In the Spirit

Address: 287 W. Wilson St., Costa Mesa

Phone: (949) 645-3191

Denomination: Nondenominational

Year established: 1923

Service times: Sunday worship service at 10 a.m.; Bible class for all

ages at 9 a.m.; and children’s church for ages 3 through 6 meets during

the 10 a.m. worship service. A weekly prayer gathering meets from 7 to 8

p.m. Tuesdays. Small groups meet throughout the week. For times and

locations, call the church office.

Senior minister: Andy Wall

Pastoral staff: Keely Hall, youth minister

Size of congregation: 180

Makeup of congregation: All ages with a cluster of young families.

Child care: Provided on Sunday for the worship service and Bible classes

and on Tuesday evening for the prayer gathering.

Type of worship: The order of service varies, but the worship service

always includes a cappella singing, prayer, scripture readings, a sermon

and the Lord’s Supper.

Type of sermon: Sermons are based on Scripture with a view toward life

application. A sermon is often part of a topical or expository series.

Recent sermon: Wall just completed a series on the second coming of

Christ. He teaches a series on revival titled “Light the Fire.”

Upcoming sermon: On Sunday, guest speaker and noted archaeologist John

Wilson of Pepperdine University will speak on “What Good is the Church?”

Feb. 6 is Scout Sunday, and the service will include a time of

recognition for a local Cub Scout pack and Boy Scout troop.

Welcome wagon: Visitors receive a friendly greeting at the door and are

invited to fill out a welcome card or a prayer-request card. They can

express any needs, concerns or comments they have on the cards. They also

can meet church members and other visitors during a refreshment time

after the service.

Outreach programs: Every Tuesday night, the church’s Caring Kitchen

serves 80 to 100 plates of food to people in need. The church also

supports mission work in Baja California, Mexico. The very active junior

and senior high school youth program includes weekly Sunday night

meetings called Cross Trainers, as well as many seasonal activities, such

as a summer camp. Every year during spring break, the group builds a

house for a needy family in San Felipe. The youth group has done this for

the past 33 years. A number of Bible study and fellowship small groups

meet in members’ homes during the week. A Mothers’ Play Group, for

mothers of preschoolers, meets at various locations each Wednesday at 10

a.m. An active singles’ group organizes many weekend activities, as well.

DRESS: From casual to suits.

CHURCH DESIGN: The church recently remodeled the worship auditorium and

the classrooms. Plans are underway for a new projection system for

worship songs, Scripture readings and more.

MISSION STATEMENT: We are a family of believers devoted to loving and

glorifying God through proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ and

serving others.

INTERESTING NOTE: The church is preparing for Bible Times Marketplace on

May 20. Marketplace is a one-day extravaganza for grade school children

in which they get to experience life in a village during the time of

Christ. The day includes a “time machine,” various marketplace crafts,

learning in family groups, live animals and dramatic reenactments of

various moments in the ministry of Jesus.-- Compiled by Michele M. Marr