Like Father, Like Son

You may know Van. If you've been to the Lake Forest campus of Saddleback Church there is a good chance you've seen him. 26 years of giving handshakes, hugs and high fives as a greeter have made Van White one of the most recognizable people at Saddleback.

When Van first brought his wife, Sharon, to Saddleback in 1988, he was amazed how being greeted by so many people on the way to the Worship Center made this big church quickly feel like home. They loved the church, and Van decided he wanted to get to know more of the people he spent his weekends with. In 1989, Van joined the Greeters Ministry and fulfilled his desire to meet others — well beyond anything he could have imagined.

The obvious question is, "How does someone serve with the same ministry for 26 years?"  To understand this answer, it helps to know Van’s legacy.

Van was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA, growing up in Willowbrook, a small community wedged between Watts and Compton. His father was a mail carrier who also worked part-time for a trucking company to provide for his wife and four children. While his father worked hard during the week, the weekends were spent playing sports with the kids. Not just his own children, but many others from the neighborhood. Van's mother lovingly referred to her husband as a big kid, but Van saw what was really happening. His father invested himself in the lives of children who were less fortunate, and it made a difference.

Van's father passed away in 2006. To this day Van receives phone calls from boyhood friends from Willowbrook who express tremendous gratitude for the man who took them to their first Rams or Dodgers game; the man who played basketball and street football with them. He’s the man who made a difference.

Van now welcomes our community into the Saddleback family, carrying on his father’s legacy of welcoming kids from the community into his family.

Greeters make the first impression on new visitors. Van loves to answer questions, give directions and help people feel welcome and at home. Sometimes that greeting comes with a hug. Van has often been thanked by visitors who say his is the only hug they receive all week.

Van is such a sparkling ray of hope for visitors. He is grateful his welcome makes an impression on visitors. In fact, some of the children he used to greet with high fives now bring their children to him for their own high fives.

Van retired about a year and a half ago after working for 50 years, the last 34 in the grocery industry. Since then he has also been serving at Saddleback Church's Food Pantry. Van has a passion to serve those less fortunate than himself. He enjoys using his SHAPE to share God’s hope to those in need.

Every month at the Saddleback Advanced Leadership Training (S.A.L.T.), representatives from each campus are given the Giant Killer award for serving above and beyond what could ever be expected. It comes as no surprise Van White was honored with this award in January. Like his father, Van makes a difference.