Cypress Church Offers Volunteer Opportunities

Lately we have been hearing a lot in the news about upcoming elections. Many of us wonder what direction our community and our nation are headed. We would like to be a positive part of the process but we just don’t know how to do it.

The ultimate exercise of democracy is volunteering to serve our community. We only vote in elections once every few years, and voting is important. But, when we volunteer, we are voting every day about what kind of community we want to live in.

Church is committed to serving our local area in the name of Jesus and we invite you to join us. We have put together a list of many opportunities to serve Cypress and the surrounding cities. Community service volunteer opportunities include:

Los Alamitos “Race on the Base” - Saturday, February 25, 2012 – 6:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Last year, Cypress Church volunteers staffed a water station. In addition to staffing a water station, there are many other volunteer opportunities including registration, course monitors, reverse triathlon, junior reverse triathlon, finish line, kid’s fun zone, etc.

If you are interested in participating in any of the events which include 5K run, 5K walk, 10k run, 10K In-Line Skate/Wheelchair, and the Reverse Triathlon (Run 5K, Bike 12 miles, and Swim 200 meters), please contact Brent Theodore at: brent.k.theodore@verizon.net

Habitat for Humanity - Volunteer Orientations - Habitat for Humanity will be constructing a housing development in Cypress beginning in May 2012. There are many volunteer opportunities to assist with this project. The next two volunteer orientations are on Tuesday evenings at 6:30 p.m. on February 7 and March 6. These upcoming orientations will be at Sisters of St. Joseph Center, 480 S. Batavia, Orange. There will also be an orientation on April 3 at Sea Coast Grace Church.

Cypress Senior Center - Assist with the serving of lunch on special occasions: Valentine’s Day Lunch on Tuesday, February 14th – lunch service only (11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.). St. Patrick’s Day Lunch -Friday, March 16th - lunch service only (11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.).

Cypress Teen Fashion Show - Saturday, March 17, 6:00 p.m. at the Cypress Community Center - 4 volunteers are needed from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. to help with the raffle and hand out programs. There are also needs for teens that have an interest in fashion design or would like to model. Find our more about this event on the internet: http://www.ci.cypress.ca.us/recreation/12_teen_fashion_scene.pdf and http://www.ci.cypress.ca.us/recreation/12_tfs_designer_app.pdf

Tree Donation Project for City of Cypress - March 9 and April 14 - As part of its Arbor Day Celebration, Cypress is seeking donations to plant trees in the city. If you, the company where you work or a group you belong to are interested in supporting this program, the cost is $250 for each tree. Donations are needed by March 9 with all donors being recognized on Saturday, April 14 at 1:00 p.m. More information is available at: http://www.ci.cypress.ca.us/recreation/12_tree_donations.pdf

We Care - Saturday, March 24, 2012 - We Care is a non-profit Family Resource Center serving the cities of Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, Rossmoor, Cypress, Huntington Beach, Fountain Valley, and Stanton. We Care provides services for families in crises i.e. rent and utilities assistance, food bank, case management and referrals. We Care’s 6th Annual "From the Heart" Fundraiser is scheduled for Saturday, March 24, 2012 at 6:00p.m. The casual and fun-filled event features dinner, refreshments, music, and a live/silent auction and will be held at Aegean Designing Whims in Los Alamitos. Tickets for the event are $60 and all proceeds go directly to helping families in crisis. For tickets or additional information, please contact We Care at (562) 598-9790 or visit their website at: http://www.wecarelosalamitos.org

Spring Egg Hunt - Saturday, April 7 at 10:30 a.m. at Oak Knoll Park - A total of 60 volunteers are needed from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. to help with egg hunts, crafts, activity areas. About 10 people from Cypress Church volunteered for this event last year. Come and join the fun. This is a great event to volunteer or attend with your kids.

Nature Park Summer Opening Day Event - Saturday, June 2, 10:00 a.m. at Cypress Nature Park - 4 volunteers are needed from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. to help with set-up, directions to where the show will be, and help with tear down.

July 4th Celebration - July 4, Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos - 2 shifts (2:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. & 6:15 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.) 20-25 people per shift depending on how many rides and booths. Cypress Church provided all of the volunteers for the Kid’s Zone last year. It was a great time for everyone.

Cypress Community Festival – Saturday, July 28, at Oak Knoll Park - 10 volunteers are needed from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. to assist vendors to their booth space. 80 volunteers are needed to help with all aspects of the 5K & 10K Run/Walk starting at 7:30a.m. at Council Chambers. This is one event you can volunteer for or participate in. Cypress Church will also have a booth at the Festival again this year so volunteers will be needed to serve in the booth. Mark your calendars. You may discover more about the Festival at: http://www.cypressfestival.com/

City Council Meetings – Attend your city council meetings. Important business impacting your city is conducted and you have a unique opportunity to be in prayer for the city’s leadership. Upcoming Cypress City Council meetings are on the second and fourth Mondays of each month. February’s meetings are on the 13th and 27th starting at 7 p.m.

The Boys and Girls Club in Cypress - This is a great opportunity to love our city by being a blessing to the children. Just two hours a week will have a significant impact. Helping kids with homework and interacting with them in the computer lab, during game time, and listening to them read are a few of the examples of the volunteer opportunities. The Boys and Girls Club is located at 10161 Moody St in Cypress. Their program hours are from 2:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. during the school year. More information is available at: http://www.boysandgirlsclubofcypress.com

To indicate your interest in volunteering for any of these opportunities or for additional information about community volunteer opportunities, please contact: George or Lynn Pardon at: gpardon@sbcglobal.net or lpardon@sbcglobal.net or phone (714) 827-3585. As additional volunteer opportunities come up, you can be informed of them by providing your email address to George or Lynn Pardon. You may also call the Cypress Church office at (714) 952-3001.

The Bible tells us in the Book of Jeremiah to: “Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”

Cypress Church - 6143 Ball Rd. - Cypress, CA 90630 - Phone: (714) 952-3001 - http://www.cypresschurch.net

Thanksgiving Food Drive at Cypress Church

With Thanksgiving approaching, many of us reflect on what we are most thankful for. While we spend Thanksgiving Day surrounded by loved ones at a table with turkey and all the trimmings, many families in our community are not as fortunate. Cypress Church is partnering with We Care of Los Alamitos to provide a Thanksgiving meal to the needy families in our community. We Care is reporting they are very low on food, so here’s how YOU can help:

Cypress Church will be collecting food items in the church office, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. A donation table will be set up this Sunday (November 21st) in the Worship Center Lobby from 8:00 a.m. until 12 noon. All donations for the Thanksgiving food drive must be received by 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 23rd. We need: turkeys, potatoes, yams, cranberries, stuffing, gravy and desserts. For more information, please contact Clayton Slagle: (714) 952-3001 x 209.

Cypress Church is also partnering with Faith in Christ Ministries to serve hot meals to more than 1000 people in Los Angeles on Thanksgiving morning. If you are interesting in taking part in this wonderful event, please contact Danny Kugelberg in our Student Ministries Department: (714) 952-3001 x 207.

Cypress Church is located at 6143 Ball Rd. in Cypress. Don't miss out on this wonderful opportunity to bring joy to families in need. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Photo caption: Members of the Cypress Church Community Service Team packing donated food to deliver to the We Care agency for distribution to needy families.

Cypress Church - 6143 Ball Rd. - Cypress, CA 90630 - Phone: (714) 952-3001 - http://www.cypresschurch.net

OC Residents Help to Build Water Well for Indian Leper Colony

Easy access to fresh water is something we here in Southern California can take for granted. For a small monthly fee, we have it at our disposal for everything from brushing our teeth to washing our cars, and even for cooking and drinking. But for those living in remote parts of the world, fresh water is often not easy to come by, fee or no fee.

For mothers living in a village in Southeast India, they can only wish they could relieve their children’s thirst and wash their babies' blankets or clean the wounds on their leprosy-inflicted bodies with fresh water. But thanks to some generous people who live on the other side of the world, this yearned-for amenity is about to become a reality.

Over a year ago, pastors at Cypress Church were told of the need for a fresh-water well in a leper colony to which a fellow pastor in India ministers. They, in turn, passed the details on to church members, most of who live in Cypress and the surrounding cities, of how the previously displaced Indian residents receive water only a few hours a day from a small hose.

During last year's holiday season, the church taught a series called "Simply Christmas," in which members were challenged to give more of their time and/or finances, particularly to the poor. It was this challenge that inspired many to contribute funds to this well in southeastern India.

Today, not only is one well being about to be drilled, partly through the generous contributions of people from a community on the other side of the world, but a second will break ground before the end of the year, as well.

Cypress Church Pastors Mike McKay and Takeshi Takazawa visited this past month the part of India where the leper colony is located. While there they visited those who will be recipients of the well. "Lepers today in this area of India are shunned and looked down on and no one wants them anywhere near them," explains Pastor McKay. "They are seen as bad luck or having done something very bad for the gods to have punished them with this disease."

"There is a fear their leprosy is contagious," he adds. "Because of these stigmas no one will hire them or buy anything from them. The lepers are left to beg and do their best to live off the land and fend for themselves."

In addition to Cypress Church financially committing to help the wells be built, it also is partnering with the Indian pastor who first told of the need. He and the church where he serves will oversee the work and continue to care for the people in that community. "This church, like Cypress Church, seeks to show the grace and help of God by meeting needs of the poor," says McKay.

A portion of the funds raised by church members was through an event that was held last December at Campus Billiards in Cypress. Nick Stonoha, who works at the establishment and attends Cypress Church, was given permission by the owner for Nick's small group Bible study to hold a fundraiser. After almost 100 rounds of pool later, patrons and employees helped raise approximately $1,200.

There were several reasons why Nick says he and his Bible study group chose to contribute to the well's construction. Reducing disease was one of them, but also because the results of helping would be something tangible. "Because we knew we could get reports on its progress, results could be seen," he says. "We take for granted having fresh water. For these people [who live in the leper colony] it is an every-day dilemma where they will get fresh water," Nick adds.

This coming holiday season those who attend Cypress Church will again be encouraged to generously give both financially and of their time in ways closer to home. People who do not attend the church but want to help are encouraged to volunteer.

On Thanksgiving, the church's youth ministry will be serving meals in South Los Angeles. At the same time, a separate group will be disbursing close to 600 meals at MacArthur Park in Los Angeles, as well, via "The Holy Grill," a traveling barbeque. Making and distributing blankets and hats to the homeless are more ways that the public is welcome to participate.

"We are seeking out ways to help the needs in Cypress and the eleven cities that surround it," says Pastor McKay of the church’s desire to help the poor. "We have also looked beyond our borders, connecting with local churches and organizations in different countries to give some tangible expressions of God*s love."

If you are interested in learning more about any of the above service projects, contact Cypress Church at (714) 952-3001 or online at www.cypresschurch.net. The public may also interact with the Cypress Church community on Facebook, and Twitter. The church campus is located at 6143 Ball Road just east of Valley View. The public is welcome at Sunday services and Bible studies that are held at 8:45 and 10:30 a.m. as well as many other activities throughout each week.

Photo Caption – Pastors Mike McKay and Takeshi Takazawa with Leper colony residents at the future site of the fresh-water well.

Cypress Church - 6143 Ball Rd. - Cypress, CA 90630 - Phone: (714) 952-3001 - http://www.cypresschurch.net/

Lively Luau Entertainment Captivates Cypress Seniors

The Cypress Senior Center held their annual Luau on Friday, August 13, 2010. More than 200 attended the event which was sponsored by AssistaLife Home Care. The gala celebration included entertainment by ukulele and guitar players from Cypress Church. The musical group included J. P. Del Mundo, Matthew Chai and Mike Chai. There were also three hula dancers who performed many traditional Polynesian routines including the Rope Dance.

The Luau event was planned and coordinated by the staff of the Cypress Senior Center. The Cypress Church Community Service Team assisted with decorations, serving and clearing. Guests were treated to an exotic menu that included Teriyaki chicken, Hawaiian rice, chef cut veggies and tropical fruit salad. Unique suckers with cake on the inside provided an unexpected treat. Many special gifts were awarded to event participants during the door prize drawing.

The Cypress Senior Center is located at 9031 Grindlay Street and provides many activities and services for area residents. The next special event is the Country Hoedown planned for Friday, September 10th. Recreation Coordinator Teena Tomlinson reports that the Hoe Down is already 50% sold out. Information about activities for seniors is available at (714) 229-2005. Information about AssistaLife non-medical home care for those with special needs is available from Jeannie Gann at (310) 337-7095.

Cypress Church serves the northern Orange County area including the cities of Cypress, Buena Park, Los Alamitos, Anaheim, Seal Beach and La Palma. Volunteers are available to assist local non-profit organizations. The church campus is located at 6143 Ball Road just east of Valley View. Sunday worship is at 8:45 am and 10:30 am. More information is available at (714) 952-3001 or on the internet at http://www.cypresschurch.net/

Photo Caption #1: Musicians Matthew Chai, Mike Chai and J. P. Del Mundo from Cypress Church entertained guests at the Cypress Senior Center Luau held on Friday, August 13th.

Photo Caption #2: Cypress Church members (Left to Right) Duane Walker, Dot Slagle, Janice Doe, Clayton Slagle, Mary Beth Walker, Victoria Jereza and Norman Edds served meals at the annual Luau Celebration held at the Cypress Senior Center.

Cypress Church - 6143 Ball Rd. - Cypress, CA 90630 - Phone: (714) 952-3001 - www.cypresschurch.net