REDISCOVERING THE LOST ART OF FRIENDSHIP

Friendships have always been a part of God’s original design. After God created Adam in Genesis 2:18 (NASB1995), he said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” We were made and formed by God to be in relationship with him, and with each other. It’s how he designed us. Yet for many of us, it may feel like we’re more surrounded by people than we’ve ever been, yet more isolated than we’ve ever been. As Christians, we have the opportunity to learn about the art of friendship from the greatest friend of all time: Jesus himself. 

Join ​the Workplace Community for a 5-week study starting Tuesdays, Sept. 26th through October 24th where we will talk practically about how to build friendships that will withstand the test of time. We need people who will rejoice when we rejoice, weep when we weep, and be with us through the good times and the hard times. Together we will study and follow Jesus’ example, and the example of other people we see in Scripture, to build a roadmap of the best way to form these kinds of friendships. We can’t wait to take this journey with you! 

What topics will we be diving into?

Week 1 | INITIATE: Follow Jesus’ Approach

Week 2 | INVEST: Build a Strong Foundation

Week 3 | ENRICH: Experience God’s Beautiful and Diverse Family

Week 4 | STRENGTHEN: Cultivate Openness and Honesty

Week 5 | DISCERN: Select the Right Friends

Location

1 Saddleback Pkwy., Lake Forest CA 

Ministry Office 2, Interconnect Room

Room located inside the portable building, go through 2 sets of doors and room is straight ahead. 

Reach out to Sara at workplace@saddleback.com if you have any questions!

Join us for an evening with the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Malaysia, Simon Poh, and a panel of prominent Christian businessmen from Malaysia, for an inspiring evening of faith and fellowship. 

As culture in the US turns adversarial towards Christian faith, be encouraged - Jesus is still in control. 

We'll hear from our esteemed speakers who will share compelling stories of how God's divine hand has guided and protected their lives in the face of opposition. As we gather to hear the theme of unwavering faith in the face of adversity, we are reminded of the powerful message from James 1:12, "Blessed is the one who endures trials because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him." This evening will strengthen our faith and encourage us in our journey of faith in the workplace with hope and resilience. 

Don't miss this opportunity to witness the transformative power of faith in action! Hosted by the Workplace/Professionals Community at Saddleback Church Rancho Capistrano campus, this event will start with dinner and networking at 6:00 PM in the Rancho Dining Room and the program will begin at 7:00PM in the Rancho Chapel. Please register as soon as possible so we can get a headcount for dinner. We recommend parking at the Español Campus and walking up the hill to find the Rancho retreat center chapel and dining room. 

For any questions please email Sara at workplace@saddleback.com

Keynote Speaker: Roman Catholic Archbishop of Malaysia, Simon Poh

Greatly inspired by his parish priest Fr. Josef Wassermann, the young Simon Poh enrolled in 1982 at St. Peter’s College Major Seminary in Kuching, Sarawak, and was ordained into the Catholic priesthood in 1988 at the age of 25.

During his time as a seminarian, he mastered a number of native languages such as Bidayuh and Iban in order to better relate to the locals, and went on to obtain a Licentiate in Missiology from the Pontifical Urbania University of Rome in 1996.

Upon his return from Italy, Poh served variously as a parish rector, Director of the Commission for Vocations, Spiritual Director of the Commission for Youth, Chancellor of the Archdiocese, Professor of Missiology and eventually Spiritual Director of St. Peter’s College Major Seminary.

Poh also coordinated the Archdiocesan Commission on Mission and Evangelisation, and earned a Doctorate in Ministry from the Graduate Theological Foundation of Indiana in 2015. He was appointed Archbishop of Kuching by Pope Francis in 2017, Chairman of the Association of Churches in Sarawak and Vice Chairman of the Christian Federation of Malaysia in 2021, and installed as President of the Catholic Bishop Conference of Malaysia in 2023.

Archbishop Simon Poh is especially passionate about youth ministry and also scripture engagement – working hand-in-hand with the Summer Institute of Linguistics and Faith Comes By Hearing in translation and recording of the Bible in various indigenous languages, as well as the Gideons in distributing Malay language Bibles to schools and villages throughout Sarawak.