Saddleback at OC Faith Summit

When the number of homeless men and women living along a 3-mile stretch of the Santa Ana Riverbed reached over 700 people, the County realized something needed to change. Over a five-week period early this year, the County cleared the area by sending homeless men and women to motels and shelters — while actively considering long-term solutions for support and transformation.

“The conversation surrounding homelessness in Orange County is changing,” says Michelle Thune, Local PEACE Community Outreach Manager. “The County is serious about addressing the growing needs in our community.”

Catching the attention of the County was a case study in Orange County, Florida. Their successful strategy included rallying every sector of the community —businesses, non-profits, philanthropic, and faith communities — to come together on a common goal to reduce homelessness.

As each sector of our community rallies together, we are excited about the opportunity for churches in Orange County to join the conversation and live out the vision for the church to be a people who love their neighbors.

“PEACE is a movement designed to mobilize average church members to do normal tasks that can make a difference in the world,” says Pastor Rick. “The greatest need in the 21^st century is to release the pent-up latent power of the average believer.”

When ordinary people get involved, and everyone in the community contributes – the results are powerful.

“There has to be alignment of the church, government, and business,” Pastor Rick adds. “A stool needs three legs to stand, and it takes all three sectors working together —public (government), private (business), and faith (the church) —to make a difference.”

In an effort to model that same strategy used in Orange County Florida, our own Orange County formed a leadership council of executives under the banner United to End Homelessness. Their goal is to end homelessness by moving people off the streets and connecting them to case management services and permanent housing.

Held this March, the inaugural Faith Summit to End Homelessness addressed the question: “Can we be a community that cares for its most vulnerable neighbors?”

Acting as a voice for the faith community, our pastor and his wife encouraged the others to take action. Kay shared: “We are called by our Maker to act. It’s not only the right thing to do, it’s what we as people of faith are called to do.”

By developing Christ-centered relationships with the homeless, the church is making great strides in bringing hope to the hopeless.

Our goal is to see ordinary church members empowered by God’s Spirit, to love people the way Jesus did — to reflect the truth that each person is made in the image of God, inherently valuable and loved by him. This can only be achieved through relationships, serving, and bringing hope to those in need.

The Local PEACE team is gearing up for the next steps by praying, joining the conversation, and mobilizing our members to take action.

“We have easy ways anyone can get involved,” says Woody Smith, Local PEACE Community Outreach Coordinator. “Our homeless ministry is member-led, by ordinary believers working together to serve. We hope that each one of us will take responsibility to do our part as an example of Christ’s love.”

If we can turn an audience into an army, it will change our County!

To learn more, email Localpeace@saddleback.com.