In the Spirit

Michele Marr

ADDRESS: 8121 Ellis Ave.

TELEPHONE: (714) 842-0975

WEB SITE: o7 https://home.earthlink.net/~hbbc10

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DENOMINATION: Southern Baptist

YEAR ESTABLISHED: The church was established in 1955. Its original

location was in Santa Ana when it was called Standard Avenue Baptist

Church. It moved to it present location on Ellis, near Beach Boulevard,

17 years ago.

SERVICE TIMES: Bible study for all ages meets at 9:30 a.m. Sunday

morning. Sunday worship and a children’s worship service for elementary

school children is at 10:50 a.m.

SENIOR PASTOR: Gerald W. Squyres

STAFF: Tony Antista, Minister of Music; Dolly Bryan, a charter member

of the church, is the church’s secretary.

SIZE OF CONGREGATION: 200.

MAKEUP OF CONGREGATION: Membership broadly represents the city’s

demographics. The church’s oldest member will soon celebrate her 102nd

birthday.

CHILD CARE: Child care for infants and toddlers under is provided for

all services and Bible studies. Children over 4 attend concurrent

children’s church, age-appropriate classes or other youth-program

activities.

TYPE OF WORSHIP: Worship is a blend of praise music and traditional

hymn singing. The church has both a praise band and a choir. The service

begins with about 25-30 minutes of praise and hymns. Squyres delivers a

20-30 minute message.

TYPE OF SERMON: Expository.

RECENT SERMONS: “Seeing the Not So Obvious,” and “The Tragic

Interview,” based on Matthew 19-22, the story of the rich young ruler.

UPCOMING SERMONS: Over the next several months Squyres’ sermons will

look at “The things that happened before the crucifixion,” “the Ten

Commandments,” and “The Seven Things God Hates,” based on Proverbs.

DRESS: “Come as you are.” California casual.

VISITOR INFORMATION/HOSPITALITY: General warm welcome is extended to

guests without singling anyone out. Guests are invited to fill out an

attendance card in exchange for “100 Grand,” (the candy bar of that

name).

CHURCH PROGRAMS/OUTREACH: The church’s ministries include a prayer

line, men’s and women’s ministries, a single adult ministry, a 12-step

support group, a transportation ministry, a prison ministry, a senior

adult ministry, an adult choir, a children’s choir and a chamber choir

for teens. The church has a deacons training program to prepare men to

assist Squyres in pastoral care. CHURCH BUILDING: The facilities are

modern, “California-style.”

MISSION STATEMENT: The great commission “Go and make disciples of all

the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and

of the Holy Spirit,” is the church’s missionstatement.

VISION STATEMENT: “People of the Word, Living out the Mind of Christ.”

INTERESTING NOTE: Squyres has been a pastor for 53 years, 36 of which

he has served at Huntington Beach Baptist Church. He likes a church small

enough that he can know and call each member by name. Before each Sunday

service he tries to greet as many members as he can by name, shake their

hands and ask them about how things are going for them. Those he can’t

greet before the service he tries to greet afterward.

-- Compiled by Michele Marr