceries distributed
  • 832 homeless bags given
  • 14,000 pounds of Idaho potatoes received from New Plymouth FBC Idaho, lead by Pastor Phil Pittman who brought a team down for a week working with FICM and a church in Long Beach.