IN THE SPIRIT

-- Michele Marr

* Address: 3170 Redhill Ave., Costa Mesa

* Telephone: (714) 549-8599

* Denomination: Nondenominational Christian

* Year church established: 1980

* Service times: 9:15 a.m. Sunday worship service. Sunday school meets

concurrently. Children, from age 4 through high school age, attend church

with their families up to the preaching. Before the sermon, they are

dismissed to their age-appropriate classes.

* Pastoral staff: Mark Page, staff elder; Earle Craig, staff elder;

Chris Milbrath, high school ministry; Chris Tardiff, junior high

ministry: Moffat Zimba, home fellowship groups; Clarke Brogger,

children’s ministry; and Tim Baker, music ministry

* Size of congregation: 250 to 300

* Makeup of congregation: The congregation consists of primarily

families with children. Single adults and other adult groups of all ages

are also part of the church life.

* Child care: Child care is provided for infants and preschool-age

children from 9:15 to 10:30 a.m. Sundays.

* Type of worship: The worship service is a blend of traditional hymns

and contemporary worship music selected to reflect the character and

nature of God and what he is doing within his creation. The music’s

intent is to praise, honor and glorify God the father, Jesus Christ the

son and the Holy Spirit -- and to rejoice in him.

* Type of sermon: Sermons are biblically based and expository

* Recent sermon: “The Identity and the Mission of Jesus Christ,” from

the Gospel of Luke

* Visitor hospitality: Guests are invited to introduce themselves at

some point during the worship service. Personal information cards are

available for visitors to fill out. Those who leave their name and

address receive a letter from the church following their visit. Everyone

is invited to attend a coffee hour that follows the worship service.

* Outreach programs: Outreach includes ministry to local homeless

individuals and families, as well as missions in Oaxaca four times a year

to aid very poor Indian populations there. Grace Fellowship is also the

sending church for missionaries Brian and Miriam Hendricks, who work in

Equatorial Guinea. More information about this Youth with a Mission

(YWAM) ministry is available at the Heart for Africa Web site,

https://www.heartforafrica.org/hendricks.

* Dress: Casual

* Church design: The building, which was a gift to the congregation,

is professionally designed. Contemporary lines created with wood, glass,

tile and landscaping provide a serene and tranquil atmosphere from the

front offices to the worship auditorium to the children’s play yard.

* Mission statement: The purpose of Grace Fellowship Church is to

passionately know God in his entirety and to encourage followers of Jesus

Christ who are led by the Holy Spirit to persevere in obedience and to

share his eternal promise of forgiveness with all others.

* Interesting notes: As many as 185 members of the congregation meet

each week in Home Fellowship Groups led by lay leaders. These lay leaders

meet with a church pastor for training.

On Thanksgiving morning, Nov. 22, there will be a family worship

service at 9:15 a.m. Children of all ages are welcomed and encouraged to

attend with their families. No child care will be provided.