Family Events are Coming at You, LBF

By Phil Shahbaz, Pastor of Community Life

If you have been to LBF on a Sunday morning, it’s likely that you’ve noticed an abundance of kids. From the little ones in diapers to the older ones with iPhones, they are exceedingly present at our church. On a typical Sunday, we see them darting through the Worship Center hallways, digging through the doughnut boxes, playing on the play-set, and during the summer, occasionally coming back to mom or dad soaked with water – but with a smile on their face. Our kids energize our church campus and bring a joyful presence to our Sunday mornings. They also bring their parents. 

Families with young children have been growing at LBF, more so than any other constituency we have. In the past year, many of these families have come together to express a desire for more connecting events here at the church. This desire comes from the realization that in many ways our families live life apart from one another. Many of our families are in the same stage of life, dealing with many of the same issues, and hoping to raise our children to love Jesus.

Yet we only see each other briefly on Sundays or at Life Groups. There are families at the church who recognize this issue and are taking steps to bring us together for fun and creative events. 

The first of these events was back in December. A few volunteer families came together and programmed a movie night in the Worship Center. Kids watched a fun movie while they munched on cookies and popcorn and sat in cardboard race cars they made and decorated a few minutes earlier. Parents sat in the background and smiled. This event was not advertised, yet it was very well
attended and an example of the creativity of our LBF parents and their willingness to bring us together. 

Next on the calendar is the LBF Summer Picnic on Sunday, June 22. This is being put together by a community of our families and will be open to everyone at the church. 

This picnic, however, will resemble the kind of old-style church picnic that many of us remember as children. The focus of the picnic will be on fun games that we can all participate in. Remember the potato-sack race as a kid? We will be bringing it back! 

There will be a pie-eating contest, a dessert competition, and a dunk tank
(yes, you will have an opportunity to dunk Pastor Gary Keith, and we may or may not put ice in the water). This picnic will be a fun community day for the entire church family and hopefully an opportunity for a new generation to create memories in a way that we fondly remember. 

As summer continues into fall, we will continue to have events for families such as beach days, movie nights, and game nights. Most importantly, our families at LBF will be brainstorming, hosting, and leading these events as a team. If you are a mom or dad, and would like to help with these events, we 

would love to have you on the team. Please contact me at (909) 981-4848.

Top 10 Reasons to Attend PandaMania VBS This Summer

By Dale Palmer, Director of His Kids Children’s Ministries
(List compiled by our Facebook fans)


10. It answers the “I’m bored” problem.

9. Something to look forward to for five evenings.

8. Great music!

7. Hands-on, wild Bible adventures.

6. Make new friends/see old friends.

5. A new missions project to be involved in.

4. You too can be a star in our Spotlight Drama.

3. Enjoy the crazy and zaney adventures of Chadder.

2. Bamboo Blast Games.

1. You get to spend time learning about our Amazing God!

Don’t forget, parents, grandparents, and friends are invited to join us each evening at 8:30 p.m. when we have the Rowdy Wrap-Up – a daily celebration of God’s love!

Mark these dates on your calendar: Monday, June 27-Friday, July 1. The fun begins each evening at 6 p.m. and ends at 9 p.m. There is no charge for VBS. Registration forms are available by calling the church office @ 981-4848, ext. 242 or you can register directly online at lbfchurch.com/vbs. Preregistration ends Friday, June 15. Registration will be taken each night of VBS as well to accommodate new friends. 

All-Church Picnic Proves to Be a Great Time for LBF Family

Mommy, Teddy & Me Tea Was a Delight!

By Dale Palmer, Director of His Kids Children’s Ministries

On Saturday, May 7, the quite fashionable moms, the children, and their friendly stuffed friends came ready to have a wonderful tea. Gracious servers kept the tables stocked full of delicious sandwiches – cucumber and cream cheese, egg salad, and PB & J! There were yummy scones and strawberry jam, fresh strawberries and crème, as well as Grandpa’s Cinnamon Bears and Oatmeal & Raisin Cookies. Of course, no tea is complete without assorted hot teas for Mom and lemonade and apple juice for the children.

We had a short program with Debbie Smith playing the guitar and leading us in some fun songs. Then the children told us the best thing about Mom.

We gave away five Build-A-Bear gift certificates for The Most Loved, Best Dressed, Funniest, Sweetest, and Cutest stuffed friends.
We finished our time together with a craft made especially for the Tea by Sherry Schuster. It seemed that every minute was full of activity and fellowship.

The Mommy, Teddy & Me Tea would not have been a success without the wonderful help of Lydia Phares, Tammi Strasen, Alice Weissmann, Sherry Schuster, Donald Goodwin, Annie Williams, Lyric Ellis, Whitney Zeimis, Bob Palmer, and Debbie Smith. Thank you!

Thank You for Making Pacific Lifeline Mothers Feel Special

Thank you for all who participated in LBF’s Outward Bound project for Pacific Lifeline on Saturday, May 8 – the Mini-Makeovers (and more!) for Moms. What a blessing you all were to the families – they were all so thrilled.

Here is an email I got from one of the families who attended. I am sure she speaks for everyone!

Yesterday was amazing. Please tell whoever sponsored the event that they really made us feel great. It was like a little family reunion also. I love those girls and I am so blessed to have made lifetime friends from the time that I lived at Pacific Lifeline and also through grad group. God bless you and Happy Mothers Day!

Also, from one of Pacific Lifeline’s staff members:

Saturday was a huge success! Everybody really enjoyed themselves!

As a member of LBF and a staff member of Pacific Lifeline, let me just say that it warmed my heart to see all of you working together, using your God-given gifts to serve…and it also warmed my heart to see moms, who have gone through so much, get pampered and have such beautiful smiles on their faces! What a wonderful Mother’s Day give you gave!

God bless you abundantly for the time, energy, and love you gave to Pacific Lifeline families.

Blessings,

Kirsten Grubb

Men's Breakfast Feeds 150 in More Ways Than One

By Russ Parker, Pastor of Administration & Leadership Development
A few Saturday's ago, LBF's Men's Ministry packed The Garage with an unprecedented crowd of hungry men. Nearly 150 of all ages gathered to eat, develop friendships, and hear an amazing testimony of God.

There's an incredible amount of teamwork that goes into planning and feeding 110 men, and there was a work of God to make that food stretch to feed 150! I'll match up our men's breakfast food versus any local café or breakfast place. It's good food, tt's man food, void of any artificial sweeteners or substitutes. But that's not all...
There's something about 150 men packed into a room, singing their hearts out, worshipping God. It's loud, it's bass-y, and full of, shall we say, "joyful noises?" It's certainly not a well-orchestrated choir, but it's real. We were blessed with an amazing group of guys who organized and led us in time of worship through music.
God then blessed us with Aaron Hudson. What a gift Aaron and his wife, Jenny, are to us at LBF. Aaron shared his life journey and how he gave his life to Jesus just a few years ago. In his car, in the middle of the freeway, he prayed for God "to take the wheel." His journey was full of what he described as "lucky bounces." Looking back, he is able to understand how God has cared for him as a father in ways he didn’t even realize. Aaron's authentic sharing moved many who listened. I talked with others afterward that were encouraged by Aaron's story.
Men's breakfast comes around about once a quarter. I can't wait to see how God uses the next one. Feel free to join in with your comments and share about your experience at our recent men's breakfast.

The Run-down on LBF's Heart & Soul's Valentine's Dance

Last Friday, LBF packed the house for the Heart & Soul’s Valentine’s Dance. All ages came out to boogy and celebrate love for an evening that included dinner and fellowship. I interviewed Shauntel Raymond, one of the primary organizers of the event, to get a run-down on how it went.

 

Russ Parker, Pastor of Administration & Leadership Development: Where did the idea of holding a "heart and soul" Valentine’s dance come from?

Shauntel Raymond: The idea came from a few of us girls talking after our small group. We thought about how much fun it would be to do something to bring couples together in our church. Plus, we have happy feet sometimes and in today's world, the only place to go dancing is a bar and that's not where we feel comfortable.

 

Russ: A dance and church might seem like an odd pairing. What were the issues you had to consider when organizing a dance at church?

Shauntel: To make it an appropriate event, the music had to be just right. We also had to appeal to all ages with the music selection and theme.

 

Russ: What was your favorite part of the entire experience?

Shauntel: Planning and working together as a team and watching the couples and the joy on their faces as they danced together to their favorite songs.

 

Russ: You and your team put in endless hours planning, organizing, hosting, and tearing down this dance. Was it worth it?

Shauntel: It was completely worth it! We were tired, but when we saw that dance floor packed all night and hearing back from people about how much fun it was, we knew we did the right thing and all our work was worth it. We also had a great team of people who helped make the set up and tear down run really smoothly.

 

Russ: If we host a dance again next year, what would you say to someone who didn't attend this year to encourage them to come?

Shauntel: It was a great evening of celebrating together as couples and fellow believers in an atmosphere where you feel comfortable on the dance floor and not be offended by the music. If you can't dance with your Christian brothers and sisters, who can you dance with? We are commanded not to judge each other (including our dance moves), right?

Fourth Annual LBF Chili Cook-off Run-down

The Fourth Annual LBF Chili Cook-off was this past Sunday and it did not disappoint! The chili was incredible and the Worship Center was crowded. Below are some fun details about the event: 

1. 32 different kinds of chilis were entered. 
2. Over 2,500 samples of chili were tasted.
3. Over 1,500 spoons were licked clean. 
4. Over 35 plates of cornbread were consumed. 
5. Over 320 ice cream sandwiches were devoured. 
6. 2 ½ bottles of antacids were popped. 

And congratulations to the three winners of the Chili Cook-off:

• Best Chili, Judge’s Choice – “The Real Deal – This ain’t your grandma’s chili!,” Darrol and Jan Irvin
• Best Chili, People’s Choice – “Arabian Nights Chili,” Brian El-Mahmoud  
• Most Creative Chili Name – “Barking Frog Chili,” Mike and Pat Cloud

Thank you to all those who entered their chili into the competition and to those who attended! And a special thank you to all the amazing volunteers that worked so hard to make the Cook-Off run so smoothly!  We could not have done it without you! It truly was an LBF family event. 

 

If you took pictures during the event, please be sure to post them on LBF's facebook page!

Celebrating Baptism at LBF

This past weekend, we had the honor of baptizing eight people. Their faith stories were varied and unique, but all shared the common thread of Jesus as Lord and Savior. Their public declaration of baptism is for the encouragement of us all. We are reminded of God’s love and power in our lives as we hear how God has worked in their lives. We remember again how Christ has washed our sins away, how we are a brand-new creation in Him (Acts 22:16). Please congratulate Samantha Bruce; Andrea King; Ashley Herndon; Justin, Jordyn, and Ben Riegsecker; Mark Olson; and Dustin and Mason Heath.

 

   

The Fourth Annual LBF Chili Cook-off is on!

The Chili Cook-off is on! This coming Sunday at 5 p.m. Check out the line up:

Turkey Chili Soup, Brayden's Favorite Chili, Upland Chili, L.B.F.C. (Life's Best Firey Chili), Dave's Toenail Chili, Barking Frog Chili, Nadine's Lean & Mean Beans!...Got Frijoles?, Bunch of Love, Plain Jane Chili, The Italian Connection, Arabian Nights, Gillis Chili, Mimi's Masterpiece, Roxanne's Rockin' Chili, Leviticus, Gimmymore Chili, Just Good Chili, Frilly Chili & Chili Willy, Jorge's Chillin' Chili Blanco, Hollita's Best, BFF Chili, Little Dogs Chili, Rockin' Veggie Chili, Smoked Brisket Chili, Holy Mole, Sillie Chilie, Magnificent Chili, Persian Chili.

If you weren't counting, that's 28 chilis! And the title is up for grabs this year! Two-time defending champ, Christian Guynes with his "Dad's Chili," is at college in Chico. Lucky for you! That's leaving a big hole in the lineup.

Join us and bring a pan of cornbread! You can taste each chili and vote on your favorite, as well as the one with the most creative name. We've got drinks and ice-cream sandwiches covered. Reach out and invite a friend!

Christmas Eve Services @ LBF

@ 7 p.m. on Thursday, December 24: Family Christmas Eve Service

A family-friendly, kid-oriented service with fun songs and activities to celebrate the birth of Christ. Children are welcome to wear their PJs and bring a blankie. (Yes, adults can too!)

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@ 11 p.m. on Thursday, December 24: Candlelight Communion Worship Service
A tradition for many years at LBF, join us as we sing many of the traditional Christmas carols, take communion together, and usher in Christmas right at midnight by singing Silent Night in candlelight.

Thanksgiving Love Feast Recap

Post by Russ Parker, Pastor of Administration & Leadership Development

We at LBF sure know how to eat! The Thanksgiving Love Feast has been a long-standing tradition at LBF. It’s a time to gather as church family and eat, build friendships, eat, create memories, eat, and also to eat. And we certainly practiced thankfulness. We packed the place forcing us to get creative with our seating arrangements. It was encouraging to watch people open up their tables and squeeze people in. I saw one table with 12 people sitting at it. A normal table holds 8! It was a home group that loves each other so much they made it work! Others of you brought neighbors and friends who don’t even attend LBF. What a great introduction! Thanks for reaching out. Thanks for being a loving community. Here’s a fun group quiz we took during our Love Feast. It represents lots LBF has to be thankful for.

Can You Guess The Total?

LBF has been so blessed this year by all the volunteers who have made this ministry happen. From Coffee House, to chair setup, to worship, there is no doubt that God has been honored here through the service of His followers.

1. How many people have been baptized in ’09 at LBF?

A. 32 B. 17 C. 86
2. How many LBF members do we have as part of our Leadership Catalyst?

A. 237 B. 111 C. 8
3. How many LBF Missionaries have stayed at the Belleview house in ’09?

A. 2 B. 42 C. 29
4. How many people visited LBF for the first time in ’09?

A. 87 B. 108 C. 123
5. How many chairs have been set up in the worship center in the past year?

A. 23,400 B. 1,098 C. 12,876
6. How many people served in our Outward Bound outreach in February?

A. 300 B. 534 C. 722
7. How many church bulletins have been printed this year?

A.16,387 B. 35,100 C. 102,000
8. How many donuts have been served on Sunday mornings?

A. 13,728 B. 8,098 C. 16,856
9. How many pages of sermon material have been written this year by Jeff and Gary?

A. 787 B. 598 C. None
10. How many Outward Bound projects are ongoing?

A. 27 B. 19 C. 6

11. How many hours have the Sunday morning worship teams rehearsed this year?

A. 208 B. 56 C. Rehearsal??

12. What percentage of Harvest Party attendees indicated they do not attend LBF?

A. 100% B. 25% C. 60%

13. How many cups of coffee have been served this year from the coffee house?

A. 11,000 B. 17,680 C. 27,942
Answers: 1A,2A,3B,4C,5A,6C,7B,8A,9B,10C,11A,12C,13B

Operation Christmas Child Update

On behalf of Samaritan’s Purse and Life Bible Fellowship Church, a true thank you to the church body who packed shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child! Because of you, children around the world will hear about the gospel and experience Christmas.

We collected 725 shoeboxes that were delivered to Samaritan’s Purse on behalf of Life Bible Fellowship Church. These boxes, along with the 15,121 other shoeboxes collected at LBF from the Inland Empire, made for a grand total of 15,846 shoeboxes delivered via trailer for Operation Christmas Child!

These gifts will bring smiles to children’s faces and meet some of their physical needs. Pastors and missionaries from these local regions will also share the greatest gift of all - the Good News that Jesus Christ brought to humanity through His birth and His resurrection.

Finally, we would like to personally acknowledge and thank each of you who gave your time to ensure the success of this ministry, from distributing shoeboxes during each service, to packing a shoebox, to working at the Collection Center by packing shoeboxes into cartons and to lifting those cartons onto two trailers.

The list is extensive, as of Collection Monday, November 23, there were 61 volunteers, which included the youth groups from LBF and Moreno Christian Assembly, and a local Boy Scout Troop.

Thank you to:
Robin Crawford
Debbie Hutton
Tom De Koster
Cathy Kendall
Kathy Nauertz
Eric, Kirsten, Adam & Olson Grubb
Jeff & Nadine Dice
Helen Davis
Rob Vance
Bob Palmer
Dave & Myrle Pentz
Paul Barnhold
Joe & Debbie Ulrey
Glenn Hamilton
Gary, Laurie & Julie Root
Erik Jacobsen

Without all of your assistance, along with many others who volunteered and gave of their time, this project could not have been accomplished.  I hope that you were truly blessed by this experience as I was in sharing God’s love.

Thanks again for all of your help!

Jeff Crawford