The Cypress Church congregation culminated their recent “Love Like Jesus” campaign on Feb. 24 with an entire weekend of community service. Teams of volunteers spread out to Los Alamitos, Stanton, and all around the Cypress area. The previous day, the church staffed a water station at the annual “Race on the Base” at the Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos.
The congregation performed projects at the Cypress Boys & Girls Club, Arnold Cypress Park, Cedar Glen Park, Oak Knoll Park, Evergreen Park, the Tina-Pacific neighborhood, and the Precious Life Shelter.
“Today has created blessings that will make a difference for years to come,” said Theresa Murphy from the Precious Life Shelter in Los Alamitos.
Church members partnered with volunteers and staff from city agencies and non-profits to paint park benches and bleachers, plant flowers, clean up trash in streets and alleys, distribute donations, wash windows, organize supplies, and beautify local parks. They logged a total of 326 service hours in just one weekend.
Cypress Church Pastor Mike McKay has hopes that these acts of kindness will help change people’s perception of God and his church as community residents see Christians actually living their faith.
In 2013, Cypress Church will be celebrating their 35th year of ministry in the Orange County area. The church started as a home Bible study in 1978. Now, hundreds of area residents call Cypress Church their “home.” In addition to Cypress, the church also serves the communities of Buena Park, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, La Palma, Lakewood, Anaheim, Long Beach, Stanton, and the surrounding area.
Cypress Church community service teams provide volunteers to assist at the local Senior Center. They also help with the Independence Day celebration held on July 4th at the Joint Forces Training Base and the Cypress Community Festival to be held this year on July 27 at Oak Knoll Park. The church also sent out teams of volunteers to serve the disadvantaged and needy all over the globe including in Orange County, Los Angeles County, New Orleans, Mexico, India and Ecuador.
According to the Corporation for National and Community Service, “Volunteering and civic engagement are the cornerstone of a strong nation.” The EJournal USA stated, “Americans volunteer not because of coercion or profit, but because they recognize a need and are willing to take responsibility for meeting that need.”
The Cypress Church main campus is located at 6143 Ball Road just east of Valley View. The public is welcome at Sunday services and Bible studies that are held at 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., as well as to many other activities held throughout each week. Good Friday services will be on March 27 at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m., with Easter Sunday worship on March 31 at 8:30 a.m., 10 a.m., and 11:30 a.m. Information about the church is available at 714-952-3001 or online at www.cypresschurch.net.
