Dream Awakener

chapter five

Originally uploaded by julia dream06

One of the traditions that we started during our first year anniversary five years ago was a segment we call “By Faith.” If you have studied the book of Hebrews you are probably familiar with Chapter 11, which is known as the hall of faith. In that chapter the author recounts acts of faith in the past to help the people in the present to live a life faithful to God. So in Hebrews 11 we find the story of how Abraham and Sarah left all they knew to go to a place where they did not know. We hear about the faith ventures of Moses, Gideon, Rahab and others in this great chapter of faith. Well in the tradition of the book of Hebrews and our own tradition. Here is the faith chapter from Kairos Hollywood this past year. Kairos West LA and South LA had their chapters of faith as well.

By faith, Kairos Hollywood has continued a number of ministries that started in previous years – from weekly gatherings to canvas groups, to VBS, Artist @ the Fountain, and the East Hollywood Toy Drive. God has been enriching each of these ministries in different ways as people move forward at God’s direction.

By faith nine people in the congregation served in an in-depth and lengthy re-cultivation process to discern the primary focuses for the next season in the life of Kairos Hollywood, which include developing a theological center, activating the five equippers in the congregation and developing a more intentional discipleship path for the congregation. As we seek to focus on these areas, we will develop a fresh vision, attend to our emotional health and continue to move forward in diversity in regards to ethnicity, class and age.

By faith, the Weekly Gathering Team Leaders instituted Sabbaths and new structures so that those who serve might be refreshed.

By faith, Kim Franko, Maria Drews and David Kludt served as producers for the weekly gatherings.

By faith, Audrey continued VBS for the 4th year with 20 volunteers sharing the story of God’s love with 32 kids.

By faith, Jenn Buhl and Dan & Natalie dedicated their children to God and the Kairos community committed to offering love and support to them.

By faith, Matt and Kim Franko became the proud parents of Noah, Maria and Julio welcomed Vicki and Gaby into the world and the Wylie’s welcomed Eva.

By faith, Jenn Buhl started Kairoslist with the goal of having a space where the community could post various needs or offer various services to one another.

By faith, Rudy Hermanto, Jen Collins, Alex Walter, Stephanie Miller, Theresa Haynes and others have served to help make our weekly gatherings a more welcoming place.

By faith, Dave and Krissy moved from Pasadena to East Hollywood to help form an intentional community with Ryan Lee and Peter Marshall.

By faith, Nora quit her engineering job in Gardena, a one hour commute, in order to live, work and play in East Hollywood and now she is part-time faculty at Los Angeles City College.

By faith, AJ and Amber Johnson started the Saturday Hiking Club and they just signed a lease to move into the neighborhood of East Hollywood to better serve those who live in this community.

By faith, Dave Kludt took an internship as a Chaplan at Children’s Hospital in East Hollywood as a way to bless the neighborhood.

By faith, Caleb Larson and JR continued to serve on the East Hollywood Neighborhood Council with a desire to help Kairos Hollywood connect to needs in the neighborhood.

By faith, the East Hollywood Canvas group launched a new canvas group, and both groups are growing spiritually and getting new people involved.

By faith, Eric and Audrey Blumber, Don Chesworth, Greg, Michelle and Caleb Larson, Ryan Lee, Dave and Krissy, Hillary, Julia, Michelle, Mike Thomas, Aaron and Kevin have served in the monthly USDA Distribution of food.

By faith, Gernard Burks weekly comes to the food pantry to fight with the rats and roaches as well as clean and organize the pantry so that the daily homeless feeding and USDA Food distribution runs smoother. He also appeared as Mike Tyson’s body guard in a well attended movie this past year.

By faith, Michelle and Greg Larson, Jen Collins, Ann Marie Nee, Don Chesworth, Theresa, River and Micah Haynes, Dave and Krissy, Ryan, Kiona, Natalie, Mary, Katie and Joe have been involved in the 53K ministry seeking to feed the homeless and hungry in East Hollywood.

By faith, the North Kenmore East Hollywood Canvas group painted the side of the Hope Building.

By faith, Nora and Amber have put much energy into the atmosphere and welcome teams respectively, and AJ has been ready at a moments notice to serve with sound team.

By faith, Aaron Nee, Maria Drews and Dave Kludt led a class on the history and overview of the scriptures.

By faith, Kairos Hollywood raised money and gave of their time to help Shalom with the East Hollywood Toy Drive that served over a thousand needy kids in the neighborhood.

By faith, Kip Haynes and Beautiful Criminal finished their CD “In the Absence of Clarity” and had a CD release party on a rooftop in downtown LA.

By faith Don Chesworth went came on staff with GCM in February so that he could serve Kairos Hollywood full-time, and Dustin was officially released for ministry.

By faith, Jeremiah, Conner, Dustin, and JR initiated a ministry focused on the students and residents of the UCLA/Westwood area of Los Angeles.

By faith, Kairos Hollywood sent out Greg Christman, Shalom Sanchez, Brian Powers, Stephen Gordon and gang to start a church in South LA.

By faith, David, Dustin, Abe, Ryan Lee, Nora, Kiona, and Mike Thomas began designing and constructing an Ecodome – a house primarily made from earth for a young Mexican couple ministering to the elderly in Baja California.

By faith, JR and The Ecclesia Network hosted a conference at the fountain room with Keith Mathews and Wil Hernandez where representatives from 11 local churches attended.

By faith, the Kim’s started living out their dream to be ambassadors of Christ in China, with the continued support of people from Kairos.

By faith, Mike Thomas, Jessica Noboa, Jen Collins, Aaron Nee, Marie Thomas, Rachael Dayne and JR went to Kenya to help strengthen the ties between Kairos Los Angeles and the Turkana district of the International Pentecostal Holiness churches as well as move help to move forward the objectives of the Solis Foundation and the Unembraced with Joshua and Moses.

By faith, Marisa moved to Uruguay after the death of her son Mauricio and has found some probable sponsors to help with the various projects in memory of the artist, poet and composer Mauricio Saravia.

Time does not permit to share all of the large and small ways God continues to work in and through Kairos Hollywood. There have been significant conversations in canvas groups, people meeting their neighbors, praying for the world, and sacrificing for each other through good and bad times. New leaders have been raised up, people encouraged one another and new people were brought into the community. True friendships were built and people continued to share their gifts of music, art, atmosphere, creation, communication and hospitality at the weekly gatherings. People kept committing themselves to the church community, even in messy and painful times. They loved people, listened to God and prayed a lot.

Kairos Hollywood continued to seek to be faithful to her community and calling as a congregation. God has been faithful to Kairos Hollywood, blessing us, forgiving us for our mistakes, healing us in our brokenness and guiding us in His mission.