Read what's happening at our PEACE Center in response to COVID-19

January 27, 2021
Volunteer Finds New Calling in Life Through Serving

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Saddleback member Nate Haan was working at an aerospace company in Irvine and nearing a promotion. But, like many people living through this crisis, he was let go due to the economic downturn caused by the virus.

"I really saw myself in kind of a career-oriented position, so my conversations with God definitely were a bit frustrated," he said.

When unemployment first struck, Nate decided to start putting into practice the tools he had learned from taking Saddleback's Class 201 a couple of months before the pandemic hit. The class taught him about growing closer to God and becoming a more mature Christian through studying the Bible, memorizing Scripture, and praying everyday.

As he began spending more time with God, the longtime Saddleback member felt compelled to start volunteering since he had so much free time throughout the week. He quickly found that he loved serving and enjoyed working behind-the-scenes at Saddleback's Distribution Center, which supplies food to our grocery distribution events.

"I had really no idea that I was capable of leading an operation like that," he said. "It really gave me that sense of calling, that this is where God needs me right now, pursuing his will for my life."

Nate also had no idea that God was in the process of completely redirecting his path in life. Just a few years ago, Nate was studying finance and had big aspirations of becoming a high-net-worth individual. Volunteering four to five times a week made him realize he no longer wanted to pursue money; his new goal was to love Jesus and love others.

After several months of serving full time, God called Nate to join Saddleback as a Distribution Center staff member and continue growing his ministry. It was an opportunity he was humbled by and thrilled to accept.

"[It was] just such a surprise," he said, "and another opportunity that God has just taught me more about what he has planned for my life and not what my own plans are for myself." 

January 22, 2021 
Volunteer Finds Purpose and Community Through Serving

The first three months of the COVID-19 pandemic were filled with fear, hopelessness, and loss for many people. That's no exception for one Saddleback member who felt like he was stumbling through darkness as stay-at-home orders were issued and the world came to a halt.

"There was no job, no relationships, and no real purpose," he said.

By the end of May, the man felt compelled to sign up to volunteer at a Saddleback grocery distribution event. At first, the man thought volunteering would be an easy way to "check off the box" of serving others; however, his life was radically changed by the experience.

Not only did he find purpose and fulfillment directing traffic at the grocery distribution event, he also found a community of believers who welcomed him with open arms and made him feel like he was making an impact. Two leaders at the distribution event had an especially profound impact on his life that day.

"God had something larger in mind than just checking off a box," he said. "He wanted me to meet ... two women who became my light in a dark life."

The man felt so encouraged by our grocery distribution leaders, he decided to volunteer to serve the next day, as well - only this time, he signed up to be an evangelist. That day, it became clear to the man that God wanted him to keep helping others and serving. Now, he volunteers three to four times each week and has found his calling for this season of life.

"It is interesting that the circumstances in my life that caused the darkness have not changed," he said. "But the light from [the grocery distribution leaders] has shown brightly in my life and given me a peace that can only come from God above. Sometimes it's a volunteer who shows up because his or her life is in a dark place and what we do multiple times a week with food distributions may be how God is leading them to find the light through volunteering."

January 15, 2021
Saddleback Grocery Distributions Meet Needs, Seen and Unseen

For many people, the challenges and hardships of last year have carried over into 2021. While the pandemic continues to impact people physically, financially, and emotionally, Saddleback Church is committed to continue meeting needs in our communities and helping people in a holistic way.

Saddleback's grocery distribution events throughout Southern California have proven to be a crucial part of our church's community outreach this year. As people continue to search for work, connection, and hope, our volunteers are working to make sure our neighbors have enough to eat, know where to turn when they need help, and experience the love of Jesus.

One family who received food at a recent grocery distribution event in Anaheim said they felt humbled to be on the receiving end of much-needed assistance during these challenging times. The milk, eggs, cheese, apples, potatoes, and bread they were given helped them start the year off with a refrigerator full of groceries.

"There was lots of good stuff in those boxes," the family said. "It helped [us] out during this pandemic that we're facing."

Not only did the family leave the event with plenty of food, they also had a chance to experience God's love and to connect with our church family in ways they did not expect.

"The best part was at the end ... I loved that [the volunteers] asked, 'How is your relationship with God?'" they said. "I left with food to help get us by, [as well as] peace, love, and joy in my heart."

The interaction with our volunteers impacted the family so deeply, they expressed a desire to watch a Saddleback service and weekend message.

While the challenges that family is facing are unique to them, they are not alone in dealing with hardships during the pandemic. Church leaders said several families shared that they did not have any food and were so appreciative of the help they received at the distribution event.

January 6, 2021 
Saddleback Volunteer Named One of Top 100 Most Influential People in Orange County

When the COVID-19 pandemic first hit Southern California, Alana Yegsigian-Smith received an email from Saddleback expressing a need for volunteers to distribute groceries. She felt something stirring in her heart and jumped at the idea after having been relegated to her room for several weeks because of stay-at-home orders.

After her first experience serving at a Saddleback grocery distribution, Alana knew there was no turning back.

"From the first day I showed up, I knew I was where God wanted me to be," she said. "I love putting my heart and soul into serving every day."

Alana now spends her days as a lead volunteer overseeing food distributions at many of Saddleback's community events. On average, she serves at three to five grocery distribution events each week, works a full day at each event, and almost always gets in at least 10,000 steps a day!

"If I don't log my 10,000 steps in a day, I'm disappointed," she joked. "I just love getting in the trenches, getting my hands dirty and working.

"There were days in the summer, when it was 114 degrees out. We were just serving and sweating and loving it. I'd go home and collapse and be like, 'That was such an amazing day, God!'"

At the end of 2020, Alana was featured as one of the top 100 most influential people in Orange County by the OC Register, It's an honor she humbly accepted, after first turning it down. She said she started serving because she felt God calling her to serve, not for personal recognition.

She hopes her story influences other Saddleback members, as well as service-oriented people throughout the community, to listen for God's calling and go where they feel led to serve.

In the meantime, Alana plans to continue spending her days serving behind the scenes to make sure people have enough food in their freezer - no matter how great the need or how tough it gets.

"The people that come through [our grocery distributions]," she said, "as much as they are hurting, they are incredibly thankful and gracious - that's what keeps me going."

November 11, 2020
Volunteers Send Care Kit Overseas to Saddleback Soldier

For the past eight months, some members of our church family and community have been struggling with issues like isolation and food insecurity. For some, it’s been months since they’ve seen friends and relatives. Others have faced financial hardships due to layoffs, making it hard to afford groceries. Despite these challenges, Saddleback is filling the gaps and treating the “dis-ease” around us.

One man, whose family attends our church, is facing both isolation and food insecurity during this pandemic — but for different reasons than most during this time. The man is a member of the military and was deployed to the Middle East a few months ago.

While our church has been working with the man’s wife and kids to make sure they are cared for during his deployment, we have also been doing everything possible to meet his needs. Friends and neighbors who attend Saddleback have been praying for him regularly as he works to keep our country safe.

The COVID-19 crisis has not just led to food insecurity for civilians, it’s also caused a ration shortage at his base in Iraq. So, some of our volunteers and leaders from Saddleback Irvine North rallied together to send him a Care Kit with food and other supplies. He decided to share the much-needed resources with his troop.

He told his wife over a video call that he was so excited to receive the gift from our church and said that it was a good way to show the soldiers he serves alongside that our church loves everyone and wants to meet the needs we see in the world.

The man will be deployed for a few more months and is expected to return home early next year. Saddleback will continue praying for his safe return, as well as the security of all our military members overseas. We will also continue to help meet any of his needs that we can assist with until he comes home.

November 4, 2020 
Motel Church Ministry Sparks Man’s Radical Spiritual Transformation

Many of the Saddleback ministries that are changing lives throughout Southern California have had to make some major adjustments in how they operate due to the COVID-19 crisis. Nevertheless, their missions remain unchanged. That includes Celebrate Recovery®, which aims to help people find freedom from hurts, habits, and hang-ups — as well as Motel Church Ministry, which helps meet the spiritual and physical needs of the working poor and individuals suffering from homelessness.

One Saddleback member, Richard McLellan, doubts he would be the man he is today without those two ministries. He came in contact with them years before the global pandemic hit Southern California, back when he hit rock bottom.

At the lowest point in his life, Richard found himself in an emergency room suffering from alcohol-induced internal bleeding. It wasn’t the first time he had been hospitalized due to excessive drinking. He had been living in a motel after a bitter divorce and had a severe alcohol addiction. He was far from God, but God was not far from him.

A few Saddleback volunteers who had met Richard through the Motel Church Ministry came to visit him in the hospital. They prayed with him as he rededicated his life to Christ. Shortly after his hospital stay, Richard became a member of Saddleback Church and joined Celebrate Recovery.

“Someone shared the word of God with me, and now I get to share the word of God with others,” Richard said.

Those who knew Richard prior to the radical change describe his transformation as “miraculous.” He constantly strives to grow deeper in his relationship with Jesus and has been sober for several years.

Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, Richard has been stepping up as a volunteer with Motel Church Ministry. He said he never would have imagined that he would be serving in the ministry that once served him. Now, he has the opportunity to share his story with others on a regular basis in order to provide hope to those who are struggling.

“If it was not for the volunteers of the Motel Ministry being faithful to the word of God, I don’t know where I’d be,” Richard said. “Thank you — you saved my life by sharing the Word of God with me.”

October 28, 2020 
Woman Happens Upon Saddleback Grocery Distribution, Leaves with a Life-Changing Gift

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Saddleback has been a crucial resource for thousands of families throughout Southern California. Bags upon bags of groceries are prepared for anyone who may need them. Hundreds of volunteers show up each week to ensure our community members leave our events with an abundance of food and hope. Many people who come to our grocery distributions have the opportunity to experience the love of Jesus for the first time in their lives.

Recently, a woman who was on her morning walk through Mile Square Regional Park in Fountain Valley passed by one of our grocery distribution events. As her curiosity grew, she worked up the courage to approach a few of our volunteers. They were thrilled to meet her.

The volunteers soon found out that the woman recently moved to the United States from Ecuador and does not speak English, so they began speaking to her in Spanish. When they told her why there were so many people giving and receiving groceries, she was intrigued and started asking more questions about Christianity and Saddleback Church. She said that she had been searching for community.

One of the volunteers shared more about her faith and explained that God was the provider for everything she saw taking place at the grocery distribution event. She then asked if the woman wanted to pray and ask Jesus to be her Lord and Savior. The woman agreed and accepted Jesus that day.

“You're watching the Holy Spirit in action,” the volunteer explained. “You’re watching God’s hand.” The woman’s life was forever changed. The volunteer then told the woman about Saddleback en Español, Saddleback’s Spanish-speaking campus. She immediately reached out and got connected with the campus.

That day, more than 1,200 people came to Mile Square Regional Park in need of groceries. Flyers had been posted around the community to let people know when and where the distribution event was taking place. Every single person who attended was there for a purpose — just like the woman who was searching for community. She found so much more.

“God brought her here, and now she has the opportunity to become closer to the Lord,” said the volunteer who led her to Christ. “It’s amazing what God does.”

The woman not only left the grocery distribution with some food, she also left with a new, personal relationship with Jesus. She now attends Saddleback en Español and is working to build relationships with her new church family.

October 23, 2020 
Saddleback Irvine North Supports Educators Through First Aid for Families Program

Over the past several months, Saddleback volunteers have been helping people find freedom from the financial, emotional, spiritual, and physical hurts they have been dealing with during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Recently, our church has been ministering to families and teachers as they navigate the unknowns of a school year amidst this global crisis. Saddleback’s First Aid for Families program is providing practical resources to our community members, especially parents and teachers, who have a variety of needs during this difficult season of life.

Our Irvine North campus has had multiple opportunities to spread hope to educators over the past several weeks as they continue to courageously teach children throughout Southern California. Through small acts of kindness — whether it be giving away a customized Starbucks drink, delivering an encouraging note from one of our high school volunteers, or gifting a much-needed “Zoom light” — Saddleback is doing everything possible to bring joy to those who have been pouring out so much to our children.

A great surprise our leaders and volunteers discovered over the past few weeks is how much our church has been blessed in the process of launching First Aid for Families. Through serving, our members and volunteers have been able to connect in deeper ways as they walk alongside educators in their successes and struggles.

One teacher who recently received help from our church also attends Saddleback Irvine North. She has been adapting to teaching over zoom while simultaneously parenting a high school teenager on her own because her husband is deployed overseas.

She shared with our church that, due to the COVID-19 crisis, her husband’s troop had limited food supplies. Our Irvine North staff and volunteers were able to quickly respond by gathering the necessary funds to ship food and other supplies to his base. He and the rest of the troop were overwhelmed by the gesture.

“It’s stories like this that continue to empower our volunteers to shine the light of Christ in a time where there is so much fear and exhaustion,” Pastor Chris Yi, Saddleback Irvine North, said. “The next serving opportunity will be in November where we will get to bless our educators and staff at Northwood High school. Over the years, Irvine North has found a home due to [the school’s] generosity of allowing us to share their campus. We are grateful to be able to bless them back!”

Our church is praying that through this small gift, educators at Northwood High and every other school we are working with in Orange County, know that they are loved by our church and that God is working in their lives despite the hardships they face.

October 21, 2020 
Saddleback Provides Practical Resources at “Super Saturday” Event

For months now, Saddleback has been treating the “dis-ease” in our communities caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. While many people are still hurting financially, emotionally, spiritually, and physically, our volunteers are helping people find freedom from the hurts they are facing.

Saddleback’s First Aid for Families program is providing practical resources to our community members who are struggling during this crisis. Part of this new ministry includes an event called Super Saturdays — a monthly drive-thru resource clinic at our Lake Forest campus.

This past weekend, dozens of families came to our church in need of practical resources like food, career coaching, prayer, flu shots, legal aid, and immigration assistance. The goal is to provide a variety of resources in one location to lighten the load that many families are carrying during this crisis.

One woman who came to the event in need of food said she is now the sole provider for her family because of a COVID-19 related job loss in her household. She now relies on Saddleback to help feed her family.

“I was a little bit embarrassed to have to come the first time,” she said. “But then, you know, meeting everybody and just feeling no judgement at all from anybody and it just being such a smooth process, it made me feel it was OK to need help.”

Super Saturdays are not just beneficial to the people who are being served, but also to those who are serving. One volunteer at the event said she lost her job recently due to the pandemic so she has devoted her new-found free time to serving with Saddleback. She fought back tears as she explained the new sense of purpose she’s found through volunteering.

“I’ve learned that your job is not your identity; your identity is in Christ,” she said. “When you’re out here serving everyday, you remember that this just isn’t about me and what I’m here for, but it’s about the people we’re helping and it’s about watching God create miracles in people’s lives.”

Church staff overseeing the First Aid for Families event said they are thrilled that the program is already changing lives in our church as well as our communities, and they plan to continue expanding it to meet the needs of those around us.

October 16, 2020 
Families in Need Receive Meals From Saddleback

Saddleback is dedicated to meeting the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of those who are hurting during the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s why our church launched First Aid for Families — a program designed to help Saddleback members and volunteers serve our communities in practical ways.

Part of the program involves meal deliveries to single parents and parents of children with disabilities. For some of these parents, finding time to cook for their families is nearly impossible due to their busy schedules. For others, it’s difficult because of financial strains.

Within days of launching this meal-delivery program, our church was able to identify several dozen families who could benefit from the service. So, one of our volunteers who runs a catering business gathered a group of 18 volunteers and got to work.

The group was able to make about 600 pre-cooked dinners, which were then packaged and given to another group of volunteers who went door-to-door dropping off two meals for every person in each of the families that had been identified.

Not only did the volunteers and drivers feel fulfilled after serving, the responses our church received from the parents were overwhelming. For many people, the meals were more than a small gesture, it was a gift of love.

“This was just perfectly timed,” one recipient said. “Thank you so very much for the dinners. I'm nearly in tears with the help it has brought and my [delivery] driver was so sweet to pray with me.”

“I can’t even tell you how beautiful this blessing is tonight to our family,” another person said. “I’m in tears and thankful as I heat our oven in preparation.”

As Saddleback continues to meet the needs of those around us through First Aid for Families, these families will continue to receive meals from our church as we develop relationships with them and walk alongside them during this difficult season of life.

September 28, 2020
Saddleback Member Forced into Early Retirement; Finds Purpose Through Serving

For many people, the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted daily routines and altered everyday life. A number of our Saddleback family members have lost jobs during this time, and some have been forced into early retirement because of the crisis.

That is what happened to one of our members this summer, when she was asked to retire from a job she had held for 22 years. At first, the relaxing days around the house were enjoyable, but eventually the novelty wore off and spending time on the couch did not feel fulfilling. Soon after, the woman started to feel isolated and found it difficult to socialize because of COVID-19 restrictions.

A simple email changed everything, though, when a message from Saddleback Women’s Ministry caught her eye. The woman read it and found out that there was an urgent need for volunteers at an upcoming grocery distribution event.

“It dawned on me that many volunteers are back in school and/or at home supervising and supporting their children with online education,” she said. “I think God smacked me on the back of my head to make sure I was listening because the message went directly to my heart.”

She signed up to serve on the traffic team and anxiously awaited the opportunity to try something different in her new season of retirement.

“I am not a shy person, but I like to arrive and observe before I jump into the mix,” she said. “I was welcomed by staff members and volunteers, and I was thanked too many times for volunteering. The most amazing part of the experience was seeing the amount of food being distributed to each family. Saddleback is truly taking care of these families.”

She also said she thoroughly enjoyed her interactions with a few people who were waiting in line for groceries.

“Their thankfulness and gratitude brought tears to my eyes more than once,” she said. “My arms were a bit sore from waving those orange directional wands around for four hours, but I cannot wait to help [again].”

September 9, 2020 
Single Mother Cared for by Saddleback Irvine South

Throughout the course of the COVID-19 crisis, Saddleback has been committed to caring for those who are hurting in a holistic way. Our grocery distribution events are not just about giving away free food … they are about caring for emotional and spiritual needs, treating people with respect and dignity, and offering hope to those who feel stuck in a hopeless situation.

One woman who receives food at Saddleback Irvine South’s grocery distribution events said our church has helped her feel loved by God, and she’s felt supported by her spiritual family during this difficult season.

As a single mother, providing for her children during this pandemic has been incredibly burdensome. The pandemic brought on new financial hardships, so she found two jobs after attending Saddleback’s career coaching meetings. However, like many other parents, she struggles to balance those jobs while tending to her kids as they begin the school year.

Saddleback grocery distribution events have made it possible for the woman to feed her family while sticking to a strict budget. She also feels loved and respected at our grocery distribution events.

“Going to a food pantry because you need to is not easy,” she said. “It's been a humbling, learning experience for me. Being where I’m at, people see you with pity; they see you as less than because you need to get free food.”

While the woman has felt ashamed going to other food pantries in the Orange County area, she said she looks forward to going to our church’s grocery distribution events.

“Here at Saddleback Irvine South I feel God's love because I feel important,” she said. “You guys always treat me as a daughter of God, as an equal, not as a poor person coming to get something. I always leave feeling uplifted and hopeful after praying with volunteers.”

The appointment system at Saddleback Irvine South’s grocery distribution events have also had a huge impact on the woman’s life. Not only does it help her save valuable time in her day, it makes her feel valued.

“I'm not just part of the crowd. I'm important enough to have an appointment, a slot of your time, you are expecting me, I am welcomed by my name,” she said. “You don't know details about my life but you still value my time and respect it. With two jobs, as well as kids to drop off and pick up, an appointment is something I need and value.”

In fact, the woman has had such a positive experience receiving food and care from Saddleback, she recently started bringing her children to our grocery distribution events.

“They have learned through this [food] pantry that God takes care of us and provides for all of our needs,” she said. “Small miracles have happened at this pantry that have helped grow their faith just like mine.”

September 2, 2020
Woman Facing Unemployment Finds Hope at Saddleback Grocery Distribution Event

The COVID-19 crisis has been very difficult for many members of the Saddleback Church family as well as our communities. During this pandemic, some people have contracted the virus, others have dealt with the emotional and mental impacts of quarantine, while other families have faced unexpected financial hardships because of job losses.

Saddleback volunteers have been stepping up in a variety of ways to care for those who are hurting. As a church, we’ve been able to provide ongoing physical, emotional, and spiritual support to people who are in need, like one woman who recently attended a Saddleback grocery distribution event.

One of our team members spotted the woman crying in her car shortly after she pulled into the grocery distribution line. After she received food, the woman began speaking with a member of our prayer team. She shared that she had just found out she lost her job and is the sole provider for her family.

The woman was incredibly grateful for the food but was still in need of spiritual and emotional support due to the sad news she had just learned. When our volunteer asked the woman if she had a personal relationship with Jesus, she said she occasionally thought about God but was not a Christian.

As the two continued chatting, the woman told our volunteer she wanted Jesus to be the Lord and Savior of her life. Our team member led the woman in a prayer to receive Jesus, and also asked that God would care and provide for her during this time.

Before she drove off, the woman told our volunteer that despite facing her own financial hardships caused by COVID-19, she wants to use the time she would have spent at work serving other people who are in need at future Saddleback grocery distribution events.

August 31, 2020
Mask Making Ministry Distributes 5,200+ Face Coverings

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Saddleback members and volunteers have been using their various gifts, talents, and resources to help those who are in need during this time. Not only is Saddleback providing spiritual and emotional support in our communities, our church is also meeting a variety of physical needs.

One of the biggest needs we all have during this time is the need to protect ourselves and those around us from spreading germs by wearing face coverings. In early March, a number of our volunteers started a mask making ministry in order to support local hospitals when there was a shortage of face coverings.

Over the past few months, the ministry has grown exponentially and has delivered more than 5,200 masks to those who are in need. Hand-made face coverings have been given to Saddleback volunteers on the front lines of our grocery distribution events, Saddleback’s Native American Ministry, medical clinics, military personnel, and Orange County Social Services workers.

The vast majority of materials and fabric used to make the masks have been donated and more than 100 members are actively serving with the ministry. Many people jumped at the opportunity to volunteer with the ministry because it provided an outlet for those who are at a high risk during this pandemic to serve from the safety and comfort of their own home.

Ministry leaders know that the need for masks continues to grow in our communities and around the world during this pandemic and they are committed to continue using the gifts God gave them in order to keep our communities safe and healthy.

August 24, 2020  
Saddleback Member Makes Pandemic Preserves; Starts “Jamming for Jesus” Ministry

For more than five months, the COVID-19 crisis has kept many people on the sidelines of life. Normal routines have been disrupted. People who are considered high risk due to their age have been told to stay home and avoid contact with other people.

Saddleback member Sharon Farley felt like she was being sidelined from ministry when the pandemic first hit Southern California because her age puts her into a high-risk category. It was difficult to step away from the numerous volunteer roles she fills at our church, but she was determined to make the most of this season and find a way to serve others.

She began by writing encouraging cards that were delivered to Saddleback Care Kit recipients until she went to a food pantry that was not affiliated with our church. She discovered that the leftover fresh, ripe fruit at the pantry was going to be discarded. So she took home 22 large boxes of strawberries, as well as 14 boxes of blackberries, and turned the fruit into jam. That is how the “Jamming for Jesus” ministry was born.

As a young girl, Sharon learned how to make jam at her family’s farm in Indiana. Now, she is using that skill to provide for those in need while staying safe at home during the pandemic. After the first batch was complete, Sharon reached out to Saddleback and not only offered to donate all of the jam, but to continue making jam for our grocery distribution events. She has now donated more than 500 jars of fresh jam to Saddleback. She uses a variety of fruits including peaches, nectarines, apricots, blueberries, blackberries, plums, strawberries, and pears.

“It’s taking something that was going to become trash and turning it into something that speaks love to other people and putting it in a jar,” she said.

Sharon prays over every jar and places a sticker on it that contains her ministry’s name. She hopes that any recipient of the jam who doesn't know God will see the words “Jamming for Jesus” and know that Jesus is providing for them in the same way he has provided for her ministry.

Over the past few weeks, Sharon has received a number of donations to keep her ministry running. Numerous people have given her fruit, gift cards and bulk quantities of jars so she can continue making jam for others.

“As long as there is fruit to be made into jam and jars to put it in, I’ll keep doing this to serve God and others,” she said.

August 19, 2020  
Saddleback Distribution Center Volunteers Making Sacrifices to Serve

Since the start of the COVID-19 crisis, Saddleback has hosted more than 350 grocery distribution events in our communities. These events are where our friends and neighbors come to receive food and hope during this difficult season of life.

Our efforts to feed those in need at these events would not be possible without a lot of hard work behind the scenes at Saddleback’s new Distribution Center. This large warehouse is the first stop for most of the food that is used to help feed our communities. Food donations are brought to the Distribution Center, where the items are then inspected, sorted and stored until the food is sent to a grocery distribution event.

A few weeks ago, we moved into a new Distribution Center because the scope and scale of our distribution events continue to grow. In fact, Saddleback is now the largest provider of free groceries in Southern California. Over the past five months, many of our volunteers have made sacrifices to be a part of this monumental effort and as a result, well over 15,000 volunteer shifts have been served.

Some of our volunteers at the Distribution Center have been serving in the midst of personal struggles brought on by COVID-19. In fact one volunteer lost his job at the beginning of the pandemic. Instead of worrying about the future, he prayed and felt like he was being guided toward serving with Saddleback. He now volunteers at the warehouse five days a week.

“With that need (in our community) being so great, I just have felt called to be dedicating a lot of my time to be able to help people out right now,” he said. “My joy for serving and my passion for it just grew more and more.”

His story is just one of several people at our Distribution Center who have decided to make volunteering their “full-time job” during this season of life. Without them, the work our church is doing would not be possible, and we know that people are being fed physically and spiritually because of their efforts.

August 14, 2020 
Saddleback Grocery Distribution Teams Celebrate Another Huge Milestone

Since the start of the COVID-19 crisis, Saddleback has relentlessly given to those who have fallen on hard times and are in need. Our church is hosting grocery distribution events six days a week in locations from San Diego to Los Angeles. These events are not just about giving people food — they are about giving people hope and sharing the good news with them.

This week, we reached a huge spiritual milestone at one of our grocery distribution events. On Wednesday, dozens of volunteers gathered at Mile Square Park in Fountain Valley to give groceries to hundreds upon hundreds of people. Our evangelism team was hard at work as well and many people decided to put their faith in Jesus that day. In fact, at that event, we reached our 10,000th salvation during this pandemic!

“We’ve always placed an emphasis on meeting not only the physical needs of the community, but the spiritual needs, as well,” said Rana Muncy, Saddleback’s Director of Mission. “In this season where so many are hurting and facing new unknowns, it’s been a privilege to share the hope we have, the love of Jesus, and the comfort of our church family.”

Saddleback’s work serving the community during this pandemic is far from finished. Our teams will continue feeding those who are in need and sharing the hope we have in Christ in the weeks and months to come.

“I love how God has taken this tough time and used it to reach people on a scale we’ve never seen before,” she said.

August 10, 2020 
Saddleback Volunteer Leads Friend to Christ at Grocery Distribution Event

Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, Saddleback has seen thousands of people put their faith in God for the first time at our grocery distribution events. While the sheer number of salvations is staggering, every one of those people matter to God and to our church as individuals — it’s not just about big statistics.

Recently, one of our volunteers at a grocery distribution event in Anaheim was waiting for a friend to arrive. He had invited her because she was in need of food for her family. The woman eventually showed up in the last car to pull into our drive-thru line.

The volunteer who had invited her was on the Prayer and Evangelism Team that day, so when she pulled up to him, they immediately started talking about God.

“I had always openly talked about my faith with her, and she always nodded her head in agreement, so I assumed she knew the Lord,” he said. “But that day, God's Holy Spirit prompted me to come right out and ask her if she knew who Jesus was.”

He was surprised to find out that the woman was not a Christian, but was interested in learning more and continuing their discussion. They spoke for about 10 minutes, and then our volunteer asked her if she would like to pray a prayer of faith with him and accept Christ to be her Lord and Savior. She agreed, so the two began to pray together and cry with one another.

“This particular day I was not able to lead any of the other recipients to Christ,” he said. “I was discouraged, tired, frustrated, and emotionally exhausted from the day. But God, in His relentless grace, brought my friend to the grocery distribution event so that I could tell her the good news of the gospel of Christ. Not only was she saved, but I was also blessed in the process.”

Since that day, the woman has joined our volunteer’s small group and is planning to be baptized soon. She is growing in her faith and strives to live her life for God.

“I have been reminded by this experience that nobody is beyond God’s reach,” he said. “She had a divine appointment with the Lord God Almighty that day, even though she was the last to arrive.”

August 7, 2020
Saddleback Supports Survivor of Human Trafficking

Saddleback strives to empower our community members so they can experience the best God has for them no matter their age, life stage, or circumstance. One of the many groups of people our church works with is victims of human trafficking. Saddleback’s Anti-Human Trafficking outreach exists to educate others and raise awareness in our community in order to help eradicate human trafficking.

Recently, one of the survivors of human trafficking we work with reached out to our leaders because she was in need of assistance. She was in the process of moving into a home and was hoping to find used appliances for her new place. 

When Saddleback works with human trafficking victims, our outreach leaders strive to build trust and develop long-term relationships so they have a loving community to turn to for help. That relationship paid off in this case, as our church was given the opportunity to support the woman in a time of need. While our PEACE Centers do not typically accept donations of appliances, our church wanted to make sure this survivor was cared for. 

After reaching out to Saddleback’s volunteer community, our leaders were able to secure a donation of brand-new kitchen appliances that were given to Saddleback by a church member who won them onThe Price Is RightTV game show. Some volunteers pitched in as well and contributed other items the woman needed, including a bed. Lastly, a $500 gift card was donated and used along with other funds donated to our Anti-Human Trafficking outreach to get a washer and dryer for the woman.

August 3, 2020
Saddleback Volunteer Leads 400+ People to Jesus

Saddleback has been meeting the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of tens of thousands of people throughout this pandemic, thanks to all of the volunteers who show up day after day to serve God by serving others at our grocery distribution events.

Our church wants people to leave these events with more than just a trunk full of food. We also want them to leave with a renewed hope and faith in God. Since the start of the COVID-19 crisis, thousands of people have started a relationship with Jesus at our grocery distribution events, because so many volunteers have stepped outside of their comfort zone and joined our evangelism teams.

One volunteer who has made a tremendous impact for God during this difficult season of life is named Emi. At the beginning of the pandemic, Emi was ready to move back to her home country of Argentina, but was unable to do so due to travel restrictions. She ultimately decided to stay in Southern California and spend her days serving at Saddleback grocery distribution events.

At first, Emi served behind the scenes but was asked to use her Spanish-speaking skills to share the gospel at one of our events. She was very nervous, so she prayed that God would use her and give her the right words so she could spread his love. God answered Emi’s prayer, and by the end of the day she had led one person to Christ.

“It felt so great, I can’t even describe it,” she said.

It quickly became clear to Emi that God wanted her to stay in Southern California for a reason. She felt a calling on her life to continue sharing Jesus at our grocery distribution events. As a result, she has helped 418 people start a relationship with Jesus over the past three months.

“It is not me, it’s all God,” she said. “I couldn’t do this by myself.”

July 29, 2020
Saddleback Helps Local Church Launch Food Pantry

Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, Saddleback staff members and volunteers have worked tirelessly to give out more than 2.5 million pounds of food through our grocery distribution events. Our leaders have also been working to train up other churches to do the same. That is what the PEACE Plan is all about. Training other churches is not a one off — it’s a foundation for the way we serve our communities.

Earlier this month, one of our teams helped the Church of Southland in Anaheim launch their own food pantry. It was the PEACE Plan in action as a group of Saddleback leaders mentored our brothers and sisters in Christ on how to conduct grocery distribution events.

Our leaders taught Southland staff members and volunteers various aspects of hosting a drive-thru event, including safety, check-in, hospitality, traffic, prayer and evangelism, gathering information, and the proper distribution of food. Southland volunteers even came to serve alongside our volunteers at several Saddleback grocery distribution events as a part of their preparation to host their own.

Once the training was complete, Southland leaders readied their campus for their first drive-thru event by setting up tents, traffic cones, and signs. They also had face masks and refreshments on hand. Saddleback provided all of the food that was given away.

In total, more than one hundred Southland volunteers showed up and 262 families received groceries. It was such a massive success that Southland leaders have decided to host drive-thru grocery distribution events twice a month. We expect Southland’s food pantry to become very busy moving forward, and we’ll continue to pray and support their efforts as they serve God by serving those in need.

July 27, 2020
Grocery Distribution Volunteer Steps Outside of Comfort Zone, Joins Evangelism Team

Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, many of our grocery distribution volunteers have experienced what it feels like to be used by God to lead people to him in these trying times. Thousands of people have started a relationship with Jesus because of these volunteers, and every interaction they have had with those who are in need has been meaningful.

One volunteer wrote to our staff to share her experience serving at Saddleback grocery distribution events. She began volunteering earlier this summer because she felt led to help meet the physical needs of those who are struggling because of the pandemic.

At one of our events, the volunteer heard some other team members chatting about how they needed more people to pray with those who received food that day. Even though the task seemed way outside of her comfort zone, she decided to step up and join the evangelism team — she absolutely loves it now.

“After going over safety information for washing the food and providing a list of resources,” she said, “I tell the people who drive through that, ‘What has helped me during this time is my relationship with Jesus.’”

That simple conversation starter has opened the door for her to ask so many people if they have faith in God.

She was recently chatting with a man at one of our events and found out that he identified as Muslim. Our volunteer listened to him share more about his faith and then told him about her relationship with Jesus. He was intrigued, so our volunteer told him that he could also have a personal relationship with Christ.

“I asked the man if he would be interested in repeating a prayer after me to have a relationship with Jesus,” she said. “He responded, ‘Yes, I will pray that prayer.’ So, I said one line of a salvation prayer at a time as he looked down and repeated after me.”

The man had a smile on his face the whole time and thanked our volunteer for leading him through such an important prayer.

“That man received a trunk full of food that day and, more importantly, he received Jesus,” she said.

July 15, 2020   
God’s Promise and Provision Prevails During Pandemic

Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, Saddleback staff members and volunteers have been able to walk alongside thousands of people in our communities who have fallen on hard times. Since day one of this pandemic, our church has been providing food, resources, and prayer for those who are hurting during these trying times.

Our grocery distribution events have played a crucial role in our effort to treat the “dis-ease” in our communities. These events aren’t just about giving people food, they’re about giving them hope, support, and a spiritual family.

One of our team members at a grocery distribution event in Anaheim had the opportunity to walk alongside a family facing financial difficulties due to the current economic crisis. While the family was waiting in their car for food, a man got out and said he needed to go to a quiet place because he was expecting a call for a job interview.

While his wife waited in the car, our team member approached her and asked if they were in need of prayer. She explained that her husband lost his job right when the crisis hit Southern California and that they had no money. The couple was losing hope and, even though they believed in God, they felt like “he was too busy to worry about them.”

Our team member shared with the woman that, despite the troubles they were facing, God promises to never leave us or forsake us. The two prayed together and our team member told her that Saddleback would love to provide more groceries for them the following week.

About 20 minutes later, another volunteer found that Saddleback team member and said that the couple wanted to speak with him again before they left. When he got to their car, the couple explained that, not only did the man have a great interview, he was offered a job over the phone! The three of them cried and prayed together thanking God for his provision.

July 8, 2020  
Volunteers Experience Life-Changing Moments While Serving

Saddleback has been able to help meet many of the needs of our community members during this pandemic, thanks to the army of volunteers who have given their time and resources to serve those who have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. People's lives are being changed thanks to our volunteers. As a result, our volunteers’ lives are being changed, as well.

More than 6,300 people have started a relationship with Jesus at our grocery distribution events. Our team members have been attentive to the Holy Spirit and have stepped boldly into the evangelistic work God has called them to. Every single salvation was the result of a life-changing conversation — not just for the person who began a relationship with Jesus, but also for the volunteer.

One volunteer recently told us about his experience leading someone to Christ at a grocery distribution event, and it is clear he will remember it forever.

“The feeling is indescribable,” he said. “I just want to be able to do it more and more and more and more; I just want to run out into the street and save everybody!”

The woman with whom he shared the good news is a mother who had recently fallen on hard times and needed food. Over the course of a few minutes, she shared with our volunteer that she was not religious but had been on the fence about Christianity for a while.

He responded by telling her that our church was here for her, that she is loved by Jesus, and that he wants her to be part of our family of believers. God moved in her heart, and she said she wanted to begin a relationship with Jesus.

“I was so excited when she prayed with me,” he said. “It was just amazing.”

July 6, 2020 
Saddleback Volunteers Plant Seeds of Faith at Grocery Distribution Events

Saddleback’s grocery distribution events are not just about giving people food; they are about giving people hope and sharing God’s love in tangible ways. As our volunteers hand out food, they also engage in spiritual conversations, prayer, and other evangelism efforts.

Time and time again, we have seen God place the right volunteers with the right food recipients in order to spark a spiritual conversation. One team member was recently chatting with a Buddhist woman who came to one of our grocery distribution events. She was interested in learning more about Jesus but was also concerned about how her family would react if she became a Christian.

Our team member was able to share how she also has Buddhist family members and how she could relate to the fears the woman had expressed. The woman wasn’t ready to make a decision for Jesus that day, but she was open to learning more about our faith and has been connected with additional resources.

Another volunteer also had an experience with a Buddhist family that wanted to learn more about Jesus. They came to a grocery distribution event because they had fallen on hard times and were in need of food. The volunteer shared her faith with them and then invited them to pray that Jesus would reveal himself to them. They were open to praying that prayer and also expressed an interest in reading the Bible to learn more about Christianity. The volunteer was able to help them get set up with a Bible reading app on their phone.

At every grocery distribution event we host, there are people who come to know Jesus. In fact, 6,341 have accepted Christ at these events since the start of the COVID-19 crisis. While we celebrate every single person who has joined our forever family, we also want to celebrate all of the moments when our volunteers have planted the seeds of faith by engaging in meaningful conversations with those who are hurting.

To date, our volunteers have had about 20,000 spiritual conversations at our grocery distribution events. We know that God cares about every one of those people, and we are praying that more will come along and water the seeds that have been planted in their lives.

June 29, 2020 
Saddleback Yorba Linda Hosts Grocery Distribution Event at Nixon Library

Every Saddleback campus has been blessed with a unique group of leaders and volunteers to help meet the unique needs of their community. God has been using our campuses in powerful ways throughout the COVID-19 crisis to make a difference in their surrounding areas.

This past weekend, Saddleback Yorba Linda hosted a drive-thru grocery distribution event at the iconic Richard Nixon Presidential Library. With just over a week to plan the event, campus leaders had no idea what to expect but trusted God to supply an army of volunteers and plenty of resources.

Sure enough, the event was wildly successful, and almost 100 volunteers showed up to help. Throughout the course of the day, more than 400 people who live in the Yorba Linda area came to the event in need of groceries and other essential items. Most of those people found out about it after seeing our volunteers waving signs on street corners.

Saddleback’s grocery distribution events are not just about giving food to people; they are about giving hope and healing to those who are hurting. Our Prayer Team had the opportunity to pray over several people suffering from physical ailments, and many of them reported feeling healed from ongoing issues. Additionally, 98 people decided to put their faith in God and begin a relationship with Jesus for the first time.

“We are blown away to see what God is doing at our campus of just roughly 500 [people] on an average weekend,” said Santos Swamidass, Saddleback Yorba Linda Campus Pastor. “Now we’re on to the next step to try some new creative ways to really engage these new believers so that they will truly become part of this local church family.”

This event led to a lot of open doors with city leaders as well as those who operate the Nixon Library. The entire Yorba Linda City Council and mayor attended the event and expressed amazement by the display of God’s love through our church. 

While the Nixon Library often hosts high profile events, including one recently with the Second Lady of the United States, the library’s director told our staff he was blown away by the organization and operation of our drive-thru event. They hope to partner with Saddleback again in the future.

June 26, 2020
Families and Couples Serve During Pandemic

Throughout the pandemic, we have seen God use couples and families who attend Saddleback to bless so many people in our communities. There is something really special about seeing families grow closer together and closer to God while serving others — and that is happening all the time through our various volunteer ministries.

One couple that has been serving at our Lake Forest campus initially asked if they could work together packaging Care Kits. There was a greater need for volunteers who were willing to help with grocery distribution efforts, so the couple agreed to do that instead. The woman ended up on the Spiritual Conversation and Prayer Team while her husband was placed on the Traffic Team.

During their first time serving, the woman was able to share personal stories about her upbringing and led two mother-daughter pairs to Jesus. She said after that happened, it was then that she realized God had planned for her to serve in that capacity all along. Her husband also really enjoyed the work God called him to at the grocery distribution event. He had a massive smile on his face the entire time he directed cars and food donations to the appropriate traffic lanes.

Another example is a family that started attending Saddleback about a year and a half ago. They have taken part in so many of our church’s COVID-19 relief efforts over the past few months. Not only have they served at multiple grocery distribution events at two of our campuses, they have also been packaging Care Kits and delivering them throughout Orange County. The family attends Saddleback Rancho Capistrano but has been pitching in wherever they are needed. They even spent a day writing uplifting cards as a family to pass out to people in our communities. They were able to write 40 letters in a single afternoon.

June 24, 2020  
Volunteer Gives Man Shoes Off His Feet

The pandemic has been devastating to so many people. Saddleback volunteers and staff members are doing everything possible to meet the needs of those in our communities who are hurting. Sometimes meeting those needs and loving those around us has meant making personal sacrifices.

Recently a man who appeared to be suffering from homelessness walked to one of our grocery distribution sites because he was in need of food. Not only was the man hungry, he didn’t have any shoes.

While some of our volunteers began the process of gathering groceries and supplies for the man, another volunteer from the medical team struck up a conversation with him. The volunteer spent a while chatting with the man, and the two had an encouraging conversation.

Toward the end of their talk, our volunteer took off his shoes and asked the man to try them on. They fit perfectly, so without hesitation, the volunteer told the man to take the shoes. He was overjoyed!

Our team then prayed over the man, gave him groceries, and he walked away in his new shoes. The volunteer simultaneously went back into the parking lot in his socks. Those who witnessed the selfless gesture said it was a blessing to watch the interaction unfold.

Sometimes meeting needs and loving those around us means making personal sacrifices — that can even include giving someone the shoes off your feet!

June 23, 2020 
Army of Volunteers Serving at Saddleback

Over the past few months, Saddleback has been able to help meet the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of tens of thousands of people in our communities. Our COVID-19 relief efforts would not have been possible without the army of volunteers who have been working tirelessly on behalf of our church and community. At this point in time, more than 10,000 volunteer shifts have been served since the start of the pandemic.

As a church, we celebrate all of the life change that has taken place as a result of our volunteers. But God isn’t just working through those who are giving their time to serve others — we have heard so many stories about he is also working inside of them.

One multigenerational family came to our Lake Forest campus from LA County in hopes of serving. There were already a lot of people signed up to volunteer that day, but our team found a place for them. The younger children and an older relative painted rocks and created cards that were later distributed into our communities to spread hope. The two men in the family helped package food items.

The family was having a wonderful time serving, so one of our team members struck up a conversation with them to learn more about why they came to serve that day. It turns out that the children were being cared for by this older relative because of a difficult situation at home involving their mother. This relative brought them to Saddleback because she knew it would be a place of hope for the kids. Our staff members were incredibly thankful they had found a spot for the family to serve that day.

Another one of our volunteers had been praying for an opportunity to serve but also had a lot of anxiety about it. She signed up online but was wavering in her decision the night before her scheduled shift. After spending some time in prayer she decided to go the next day but requested to work behind the scenes at a grocery distribution site rather than interact with people.

God had other plans for this woman and put it on her heart that she was supposed to be outside talking with those who were in need of food. She spoke with one of our leaders and ended up joining the traffic team. As she volunteered, she became more confident in herself and had great conversations with those she greeted. God had put her exactly where she needed to be and helped her overcome her anxiety one step at a time. She said she can’t wait to come back and serve again.

Lastly, we recently heard about two girls who helped collect on-site donation drop-offs. While there were only a few people who came to drop off food and supplies over the course of their three-hour shift, each conversation the girls had with the donors lasted around 15 to 20 minutes.

It was clear that even though these people had come to give help, they were in need of companionship and spiritual conversation themselves. The girls shared their life story with each donor and listened to what was going on in their lives. Each person left feeling appreciated for their donation, loved by our church, and hopeful for the future.

June 22, 2020
Saddleback Cares for Family Facing Financial Hardships

The past few months have been very difficult for many people who are a part of our Saddleback Church family. The pandemic has left our community members hurting. Some people contracted the virus, others have felt an emotional toll due to isolation, and many families face continued financial hardship because of job losses.

Saddleback staff members and volunteers have been stepping up to fill the gaps during this tumultuous season. As a church, we have been able to provide ongoing support to so many people who are in need. We recently heard from one of our members who has relied on our church for groceries over the past few weeks.

At the beginning of the pandemic, she and her family were in a position where they were able to donate food to our PEACE Center. But because of the economic shutdown related to COVID-19, the family ultimately found themselves waiting in line for food at one of our grocery distribution events.

The family wasn’t expecting much when they showed up to our pop-up distribution site, but they were blown away when they realized our church was able to provide them with high-quality produce, milk, and other essential food items.

Not only did they receive tangible resources at the event, the family also had a chance to pray with a volunteer who helped them rededicate their lives to Jesus. The mother told our staff it was an incredibly meaningful experience all around.

“Being in this position can be such an embarrassing thing for people,” she said. “But [the volunteers] made us feel good about being there.”

Even though this family is no longer in a position to donate to our PEACE Center, they wanted to find a way to help out after experiencing firsthand how crucial the ministry is for those who are facing financial hardship. The mother is now spreading the word about Saddleback’s grocery distribution events to those who need help, as well as to those who can give help, by posting about our events online.

June 18, 2020   
Saddleback Sends Supplies to Navajo Nation

The pandemic has led to a lot of temporary changes in the way Saddleback members and volunteers live life on mission. But it hasn’t stopped our church from loving and caring for those in need. Prior to the pandemic, we had even PEACE trips planned to two native nations this year. While those trips have been postponed, our church has found other ways to support various ministry partners and the Navajo people.

The Navajo Nation has been hit hard by COVID-19. Resources are scarce, and access to electricity and running water is limited there. Our existing Navajo PEACE teams recently partnered with other Saddleback volunteers, as well a local Eagle Scout project to send supplies to the Navajo Nation.

All of the volunteers worked together to fill dozens of boxes with nonperishable food items like rice, canned meat, corn, and other canned vegetables. These food items are crucial because many people in the Navajo Nation have limited access to refrigeration. Additionally, the boxes were filled with essential items such as paper towels, toilet paper, and hand sanitizer.

Our teams loaded the boxes into trucks, and the supplies were sent to three churches in the Navajo Nation in Arizona. Those ministry partners will then distribute the supplies to those who are in need.

Saddleback’s partnership with the Navajo people dates back more than a decade, and our church cares deeply about them. The recent work of our volunteers reinforces the fact that we don’t just go to the Navajo Nation a few weeks out of the year to serve during short-term trips. We are their friends and will continue to care for them, even if we can’t be with them in person

June 17, 2020  
Saddleback Grocery Distribution Teams Celebrate Big Milestones

Since the start of the pandemic, Saddleback has partnered with a number of communities to give food to those who have fallen on hard times and are in need. Our grocery distribution events not only provide people with food — they also serve as an outlet for our volunteers to spread hope by sharing their faith in Jesus.

This week, we are celebrating several huge milestones related to our grocery distribution events. Since the crisis began a few months ago, Saddleback has provided 1 million meals to a total of 165,000 people.

One of the reasons Saddleback has been able to meet the needs of so many people is because God has provided our church with an army of volunteers. To date, there have been 10,000 volunteer shifts served.

Those volunteers have been attentive to the Holy Spirit while serving at our distribution sites and have helped 5,000 people begin a relationship with Jesus Christ!

Saddleback’s work serving the community during the pandemic is far from finished. In fact, our largest grocery distribution event is taking place this Saturday, when our church plans to help feed more than 2,000 families at Laguna Hills Mall.

June 16, 2020 
Cinderella’s Closet Helps Foster Youth Celebrate Pandemic Prom in Style

The pandemic has caused a lot of events to be cancelled over the past few months — vacations, graduations, concerts — the list could go on and on. “Normal life” was put on hold and replaced with stay-at-home orders and social distancing guidelines. One annual tradition that was cancelled for many high school students around the country was prom.

Prior to the crisis, a ministry called Cinderella’s Closet OC, which operates out of Saddleback Rancho Capistrano, was getting ready to provide more than 500 prom dresses to high school girls who would not have been able to attend their proms due to financial hardship.

The dresses had already been donated, and the ministry was getting ready for prom season. But then the pandemic hit, and dreams of high school proms vanished across Southern California. After cancelling the ministry’s outreach event and securing storage space, the dresses and accessories were carefully packed away for next year's prom season. But God had other plans for the dresses during this pandemic.

Recently, a group home for foster youth, isolated since the start of the pandemic, decided to hold a “mini prom” for their high school aged youth. They heard about Cinderella’s Closet and reached out to Saddleback to see if our church would be able to help provide dresses for the girls.

Erin Carlton, Ministry Leader for Cinderella’s Closet, saw this as a wonderful opportunity to bring some merriment during these uncertain times. She asked the girls at the group home to write a wish list. She then searched through the stored dresses to find the right size, style, and color for each of the 10 girls and put together gift bags. They also received new makeup, jewelry, a Target® gift card, and a devotional.

A leader at the group home shared a few letters from the girls with Erin. They were beyond thrilled with the dresses and felt so loved. So while the ministry’s large prom event was postponed because of COVID-19, dresses from Cinderella’s Closet helped a few special girls celebrate prom in style during the pandemic.

June 9, 2020
Saddleback Volunteers Create a Ripple Effect for Christ

Since the start of the pandemic, we have seen God use Saddleback’s grocery distribution events to impact the lives of tens of thousands of people in our communities. Physical, emotional, and spiritual needs are being met daily. The hope that is being spread is infectious, and people from all walks of life want to be a part of what our church is doing.

Saddleback’s humanitarian efforts would not be possible without the army of volunteers who have stepped up to serve during this season. That includes people from other churches who have heard about what we are doing and have joined us as we help those who have been impacted by this pandemic.

Last week, a man who attends another church in Orange County was invited by a friend to volunteer on Saddleback’s prayer team at the Mile Square Park grocery distribution event. The man was unaware that the person who invited him was a Christian, so he asked her about her faith.

It turns out that she had come to one of Saddleback’s grocery distribution events several weeks prior to the event at Mile Square Park, and began a relationship with Jesus after a volunteer shared the gospel with them. She started watching Saddleback services online, got baptized at our first social distancing baptism event, and then invited the man to serve with our church.

The man had spent months praying that his friend would come to know Jesus. So when he found out what had happened, he did not hesitate to say, “Yes!” to the invitation to serve at Mile Square Park.

Not only did the man have the chance to pray for several people who had fallen on hard times, he also led multiple people to Christ at the event. He was overjoyed to play a role in what God is doing in and through our church.

It all started with a Saddleback volunteer helping someone start a relationship with Jesus, who then invited a friend to serve with our church. Now that person had the opportunity to lead several people to Jesus — there’s no telling how far this ripple effect will go. We are truly witnessing a movement for Jesus!

June 8, 2020  
Saddleback Santa Rosa, Philippines Update

The pandemic has impacted every corner of the earth, but so has Saddleback. Our church family truly spans the globe. Our four international campuses have been working hard to spread God’s love and help their communities since the start of this crisis. We recently received an update from Pastor Matt Hall at our campus in Santa Rosa, Philippines.

Our family in Santa Rosa and their surrounding communities were hit hard by the pandemic. There are tens of thousands of people in the area who have lost their jobs, are struggling to feed their families, and are in need of basic necessities.

Saddleback Santa Rosa is doing everything possible to fill the gaps. Our church has now fed nearly 34,000 people in the region through grocery distribution events thanks to an army of volunteers that has clocked in more than 1,000 hours of service.

Our Santa Rosa members are doing everything from shopping for and sorting food, to packing Care Kits, coordinating humanitarian efforts with partner churches, and delivering food to more than a dozen communities in need.

“Over and over again, we have seen God use the faith of our people, whether it’s big faith or small faith, to move mountains,” Pastor Matt said. “Because of this, lives have been impacted and lives have been changed.”

Hundreds of people in the Philippines have come to know God during this crisis as our volunteers in Santa Rosa pray for and pray with those who are receiving food through our church.

Saddleback has also been supporting frontline healthcare workers in Santa Rosa for the past few months. One member, a chef whose restaurant closed during the pandemic, has worked with her family and small group to cook, package, and deliver roughly 6,000 meals that have been delivered to 10 different hospitals.

Additionally, there are about 50 frontline healthcare workers who are now living at the Saddleback Santa Rosa campus and using our facility to rest and recover from their grueling, lifesaving work.

Pastor Matt said that despite the difficulties his community has faced during the pandemic, people continue to step out in faith and serve where God is calling them to serve. That is why the campus theme verse during this season has been Matthew 17:20, which says that even a faith as small as a mustard seed is big enough to move mountains.

June 1, 2020 
Saddleback Intern Leads Nine People to Jesus

The word “uncertain” has been used a lot lately to describe how people are feeling during this pandemic, and it has even been used as a way to describe this season overall. Many people have been forced to learn to work from home and adapt to new ways of doing business during the crisis.

Our Saddleback interns have not only had to learn new skills because of the pandemic, they’ve had to do so while learning what it looks like to work in ministry overall. Plus, many have had to figure out how to complete their schooling during this time. Despite the challenges they face, our Saddleback interns have made an incredible impact on our church and our communities.

Leslie Gonzalez is a Saddleback Worship intern at our Español campus. As a California Baptist University student, she’s about six months into a year-long internship at our church. Leslie isn’t just surviving this season of change, she is thriving despite all of its challenges.

Not only has she continued to learn from and work alongside our Saddleback Worship staff remotely, she has found time to volunteer at a couple of our grocery distribution events.

At a recent event, Leslie spent the day on the food distribution team. The day was a big success, and she was able to help give groceries to more than 400 families. About 45 minutes after the event wrapped up, Leslie was chatting with her campus’ connection pastor and explained how she had never had the opportunity to lead someone to Christ.

Right at that moment, about half a dozen cars pulled into the parking lot — several families were in need of food. The connections pastor told Leslie that God was presenting her with an opportunity to share her faith.

In less than 10 minutes, Leslie helped nine people start a relationship with Jesus. There were tears of joy, and her smile grew larger and larger. She was beyond thrilled to have had the opportunity.

“It was the best feeling in the world,” she said. “Nothing compares to knowing God used you to bring someone to his family.”

Leslie’s title may be “worship intern,” but she is doing so much more than assisting the worship team — she is being a leader in her community in so many ways.

“The impact that interns have across our campuses is immeasurable. They come to learn ministry and leadership at Saddleback, but we learn so much from them, too,” says Lisa Birle, Saddleback’s intern program minister. “Leslie’s story reflects a heart of obedience and surrender that all of our interns have as they pursue God’s calling in their lives. We are a better, stronger church because they are here!”

May 27, 2020
250+ People Saved at Pop-Up Grocery Distribution

Saddleback’s drive-thru grocery distribution events continue to be a place where our church can meet the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of those in our communities who are hurting during this global pandemic.

At a recent event in Santa Ana, our volunteers not only provided groceries for hundreds of families — more than 250 people decided to put their faith in Jesus for the first time. It is clear that food is not the only reason God is bringing people to our grocery distributions. He is bringing people to these events so they can meet him.

One volunteer at the drive-thru event started speaking with a mother and her son, who were in a car waiting to receive groceries. The woman explained that they had fallen on hard times, the son was the sole provider for their family, and they didn’t have enough food to eat. A couple of days prior to our event, the family had attempted to receive groceries at a different food bank unrelated to Saddleback. But they were abruptly turned away after waiting for three hours.

The woman explained how the interaction at the other food bank left her and her family feeling like they were unimportant. A neighbor recommended the family try going to one of our grocery distribution events after she explained her unfortunate experience.

The woman went on to say that everyone at our drive-thru treated her with love and respect — she felt like she was someone again. Our volunteer prayed with the woman and her son, and they both decided to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

Another volunteer spoke with a woman who seemed very anxious and upset while waiting in line at the event. She explained that she had been let down by a lot of people in her life and that she was angry because she felt like she needed a husband to take care of her, especially during this crisis.

Our volunteer had the opportunity to share with the woman that she, too, was single and how she trusts Jesus to take care of her. The two women discussed in detail what it means to be a Christian, and the woman ultimately decided to put her faith in Christ.

May 20, 2020 
Volunteer Uses Google Translate to Share Jesus

Sharing your faith and praying with complete strangers can be a scary thing to do, especially for those who tend to be a bit more reserved. It can be even more difficult when there are language barriers. While those challenges present themselves on a regular basis at our grocery distribution events, we have seen God show up in incredible ways and bridge the communication gaps between our volunteers and those in need.

One volunteer named Emily started serving on a regular basis at Saddleback about six weeks ago, when she felt God calling her to join the prayer team at our grocery distribution events. Even though she felt uncomfortable with the idea of praying with people she had never met before, Emily said yes to God.

His blessing over her ministry was felt immediately — the first person Emily prayed with at one of our events was able to relate to some of the personal struggles Emily had been through before she accepted Christ. That woman ultimately decided to put her faith in Jesus at the end of their conversation. Time and time again, Emily found God giving her the right words at the right time even when she was nervous.

At a recent drive-thru grocery distribution event in Anaheim, Emily encountered a woman who only spoke Portuguese. The two women tried to communicate with hand gestures, but it did not get them far. They eventually decided to use Google Translate to speak to one another.

Not only was the woman in need of groceries, she also needed prayer for a family situation involving a relative suffering from alcoholism. Using the translation technology, Emily asked the woman if she ever prays for that relative. The woman explained that she didn’t know how to pray for that person because she didn’t have faith.

Emily continued using Google Translate to communicate with the woman and told her all about what it means to be a Christian. With tears in her eyes, the woman said she wanted to follow Jesus. Emily then led her in prayer through the translation app.

There is no doubt that this woman’s life was changed forever because of the interaction — so was Emily’s life. She said she now has a deeper understanding of God’s faithfulness and provision.

“Whenever you think there are barriers in the way of what God is calling you to do,” Emily said, “the only thing you need to do in that moment is trust that he is going to provide you with all that you need in order to get it done.”

May 15, 2020 
16-Year-Olds Donate Truckload of Food

God is using Saddleback members and volunteers from all walks of life to make a difference during this difficult season. Time and time again, we have seen some of our youngest disciples take massive leaps of faith in order to help those in need.

Our kids and students have not only been coming up with creative ways to serve and give to those who are hurting, they have also inspired others to do the same. They are stepping up to lead and are sparking movements.

We recently caught up with two students named Lucas and Evan who were dropping off a very large donation of food and supplies at Saddleback’s PEACE Center. The two 16-year-old boys are neighbors in Trabuco Canyon and have recently been spending their free time mowing lawns and doing landscaping work for people in their neighborhood.

Both boys felt called to give a portion of their earnings to those who are in need. They rallied a few other friends who decided to pitch in, as well. In total, they raised roughly $500. Lucas and Evan used the money to purchase a literal truckload of food and supplies to donate to our grocery distribution ministry.

Our staff members at the PEACE Center were overwhelmed by their generosity, and the boys were overjoyed to play such a significant role in making a difference in the lives of those who are hurting during this pandemic.

“A whole lot of people have lost their jobs, and we’ve been making a bunch of money. So why not give back?” Evan said. “We’re not using the money right now, so we wanted to give it to other people.”

May 14, 2020
Man on Furlough Spends His Days Serving Others

During this global pandemic, God has been able to use Saddleback Church to further his kingdom and minister to tens of thousands of people, in large part due to the willingness of our staff members and volunteers to serve others.

It has been truly incredible to witness the sacrifices some of our volunteers have made during this time to care for those who are facing difficult life circumstances. Other volunteers have fallen on hard times themselves but continue to serve faithfully because they have felt God calling them to do so during this crisis.

Many people have lost their jobs or are on furlough because of the economic shutdown brought on by the pandemic. One man named Jacques, who has attended Saddleback for 17 years, fits into that category. While Jacques has been placed on furlough and is not working, he is keeping busy by volunteering at Saddleback’s PEACE Center and grocery distribution events.

Rather than seeing this as a difficult season of his life, Jacques said the time away from work has given him an opportunity to give back. Instead of stressing, he’s spending his days smiling because he loves being able to help others.

Jacques told our staff that he’s not tossing and turning at night thinking about his work situation. “You will sleep better because you have a good sense of accomplishment, and [I know] God is so proud we are able to work for him,” he said.

Today, we want to say thank you to Jacques and the hundreds of Saddleback volunteers who are making sacrifices on a daily basis to help those in need, even while they face their own difficulties in life!

May 12, 2020 
Grocery Distribution Volunteers Share the Good News

Saddleback’s grocery distribution events aren’t just about giving people food — they are about giving people hope and sharing our faith in Jesus. Since the start of the pandemic, tens of thousands of people have received food and emotional comfort from our church while hundreds upon hundreds of people have made a decision for Jesus.

One of the reasons Saddleback has been able to meet the physical and spiritual needs of so many people is because God has provided our church with an army of volunteers. Those volunteers have been attentive to the Holy Spirit while serving at our distribution sites.

At one recent grocery distribution event, more than a third of the people who came for food also left with something far more lasting — a new faith in Jesus. One of our volunteers named Felicia had never shared her faith before, but she wanted to be obedient to God’s calling. So she started having spiritual conversations with people as they waited in line.

There was a man in the second car that Felicia approached who was going through a very difficult time. He was facing several personal struggles that were very similar to some of the issues Felicia had faced before she became a Christian. She was able to share with the man how Jesus changed her life. By the end of their conversation, the two were able to pray together before he left and he made the decision to accept Christ.

That same day a volunteer named Rusty spoke with a Buddhist couple. They asked her to pray for their Christian daughter who is in the hospital. They told Rusty they knew God would answer her prayer because she was a Christian too.

Rusty shared with the couple how she was raised as a Buddhist and how almost everyone in her family is now a Christian. She asked them, “Why don’t you become a Christian and join our family? You already know and trust that God will answer my prayer, why not ask Jesus into your life and he can answer your prayers directly?”

They agreed and accepted Jesus. Rusty then connected them to a Chinese small group from Irvine South.

May 7, 2020 
Saddleback Photographer Uses Sign Language to Be a Light to Others

Throughout this crisis, we have seen God place Saddleback staff members and volunteers in the right place at the right time so they can use their unique gifts to meet the needs of others. Time and time again, members of the communities we serve have been cared for because our teams are listening to where God is leading them.

A few weeks ago, our staff photographer Daniel was capturing pictures at one of Saddleback San Diego’s grocery distributions, when he noticed a van in the line of cars. The man inside was using sign language to communicate with one of our volunteers. It had been years since Daniel last practiced his sign language after taking some ASL (American Sign Language) classes in college, but he felt God leading him to interact with the man.

Daniel used ASL to introduce himself and asked how the man was doing. It turned out that he was facing several hardships — he lost his job during the pandemic and has three children living at home. He was also recently divorced and struggling to care for his family. The man told Daniel that he is a Christian and attends a different church. Daniel then had a chance to share what Saddleback has been doing to help others during this difficult time before the man received groceries and left.

Two weeks after that interaction, Daniel was back in San Diego at another grocery distribution and noticed the same van in the lineup of cars. He eagerly ran over and had another conversation with the man using his ASL skills. 

Daniel was able to ask how he was doing and if he needed prayer for anything. This time, the man shared more of his story and explained how he is battling depression but can’t afford his medication. Daniel had an opportunity to use sign language to minister to the man and befriend him during this challenging season of life.

The two swapped phone numbers, and Daniel has been texting him regularly. He even delivered some toilet paper to the man because he didn’t have any at his home. 

“It’s really neat how God planned this all out so we could meet,” Daniel said. “Now we have this newfound friendship, and I can be there for him in this tough time.”

May 6, 2020 
Veteran Leads Fellow Veteran to Jesus at Grocery Distribution

Saddleback staff members and volunteers value being fast, fluid, and flexible. That mentality has paid dividends during the COVID-19 crisis as many people at our church have been filling new roles to meet the needs of the communities we serve.

We have seen people step up in ways they never imagined they could during this unprecedented time, and God is blessing their faithfulness to his call. Robert Buchanan is a man who typically serves behind the scenes at Saddleback. He is involved at our PEACE Farm and also works as a driver at our Distribution Center. He recently took on some additional responsibilities at Saddleback and has been working in multiple capacities.

When Robert heard about all of the salvations at our grocery distributions, he felt like he was being called to serve at one and lead somebody to Jesus. The military veteran was terrified to share the gospel but he took a step of faith and decided to volunteer.

The staff members at the grocery distribution placed Robert on the spiritual conversation team at the beginning of the day. God knew what he was doing when he called Robert to move from behind the scenes to the front lines because the first person he spoke with in the drive-thru line was also a veteran.

Robert spoke with the man and was uniquely able to relate with him. That conversation opened up a door that eventually led to the man deciding to start a personal relationship with Jesus. The two veterans prayed together in the parking lot. Only God could plan that!

May 5, 2020 
Saddleback LA Helping Homeless Mothers

Each of Saddleback’s regional campuses have been serving in unique ways during the COVID-19 pandemic because the needs in their communities are unique. Homelessness is an issue that’s close to our heart as a church family because we know it’s close to God’s heart. It’s also an issue that is incredibly prevalent in Los Angeles.

Our local outreach volunteers at Saddleback LA were a few months into a year-long project to meet the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of families who are currently living in transitional housing at a facility called Pacoima Place when the COVID-19 crisis hit Southern California.

The team was spreading the love of Jesus by building relationships, offering resources and simply being present with the families throughout their difficult journey off the street into housing. When the pandemic hit, the team knew they had to come up with some different ways to stay connected to the families.

One of the ways they are doing that is by caring for all 18 mothers who live at Pacoima Place leading into Mother’s Day weekend. Many of these moms are facing incredible hardships as they try to navigate the COVID-19 crisis without permanent affordable housing.

Our team decided to assemble Mother’s Day kits for each of the mothers and all of the donations were provided by Saddleback LA members. This was an effort the entire regional campus in LA could take part in.

The Mother’s Day kits include face masks, hand lotion, lip balm, socks, soaps, snacks and blank cards for the children to fill in for their Mother’s. We know that these kits will touch the mothers and help them feel a little extra special on Mother’s Day.

May 4, 2020   
Saddleback Supports New Jersey Church in Serving Thousands Sick With COVID-19 

While Saddleback has been mobilizing thousands of volunteers to serve roughly 50,000 people in our own community, we’ve also been reaching out to support other churches in some of the areas hardest hit by COVID-19.

One such church is Liquid Church in New Jersey, the state with the second highest number of COVID-19 cases and deaths. Saddleback sent relief funds to help lift their burden as they care for their members and surrounding community. They have mobilized volunteers to serve thousands of families sickened by the deadly virus. Liquid Church has also turned its warehouse into a community food bank that is now being utilized by the city.

Tim Lucas, lead pastor at Liquid Church, wrote to Saddleback and thanked our members, donors, and staff for supporting their church during this difficult season.

“Our team here in the epicenter was so touched by your kindness and care from the West Coast,” he said. “In New Jersey alone, we just passed 6,000 deaths. It’s like a war zone, but we know this is a chance for the church to shine!”

Saddleback’s financial gift to Liquid Church will pay for an entire tractor trailer of emergency food and relief supplies for senior citizens, single parents, and families in crisis. Pastor Lucas said the funds we donated and our friendship are a gift to our whole NYC region.

May 1, 2020
Saddleback Celebrates Largest Grocery Distribution Day

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Saddleback has partnered with a number of communities to feed people in need. Our church family recently had the opportunity to work with the Anaheim Union High School District to distribute groceries to families at Savanna High School.

Our staff was originally planning to provide food to roughly 150 people, but district leaders called our church the day before the event and asked if we would be able to feed 500 families. Being fast, fluid, and flexible is a huge value to our staff members, so we said yes to the request and trusted that God would help meet our needs so we could meet the needs of others. Within a matter of hours, 50 volunteers offered to serve at Savanna High School the following day.

The next day, there was a line of cars around the block as people flocked to the school in need of groceries and supplies. Our volunteers had the opportunity to pour into these people spiritually while they waited for groceries. It was clear that God was present and using Saddleback to minister to these people and lead them to him during this difficult season of life.

By the end of the day, 138 people had made the decision to follow Jesus. That means there have now been more than 1,000 salvations at Saddleback’s drive-thru grocery distributions since the start of this crisis. Additionally, more than 630 families received groceries at the high school in just one afternoon.

At the end of the day, the principal of Savanna High School tearfully thanked our team of volunteers and our church for the impact we had on the community.

April 29, 2020 
Saddleback Feeding Those Who Crave Community

As Saddleback continues to distribute groceries at dozens of locations throughout Southern California, our church is on the lookout for new places and new groups of people to serve. We recently sent a team of volunteers to hand out food to residents at a senior mobile home park in Lake Forest.

The need was great in the community and we were able to provide groceries and other supplies to residents, many of whom are considered high risk during this pandemic, while maintaining social distancing standards. We provide groceries to, not only meet physical needs, but also build bridges and bring more people into our church community.

We heard from one woman at the mobile home park who was so touched by our outreach efforts she now wants to become a Saddleback member. She wrote to our staff and explained how she used to occasionally attend our church with her husband until he passed away last year.

When our volunteers spent several hours distributing groceries to the residents in her community she was incredibly touched and was even moved to tears by our offer to pray with her. She said the interaction left her craving community and she plans to begin attending Saddleback in-person again whenever we are able to start meeting together on weekends.

In the meantime, the woman has been sent a number of digital resources and is getting plugged into our church while we continue to worship online.

April 28, 2020
Volunteer Donates Stimulus Check to Saddleback’s Pandemic Relief Efforts

It’s no secret that feeding tens of thousands of people in our communities costs money. God has provided Saddleback with the necessary funds during this pandemic so that we can provide necessary resources to our neighbors in need.

There are countless volunteers and donors to thank for their generosity during this time. Our staff heard from one member who is one of many who have helped us help others by giving of his finances and time. Doug has attended Saddleback for more than a decade. He has been involved in a number of ministries throughout the years and has helped our church distribute groceries two times a week since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Every time Doug comes to distribute food and supplies in our communities, he encounters people who are worried they may go hungry during this crisis, whether it’s a single mother who is holding back tears because she was just laid off from from her job, or a family of nonbelievers who are nervously waiting to go through our distribution line, or someone delivering groceries for homebound individuals who are at high risk of complications from the deadly virus.

Doug said those stories have “washed the materialism” from his mind and have changed the way he thinks and feels. Every time he finishes distributing groceries, he said he is a different person and wants to do more to help out.

When the Federal Government announced it would be sending out stimulus checks to some U.S. citizens, the longtime member and volunteer wasn’t expecting anything. So when he did receive a direct deposit from the U.S. Treasury Department, his first thought was to offer that money to go to people who need the most help.

“I decided to donate my federal stimulus money to the PEACE Center to buy the items that are really needed,” he said. “I can help the people who are hurting and need it the most plus stimulate the economy by donating the money.”

Doug told our staff that he is thankful for the opportunity to serve those in need by donating his time and finances. He said he is driven by Matthew 25:40: “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you whatever you do for the least of these brothers and sisters of mine you, have did for me.’”

April 23, 2020
Volunteer From Ecuador Leads 30 People to Jesus

Picture yourself living in a foreign country with no job and a depleting savings account during this global pandemic. Think of the feelings of fear and hopelessness that could gnaw at you day in and day out. That is no imaginary scenario — it is the reality Kristy Aguilar has been facing since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kristy moved to Southern California from Ecuador just eight months ago and began attending our services at Saddleback Rancho Capistrano. She had been working at a hotel, until the pandemic prompted layoffs at her job. Without a source of income, Kristy would not be able to pay her rent, so she made the decision to move back to her home country.

Shortly after she came to that decision, Kristy learned that the airports in Ecuador were being shut down due to the growing crisis, and she would not be able to return home. She began praying for God’s guidance and provision, and then reached out to one of our members to see if they knew of anyone who had a cheap room for rent. The next day, the woman replied to Kristy and said that she had spoken with her family and they agreed to host her in their home rent-free until she could return to Ecuador.

Kristy and the woman began exploring various serving opportunities at Saddleback. Her new host thought she could make an impact distributing groceries with our Rancho Capistrano team because many of the people who had recently shown up in need of supplies were Spanish speakers — she thought Kristy’s Spanish-speaking skills could be put to good use. Kristy agreed and began serving right away.

“As soon as I approached a car, I felt all the love of God for these people,” Kristy said. “I let them know that although the world has stopped and seems to be out of control and hopeless, God is working through all of this.”

The Holy Spirit was leading every conversation Kristy had that day. As she got to know each person who came for groceries, she offered them eternal hope in Jesus Christ and invited them to accept him as Lord and Savior of their lives.

Over and over again, people said “yes” to the invitation. By the end of the day, Kristy had led 30 people to Jesus — including people from Guatemala, El Salvador, Colombia, and Mexico. There were tears of joy throughout the day as our new volunteer led these men and women in prayer.

One of Saddleback’s values is that we are an all-nation congregation. Kristy’s story shows that everybody is welcome and wanted at our church, and that God brings people to Saddleback from all over the world to further his kingdom.

April 22, 2020
Saddleback Parents and Kids Serving Alongside One Another 

God is bringing the families within our church closer together during the COVID-19 crisis. We have heard from a number of parents and children who have taken time to serve together and meet the needs of the most vulnerable. One of the ways they are doing this is by delivering Care Kits.

One of our members messaged our staff to tell us how thankful she was for the opportunity to serve alongside her two boys. She said they were able to work as a team and assemble a number of Care Kits. The three of them then drove to a mobile home park and delivered the supplies to elderly residents who have not been able to leave their homes to go to the store.

The mother said it brought tears to her eyes to see her kids waving at all of the people they were delivering the kits to. After all the packages were dropped off, the boys helped pray for everyone they had served that day.
Another family shared that they started a “Be the Light Project” in their neighborhood. Their goal was to work together to encourage people in their community and recruit some of them to help with Saddleback’s efforts to care for those in need.

They made “Give Help & Get Help” flyers as a family and delivered them to all of the homes in their neighborhood. The flyers pointed people to the resources we are offering as a church and also had a list of some of the grocery items our PEACE Center was running low on at the time. They set up boxes on their driveway and gave their neighbors a one-week window to drop off food as part of the “Give Help” option. The family later brought all of the supplies to our Lake Forest campus.

Additionally, they started a project they are calling “Rock-n for Jesus.” They painted words like “Hope,” “Love,” and “Together” on the rocks and wrote Scripture verses on them as well. The family then placed the rocks all around the walking trails near their home as a source of hope and encouragement.

April 16, 2020
Volunteer Drivers Go the Extra Mile to Help Those in Need

Saddleback staff members and volunteers are quite literally going the extra mile to ensure those who are in need and are at a high risk of contracting COVID-19 are cared for during this time. Our drivers have played an integral role in making sure our communities have enough food and supplies during this pandemic.

As a church we have mobilized a group of volunteers to serve as truck drivers to deliver massive amounts of food to our campus food banks as well as our new pop-up food pantries. That food has been distributed to tens of thousands of people throughout Southern California.

When the COVID-19 crisis first hit Orange County, many of our usual truck drivers had to take a temporary step away from their ministry because they are at a high risk of contracting the virus. But God provided, and we have since seen a number of new volunteers step up to fill this crucial role. People came to our Lake Forest campus to learn how to drive refrigerated trucks and safely operate pallet jacks to load and unload the vehicles. A few people even signed up to serve as co-pilots to assist the drivers. Saddleback’s efforts to feed the hungry and care for those in need would not be possible without these people.

Meanwhile our staff drivers have been working around the clock. Before our pipeline of new volunteers was established, our distribution center staff members were clocking in 12 to 15 hours a day of continuous manual labor. Their work not only led to people being fed physically, it also opened the door for our food bank volunteers to share the love of Jesus with those in need.

We have also seen several people from our church family and small groups sacrifice their time and resources to deliver Care Kits to people who live quite a ways away from our campuses. One volunteer shared about his experience dropping off supplies to individuals as far away as Riverside, Norco, and Eastvale. He said he loved being able to call people after their Care Kits were dropped off at their doorstep and tell them about Saddleback’s online services.

April 10, 2020
Acts of Service Spread Far Beyond Saddleback

Over the past few weeks, we have seen God use our church family to spread hope and love throughout Southern California and the world. Saddleback has mobilized thousands of members and volunteers to serve those who are in need during this global pandemic and be a light in a very dark world. We have been blown away by the creative and bold ways people have been serving their communities and inspiring others to do the same.

Last weekend many of our Junior High Ministry (JHM) kids took part in a serve day by coming up with their own unique ways to care for those around them. One student named Jaia wanted to find a way to encourage her neighbors when they leave their homes to go for a walk. She found inspiration through a craft she used to do with her grandmother and decided to paint Bible verses on rocks that she placed around her community. She believes Jesus wants her to spread hope during this time and displaying the painted rocks is a simple way to do that.

Other students used chalk to cover their neighborhoods with encouraging messages, and some left notes around their home to make sure their parents and siblings know how appreciated they are during this crisis.

While some members like our JHM students have been serving from home, hundreds upon hundreds of volunteers have been in the field helping our church provide groceries to thousands of people at our drive-thru food pantries, deliver Care Kits to those in need, and make Care Calls to those who are at a high risk of contracting COVID-19.

Word is spreading about our efforts, and people are coming from all over the country to help out. When a young woman living in Texas named Kendall found out her community was being placed under stay at home orders, she bought a one-way ticket to California so she could serve alongside our church family. She knew she could be mobile since her church and job were moving online . Kendall is staying with extended family members who attend Saddleback and are volunteering with us in a number of different ways.

Saddleback’s drive-thru food pantries, which have fed more than 30,000 people, have become a model for churches and small groups throughout the country. We recently received a message from a youth group in Georgia that was inspired by our efforts to safely feed those in need. They were able to set up their own drive-thru food pantry and maintain social distancing standards while providing groceries for their most vulnerable community members. 

April 9, 2020
God’s Goodness Outshines Global Pandemic at Food Pantry

For much of the world, the COVID-19 pandemic has been an incredibly dark and uncertain time. While there is still pain and great need within our communities, we have seen how God has been able to take this terrible situation and work it for his good. That is why we have hope.

Saddleback Church has provided groceries for more than 3,000 people since this crisis began, and every single one has had the opportunity to hear about Jesus. Of those who have visited our PEACE Center and drive-thru food pantries, nearly 250 of them have made the decision to put their faith in Christ. They now have the hope that we have.

Last week, one of our PEACE Center volunteers at Lake Forest who was talking with people as they waited to get groceries sparked up a conversation with two young women. She found out the two were sisters and one of them was celebrating her 18th birthday that day. Our volunteer felt compelled to share the gospel with these young women. There was just something about seeing two girls who were still in the latter years of their teens at a food bank that really impacted her.

She began to ask the young women if they knew about Jesus, God, eternal life, and what it takes to go to heaven. Their answers were a bit vague, and they went on to share that they were not Christians. Our volunteer could tell that these sisters were very close with one another, so she began by explaining that the two of them could spend eternal life together if they put their faith in Christ. She explained how he died for our sins and conquered death so that we could live with him forever.

The young women were moved by the message of hope our volunteer shared, and they all prayed together. Both girls accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior. For one of them, her birthday became her spiritual birthday. All of the volunteers and staff members at the PEACE Center came over and congratulated both of the young women and then sang happy birthday. The sisters were also given several resources to help them as they begin their relationship with Jesus.

The volunteer who was used by God to bring the two girls to Jesus said she got home that evening and could not get the interaction out of her mind. She also knew that a few dozen people put their faith in Christ that day. For the first time since the global pandemic hit Orange County, she thanked God for the crisis because she could see firsthand how he is bringing life change in the middle of it all.

April 7, 2020
Meeting the Needs of Those Who Are Meeting Needs

In our efforts to help those in need during the COVID-19 pandemic, Saddleback Church has mobilized roughly 2,000 volunteers. While many of them are members of our church, some of them are new to Saddleback, and others have never attended. They come to us because they see how we are helping others during this crisis and they want to be a part of the movement that is taking place. God has given our staff members so many opportunities to evangelize and minister to our new volunteers as they meet the needs of others.

One of our staff members named Candy recently noticed a man who has been serving in a number of capacities since this crisis began. He kept popping up around the Lake Forest campus — he’d be spotted sorting Care Kits and distributing food at the PEACE Center.

Candy sparked up a conversation with him last week. He shared how he loved serving and helping people. He also mentioned being in a men’s small group and shared how he has really enjoyed praying and reading devotions. The man mentioned that he wanted to get more involved, so Candy asked if he had taken our membership class.

When the man said he had not taken Class 101, Candy felt prompted to find out if he was a believer. She sat down with him and began speaking Mandarin with him so the two could have a more personal conversation.

She asked him if he had accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior. The man had not and identified some of his thoughts, feelings, and questions about it. He shared that he wanted to do what felt right in his heart but wondered why it mattered to go through “formalities” like accepting the gift of salvation and being baptized. Candy shared how we have the incredible opportunity to love others through volunteering. But God wants us to love him as well by responding to him.

The two dove deeper into a theological discussion about sin, Jesus’ death and resurrection, and eternal life through him. During their conversation she leaned into her Saddleback Kids leader training and went through the ABCs with him — Admit, Believe & Commit.

She asked the volunteer if he would be willing to commit his life to Jesus, and he said yes! The two prayed together and then continued to spread the love of Jesus in a tangible way by meeting the needs of the most vulnerable people in our communities.

April 3, 2020
Saddleback Kids Sets Example With Servant’s Heart

Families, students, and kids at Saddleback have played a crucial role in our efforts to care for those in need during the COVID-19 crisis. We have been blown away by the sacrifices some of our youngest members have made to minister to others throughout the past few weeks.

Kelly has been involved with Saddleback Kids (SK) for several years. He is in one of our Kids Small Groups (KSG) and has volunteered in some of our younger SK rooms on weekends for two years. His parents taught him about the biblical principle of tithing from a young age, and he gives to the church regularly.

Social distancing practices and stay-at-home orders led to Kelly’s 10th birthday party being cancelled last week. Instead, his friends and family surprised him with a drive-thru celebration by decorating signs and honking their horns. He received cards with money since no one could shop for gifts.

Rather than buying the electric nerf gun he had been eyeing for quite some time, Kelly decided to give all the money to God by helping restock Saddleback’s food bank. He and his family prayed together before entering the store and asked God to guide them to the items most needed.

The 10-year-old boy hand selected each item and kept a budget as he placed them in his cart. He bought diapers, baby food, bread, crackers, spaghetti sauce, cereal, condiments, flour, sugar, carrots, apples, peanut butter, jelly, fruit cups, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and additional supplies. His parents were so inspired by his generosity, they matched the $170 he spent and have decided to fill an entire cart each month to donate to the PEACE Center.

April 2, 2020
Food and a Forever Family

Throughout this crisis, our drive-thru food bank volunteers have not only been ministering to thousands of people, they have also been evangelizing. Every time someone from our surrounding communities comes to visit one of our food pantries, a Saddleback team member is there to share the hope and love of Jesus Christ and pray over that person before they are given groceries.

Just a few days ago, we had a first-time volunteer come to serve at one of our drive-thru food banks. The woman was planning to come with a friend who had previously served at Saddleback, but the friend got called into work. The first-time volunteer decided to come serve anyway because she wanted to help us help others during this time of need.

The woman is bilingual, so we decided the best place to utilize her fluency in Spanish and English was at the check-in station. That’s the area where volunteers have spiritual conversations and pray with the individuals and families who visit us.

Shortly after she began to serve, our new volunteer made a very special connection with a young woman who was in need. This individual had fallen on hard times and was not just in search of food — she was in search of faith and family, and that’s exactly what she found at our food bank.

Roughly 15 minutes into their conversation, the two were in prayer with tears in their eyes. The young woman put her faith in Jesus and found her forever family. We also had the opportunity to give her a Bible, a devotional and a Purpose Driven Life handbook as she began her new relationship with Christ.

As special as that encounter is to our church, it is not necessarily unique. We have seen a number of people who have visited our drive-thru food banks put their trust in Jesus for the very first time during this crisis.

Another volunteer who was used by God to lead someone to Jesus showed up late to his shift at one of our food pantries. He missed the morning devotion, so our staff prayed with him before he began to serve. They prayed specifically that the Lord would speak through him and use him to bring someone to Christ that day — God answered that prayer.

As the volunteer was speaking with a family who had a lot of fear and doubts during these uncertain times, he was able to relate with them and shared how he leans on Jesus for comfort and protection. The Holy Spirit spoke through that volunteer. When he extended the invitation to accept Jesus as his Lord and Savior, the family said yes. They all prayed together

March 30, 2020
God Provides at Pop-Up Pantry

Meeting the physical and spiritual needs of the most vulnerable people in our communities has been and will continue to be a top priority during this pandemic. We know that God is blessing Saddleback right now so that we can bless others. Our staff and volunteer teams in the field have seen firsthand what it looks like when God shows up and provides for the church so we can provide food and supplies for those in need.

We sent a team of staff members and volunteers to Skyview Elementary School in Orange to set up a drive-thru, pop-up food pantry. School officials anticipated several dozen people would show up in need of food, so our team brought a total of 72 boxes of groceries to give away.

The food pantry was supposed to be open from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. As it got closer to noon, the team began to count how many boxes of food remained (10) and how many cars were in line (10). They were thrilled to know there was enough food to serve all the families.

After a couple of cars went through, a woman asked for an additional box of groceries to help a neighbor who had eight people living in a one-bedroom apartment. A Saddleback staff member told her that we unfortunately only had enough to give one box per person, but she would go double-check the supply. They recounted and were amazed to discover there were enough boxes to give the woman an extra one for her neighbor.

When the food pantry closed and the number of people served was tallied, our team praised God as they realized 80 people in need were given a box of food, even though their initial count revealed they had only brought 72 to give away. God is meeting our needs so we can meet the needs of others!

March 30, 2020
Volunteer is Served at Lake Forest Food Pantry

Saddleback Church is incredibly grateful for the hundreds upon hundreds of volunteers who have stepped up to help as we continue to minister to the sick, the vulnerable, and those who have fallen on hard times financially. At the same time, we are saddened to have turned away long-time volunteers who are considered at high risk of contracting COVID-19. It is difficult to do but a necessary precaution in order to protect our church family members as well as those we serve.

One of our members who falls into that category is an active senior who had been a regular volunteer at our Lake Forest Food Pantry until the pandemic hit Orange County. Our staff members and volunteers at the food pantry were encouraged by a special message they received from her.

She explained that she has been struggling financially during this crisis and asked her daughter to drive her to the food pantry to be on the receiving end. The experience reminded her of the importance of what she regularly does as a volunteer. She said she was so impressed watching our team at work providing for those who are not in a position to provide for themselves.

She was thrilled to get so many food items she was low on. To top it all off, when she got home and unpacked her groceries, she realized she randomly received dishwashing pods at the pantry. The small gesture made a big impact on her because she only had a few left at her home and didn't have the money to buy more.

In her own words, “God never stops surprising me, even in these difficult times.”

March 26, 2020 
Feeding Our Family Spiritually and Physically

More than half of the people we’ve served at Saddleback’s seven drive-thru Food Pantries during the COVID-19 crisis have been community members who do not attend our church. While we are called to give to our neighbors in need, we also do everything we can to take care of our church members when they are hurting.

One of our Saddleback families came to our Lake Forest Food Pantry this week in need of groceries. As they pulled up to check in, a staff member started to fill out their information and asked how they were holding up during the coronavirus crisis. The father began to open up while his daughter sat in her booster seat behind him. Our staff member learned that he had just been let go of his job.

He shared that his wife is still working at a hospital but is being moved from the radiology department into triage so that the facility has enough nurses on hand when more COVID-19 cases show up. Her new daily reality consists of being trained to do difficult things like properly handle those who are critically ill or dying. This has added additional layers of stress and discomfort to his family dynamic, in addition to being newly unemployed and home with his school-aged daughter — who, like so many across the country — are doing school from home.

Our staff member was able to spend some extra time with the family and cover them with prayer in their time of need and pain. They came because they needed food — and that need was met. But they also received spiritual support and pastoral care, a need all of us have during this difficult time.

We plan to continue meeting the physical and spiritual needs of this family, along with the rest of our church family during this pandemic. Staff members and volunteers have even started to hand out copies of Pastor Rick’s Open Doors devotional at our Food Pantries to make sure people are getting food for their souls along with groceries. As a church we aren’t here to just serve the community — we are here to serve those in need, and sometimes that’s our own church family.

March 23, 2020
Feeding the Vulnerable

When our church received word that a Saddleback small group made up of 11 blind women was in need of food and supplies, our staff and volunteer teams jumped into action. All of the women are in a high-risk category when it comes to contracting COVID-19 and were self-quarantined at their homes. Their initial attempts to go to the grocery store, even before “Stay at Home” orders were issued, were unsuccessful. They found it nearly impossible to get food. When they arrived, shelves were empty and they couldn’t find their way around the crowded stores.

Many of the women live by themselves and their needs were critical, so staff members at Saddleback’s PEACE Center and Food Pantry Distribution Center worked together to gather food and supplies for the women. A volunteer family then stepped up and offered to deliver the food and goods to the women, who are spread across four different cities in Southern California. The women were overjoyed when our volunteers dropped off the goods and let them know that they would be taken care of throughout the COVID-19 crisis.

Our teams will continue to stay in touch with these women and will deliver needed supplies on a regular basis. We are the church and will continue to meet the needs of the most vulnerable, just as Jesus has called us to do.

March 18, 2020
Feeding Our Communities

We are standing in the gaps during this crisis to make sure those who are most vulnerable and in need of food do not go hungry. Seven of our campuses have food pantries that have remained open, even in this time of crisis. Our staff members and volunteers in San Clemente are operating a drive-thru food pantry every Wednesday. Forty-six families in that community will have food on their tables this week thanks to our church! Two people were so moved by the love they received, they made the decision to recommit their lives to Jesus. We are continuing to feed people physically and spiritually during this crisis.