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Hello friends,
For more than twenty years, our church has had the privilege of partnering with Winter Nights Family Shelter, a traveling shelter that offers families experiencing homelessness a safe and caring place to stay. Every year when we host, our campus becomes more than a building, it becomes a home. Our Fellowship Hall turns into bedrooms with the privacy of tents, the kitchen fills with activity, and hallways echo with the sounds of children doing homework or playing games.
Each time I visit with the families staying here, I am humbled by their courage and grace. I can hardly imagine what it must be like to pack up your belongings and move every week or two, carrying both hope and uncertainty with you. I’ll never forget one young boy who looked around our Fellowship Hall and said, “Thank you for having this be my home.” His words remind me that hospitality isn’t just about providing food or shelter. It’s about creating a sense of belonging, even if only for a short time.
This year, we’ll host Winter Nights from October 27 through November 10, and sign-ups are open now! Volunteers are needed to cook and serve dinners, tutor children, and fill a variety of other important roles.
Winter Nights is also entering a new season of leadership. I recently met with Executive Director Lenita Wheeler, whose compassion and vision deeply impressed me. I’m excited about how our partnership can continue to grow—supporting families not only during their stay with us, but beyond it as well.
Come be part of this beautiful ministry of welcome and hope.
Peace,
Pastor Lauren
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Winter Nights Returns to LOPC!
LOPC will be hosting the Winter Nights Shelter Program again this fall, from October 27 to November 10. This important program provides families experiencing homelessness in Contra Costa County with a safe, warm place to stay, along with meals, transportation, tutoring, and case management.
Volunteer Opportunities: We have over 200 volunteer roles to fill! In addition to providing meals and help with logistics, we’ve added new ways to get involved, including hosting a movie night and being a kids’ companion after dinner, giving parents some much-needed respite. There’s truly something for everyone! Sign up today by clicking HERE.
Donate Books, Games & Halloween Costumes – Please Read Before Donating: Help make the Winter Nights Shelter a joyful and welcoming place by donating gently used books, games, puzzles, crafts, or Halloween costumes for youth, ages 9-13. Please ensure items are in good, usable condition, just as you would want to use them yourself. Important: To arrange a donation drop-off or check if your items are needed, please email Michelle Browning (please do not drop off donations at the church without first making arrangements). We have limited storage and want to ensure we only receive items that can be used during the shelter stay.
To learn more about the program, visit cccwinternights.org or email Michelle Browning.
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October Warm Clothing & Essentials Drive for New Local Mission Partner Trinity Center
We're continuing our support with a donation drive for our newest partner Trinity Center, which provides vital services for individuals experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity. During the month of October, please donate cold-weather clothing and essentials, including sleeping bags, blankets, duffel bags, jeans, underwear, and socks. Donations can be dropped off during business hours at the Ministry Center. Click HERE to purchase items from the Amazon Wish List (your donation will be shipped directly to LOPC). For more information about Trinity Center, contact Partner Liaisons Jim Olufson and Barb Weikert.
| | Welcoming Anand Thandu: Celebrating 20+ Years of Partnership with Children of Faith | | |
LOPC has enjoyed a long and meaningful partnership with the Home, which Anand and his wife Rosie founded more than 20 years ago in Visakhapatnam, India. With the faithful support of the LOPC congregation, they have nurtured and educated over 1,000 young people, helping them break the cycle of poverty and grow into self-sufficient adults. Today, Children of Faith graduates are working in the medical field, technology, and business, and many are raising families of their own.
“I am looking forward to joining our many generous supporters in worship at LOPC this fall. Rosie and I are grateful to everyone for their prayers, visits and financial support over the years that has helped Children of Faith transform the lives of at-risk children in India. This work has been our calling and would not be possible without LOPC.”
Children of Faith is currently home to 120 school-age children. The Home provides nutrition and care, Christian education, and academics through an on-site school. Over the years, LOPC has sent both youth and adult service teams to visit the Home, and those who go often speak of the lasting impact the experience has on their lives.
Juanita Kizor, an LOPC Elder for Mission, visited the Home and observed this, “The faith, learning and work ethics that Rosie and Anand impart to the children is a remarkable thing to witness. Your mission team traveled halfway around the world to see firsthand the impact that LOPC’s generosity, support and dedication has had on countless children as well as the mission teams that have visited COF over the years.”
Please join Anand Thandu on Sunday, October 19, at LOPC to learn more about his work in India and our ongoing partnership with this incredible organization. He’ll be attending both worship services, and you’re invited to meet him on the plaza over a cup of Indian Chai.
If you can’t join Anand during his visit, be sure to visit the Children of Faith website to learn more and explore ways to get involved.
| | Love in Action: How Bob Schwab & Diana Yorgan Celebrated Their Anniversary | | |
When a call went out for volunteers to host a BBQ dinner at Hope Solutions’ Garden Park Apartments, Bob Schwab and Diana Yorgan said yes, even though it was the night of their 37th wedding anniversary. “It’s our anniversary tomorrow,” Diana said, “and after talking to Bob, we agreed this would be a great way to celebrate.”
That heart for service is just who they are. Faithful LOPC members Bob and Diana find deep joy in giving back. “Without volunteers, not much gets done,” they shared. “And doing acts of kindness actually boosts serotonin and makes you feel good! I think it’s the Holy Spirit at work, but I’ll let science take the credit.”
Their joy is contagious. “I think that’s why volunteers always seem so happy and who doesn’t want to be around happy people?” For Bob and Diana, volunteering is a way to be the hands of God. “If you’re looking for more joy and want to meet wonderful people, volunteer. You’ll get more out of it than you give.”
We’re so grateful to Bob, Diana, and all of our amazing volunteers who continue to show up, serve with love, and make a difference in our community. If you feel inspired and are looking for ways to get involved, please contact Michelle Browning.
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Welcoming Our International Scholar: Rev. Joby Joy
We are excited to share that our church will be welcoming Rev. Joby Joy as an International Scholar volunteer this coming year. This program is designed to help congregations like ours meaningfully connect with the global church by building personal relationships with leaders who bring wisdom and experience from other parts of the world. His presence among us will be a gift, offering fresh insights into how God is at work in different cultural contexts and reminding us that the body of Christ is larger and more diverse than we can see on Sunday mornings.
Rev. Joy comes to us from Kerala, India, where the church is vibrant and growing in remarkable ways. For the past thirteen years, he has served as an ordained minister of the Church of South India (CSI), both in India and across North America. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Hebrew Bible at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, with a focus on Asian American Biblical Hermeneutics and postcolonial interpretations of Scripture, particularly exploring identity struggles among Indian American youth.
In his own words, Rev. Joy shares:
“I find deep joy in ministering and sharing God’s Word with congregations at home and abroad. My calling has always been to unite faith, scholarship, and community. It is my prayer that my time at LOPC, through this new role as International Scholar in Residence, will be another chapter where faith and scholarship meet in service to God’s people. At LOPC, I seek a future of mutual learning - listening, sharing, and growing in ways that bless the community and my ministry.”
Throughout his time here, he will share in the life of our congregation through worship, teaching, and fellowship. This is a unique opportunity for us not only to extend hospitality but also to listen, learn, and deepen our understanding of what it means to belong to the global family of faith. We look forward to welcoming Rev. Joy into our community and to the many ways God will bless us through this new relationship.
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October 1 - October 31 - Trinity Center Clothing & Essentials Drive. Support our neighbors in need by donating cold-weather clothing and year-round essentials. Donations can be dropped off in the Ministry Center. Click HERE to purchase items from the amazon wishlist (items shipped to LOPC). More information HERE.
October 13 (and October 27), 10:00 am on Zoom - Prayer Group for Atfaluna and Gaza. We invite you to join us every other Monday in prayer for Atfaluna Society for Deaf Children and all those affected by the ongoing violence and displacement. Register to receive the Zoom link by clicking HERE. All are welcome.
October 14, 9:30 - 11:30 am, love does: Rice Bagging at MCC. Join us to help prepare rice for local families. No experience needed, just a willing heart! We need 6 baggers (sit and scoop) and 2 team leaders (help with bins and crates). Ages 16+. Click HERE for more information and to volunteer.
October 19, following both Worship services, Partners on the Plaza. Join us on the plaza to meet Children of Faith's Anand Thandu to learn more about his work and LOPC’s partnership with Children of Faith. Discover how you can support and get involved with COF mission, and enjoy a delicious cup of chai while you’re there!
October 19, following both Worship services in the Chapel - United in Prayer. What began as a global day of prayer for peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has grown into a special time for LOPC to also lift up all our mission partners, both local and global. Join us for a moment of prayer and reflection, as we stand together to bring hope, support, and encouragement to those who need it most.
October 26, following Worship at 12:00 pm in the Oak Room - Reflections on Gaza. Join us for an event featuring a screening of the documentary Gaza: Doctors Under Attack followed by a conversation with local Bay Area physician Dr. Mohammad Subeh, who will share his experience volunteering in Gaza. Alongside the screening, we invite you to explore Soul of My Soul Exhibit, an art exhibit showcasing art by children in our local community, as well as art from Palestinians in Gaza. Finding common humanity through art helps us process the ongoing violence and displacement. The art exhibit will be displayed outside, no RSVP needed, so all are welcome to view. Please RSVP for the documentary screening and conversation by clicking HERE.
October 27 through November 10 - Winter Nights. Mark your calendars! LOPC will be supporting the Winter Nights Shelter again this fall. Click HERE for volunteer opportunities, and help provide warmth and care to families in need.
November 1 - love does: Volunteers at the Food Bank. Join us and volunteer at the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano! By working together (up to 20 of us), we'll sort, box, and bag food to provide for those in our community facing hunger. This is an opportunity to serve those in need while building connections at LOPC. Click HERE for more information and to register.
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Pray for peace and protection for Palestinian children. Join in prayer and advocacy by lifting up children in Gaza and the West Bank by name. The Let Children Live campaign invites us to see each child as God does - beloved and full of hope. More information HERE.
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Nationally, 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men experience domestic violence in their lifetimes; in California, nearly half of all women are impacted by intimate partner violence. Support our mission partner STAND! For Families Free of Violence by visiting their Get Involved page to learn how you can volunteer or donate items for those seeking safety and healing.
Serve with Monument Crisis Center This Fall! Two great ways to help:
- Mentor 6th-8th graders at the Teen Center (Fall semester, 1 hour/week). More information HERE.
- ELL Teaches Needed: Teach basic English to non-English speakers (6-week commitment, Monday to Wednesday, 9:30-10:30 am, or 1:30-2:30 pm). Email Michelle Browning.
Support Hope Solutions in their mission to uplift families and individuals facing housing insecurity. You can make a difference by volunteering - click HERE for more information.
Join a peaceful, faithful presence at the Concord Immigration Court. The Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity invites East Bay faith communities to stand in solidarity with immigrants by volunteering at court vigils every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, morning (7:30–9:30 am) or afternoon (11:45 am–2:00 pm). Click HERE for more information and to sign up.
Be a part of the transformative work at Trinity Center! By volunteering, you’ll directly support adults experiencing homelessness in our community and help them take steps toward stability and self-sufficiency. Learn more about how you can get involved and make a difference by clicking HERE.
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A Milestone Moment: Monument Crisis Center Celebrates Expansion and Honors Founder
Monument Crisis Center recently celebrated the groundbreaking of its 2,000-square-foot Food Distribution expansion, with over 100 supporters in attendance! The new space will be named in honor of founder Sandra Scherer, thanks to an anonymous donor and a $150,000 matching gift opportunity now through year-end.
To learn more and see how your support is making a difference, check out their 2024–25 Service Report and Six Core Programs Overview.
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Big Dreams and Bright Futures: Celebrating 34 Years of FotoKids
We’re celebrating with our mission partner FotoKids as they marked a special 34th anniversary. At their party, graduates shared how the program shaped their lives, including Ericka Argueta, who discovered her passion for visual arts through FotoKids. With their support, she earned a design degree, became a creative director, and is now launching her own business. This is what Fotokids is all about, equipping young people with the confidence and opportunities they need to build better lives. Watch her inspiring story here by clicking HERE.
Congrats to 12-year-old Lea Gonzalez from our partner FotoKids in Santiago Atitlán! Her photo, “I Dream of One Day Seeing the Sea,” was selected as a semi-finalist in the Head On Photo Awards 2025 in Australia. Lea said, “I was visiting a carpenter shop and saw the surfboard. I had only seen them on television and I told my brother who was with me to go and sit down there, because I dream of one day seeing the sea.” Her photo will be featured in a digital exhibit at the Bondi Pavilion during the festival.
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Food Bank Shares Latest Impact in At the Table.
Twice a year, the Food Bank publishes At the Table to share how your support is making a difference. In the latest edition, learn how supporting the Food Bank also supports local farmers, how their 2030 Strategic Plan centers on neighbors in need, and how your voices helped shape state policy. Plus, meet the local Girl Scouts fighting hunger with pasta e fagioli! Click HERE to read more.
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LOPC Congo Team Adjusts to New Structure, Deepens Support for Education and Healing
The Congo team is structuring how it will operate now that mission co-workers are no longer in place in PCUSA’s Mission reorganization. (See July Good Neighbor mission newsletter for background.) The team will be working directly with our two Congolese partners - CPC (Congolese Presbyterian Church) and CPK (Congolese Presbyterian Church of Kinshasa, the capital). As noted before, these two church partners operate close to 1300 nurseries, primary and secondary schools.
We have designated individuals from the team as principal contacts for each of these partners. They will stay in contact to understand the partners’ priorities in the areas we support - Education and Trauma Healing. For instance we recently received the annual report of the CPC Education Coordinators that describes the schools’ most pressing needs. This document will guide us regarding where to make donations from LOPC.
Four members of the Congo team will be attending in October the annual Congo Mission Network (CMN) conference. The CMN is an organization involving congregations, presbyteries and other entities of PC(USA) who partner with CPC and CPK. Attendees include Congolese who participate in person or virtually. LOPC hosted this conference in 2017. This year’s conference is at Spillman College and Brown Memorial Presbyterian Church in Tuscaloosa Alabama.
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Learn how housing insecurity impacts families across the U.S. The documentary, "Evicting the American Dream," produced by Presbyterian Disaster Assistance and Counter Stories Productions, presents the stories of children and families confronting eviction and homelessness, and explores the root causes and systemic issues that perpetuate this epidemic. Click HERE for more information, including how to watch.
See how one act of service grew into a Girl Scouts Gold Award project. At LOPC’s Youth Sunday (August 24, 2025), Ashlyn Browning shared how volunteering at Hope Solutions through LOPC’s Kids Fest sparked her passion for service. Watch her inspiring story on our YouTube channel.
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October 11, 4:00 pm at their Concord warehouse - Food Bank's Annual Empty Bowls Fundraiser. The Food Bank’s Empty Bowls event brings together families, local leaders, and supporters for a simple meal and a chance to learn how they’re filling the bowls of those in need. More information and RSVP HERE.
October 11, 5:00 pm at Trinity Center - Harvesting Hope. Join us for an evening of community, compassion, and celebration at Trinity Center's Fall fun-raiser. The evening begins with dinner at Trinity Center, followed by a special concert at St. Paul's Episcopal Church at 7:00 pm featuring Soprano Marina Tolstova. More information and RSVP HERE.
October 16. Purple Day. Purple is the awareness color for domestic violence. Join STAND! staff across the county as we wear purple to show solidarity and support. Take a photo and tag STAND! on social media!
October 16, 6:00 - 8:00 pm at Youth Homes Thrift Shop - Changing Seasons, Changing Lives. Click HERE to RSVP for a lovely evening of fashion, upcycling, and youth impact in support of Youth Homes.
October 18 at Lafayette Reservoir - Lafayette Res Run for Education. Register HERE to participate in this beloved community event to support Lafayette schools and the chamber.
October 22, 9:30 am at First Congregational Church, Berkeley - Sacred Land, Shared Futures: Cities + Congregations for Housing. Register HERE to attend this East Bay workshop focused on building partnerships, sharing strategies, and exploring how SB4 (YIGBY) can help faith communities and cities respond to the housing crisis together.
October 23 - 25, online or at Brown Memorial Presbyterian Chruch, Tuscaloosa, Alabama - Ethical Leadership and the Church: Living Together. Register HERE to attend the Congo Mission Network's annual conference to support church-led efforts to promote peace and unity in the Democratic Republic of Congo (in person or online).
October 23, 11:00 am - 9:00 pm at Lazy Dog Restaurant in Concord - Dine and Donate. Dine out and do good! Order lunch, happy hour*, or dinner; dine-in or to-go, just use code 01CONCORD and STAND! will receive a donation of 15% of your bill, includes alcohol purchases.
October 29, 4:30 pm at Pleasant Hill Community Center - Hope Solutions' Annual Stakeholder's Meeting and Celebration. Get an inside look at how your support is creating real change for vulnerable families in Contra Costa County. More information and RSVP HERE.
November 13, 6:00 pm at Freight and Salvage, Berkeley - 2025 Love Over Fear Benefit Concert. Register HERE to attend an inspiring evening of music and storytelling that uplifts immigrant justice, liberation, and beloved community, hosted by Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity.
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Connect with our partner liaisons to learn more about our mission partners: | | | | |
LOPC's Mission Ministry welcomes your financial support! Donations help fund hands-on service projects like assembling backpacks, clothing, and food kits for those in need. Click HERE to contribute and select the “love does” fund. Thank you in advance for your donation! | | | | |
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