July 14-18, 2025; 9:00am – 3:00pm

For 1^st through 6^th grade to take part in arts, crafts, stories, games, snacks, singing, and instruction on peacekeeping

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First Friends Church

13205 Philadelphia St.

Whittier, CA 90601

FriendsPeaceCamp@gmail.com

The 29th Annual 5K Walk began on Saturday, April 26, 2025.

The event started at Central Park on Friends Ave. in Uptown Whittier promptly at 8:00am with sign in and same day registration starting at 6:30am. The energetic 5K Walk route is through historical Uptown Whittier. Route is marked and maps  provided. Parking available in marked church parking lots, on the streets, and in two Uptown parking structures. An opportunity to raise funds to help women and children recovering from domestic violence. 

https://www.sheltersrighthand.org/5k-walk

We were honored to be part of Night to Shine, a beautiful event hosted by Whittier Area Community Church (WACC). This unforgettable evening offered people with special needs, ages 14 and up, a prom-like celebration filled with music, dancing, and joy. It was also a time of respite for caregivers, who were treated to special care and attention throughout the night. Members of our collaborative joined in by providing music, assisting with setup, and serving as buddies to ensure every guest felt celebrated and supported.

Friday, February 7, 2025
5:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Whittier Area Community Church
8100 Colima Rd
Whittier, CA 90605-1375

This past December, our Mission Collaborative was proud to join the Uptown Whittier Christmas Parade with a festive float celebrating both the joy of the season and the shared commitment of our faith communities to social justice and moral action. Our float featured banners from many of the partner organizations we've worked alongside over the past two years, highlighting their ongoing efforts to serve, uplift, and advocate for our neighbors.

Members from several churches rode and walked alongside the float, waving to the crowd as cheerful music and holiday spirit filled the streets. The parade offered a joyful way to remind our community that faith in action means caring for others year-round—and that together, we can make a difference.

This past Fall, La Mirada Methodist Church hosted a two-part series inviting our community to engage deeply with a difficult but urgent topic: the rise of White Christian Nationalism and its impact on faith and public life. We began with a Sunday evening screening and discussion of Bad Faith: The Theology of White Christian Nationalism, a powerful documentary that examines how certain strands of Christian theology have been co-opted to justify exclusion, fear, and political domination.

The conversation didn’t stop there. Over the following weeks, we held a book study on American Heresy by Rev. John Fanestil, culminating in a live discussion with the author himself. Together, we explored the historical roots, theological distortions, and social consequences of White Christian Nationalism—and wrestled with what faithful, compassionate responses might look like in our own communities today.

We hosted this series because we believe that living out our faith means not only worshipping together but also examining how religion is used in public life—for good or for harm—and discerning how to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly in the face of division and misuse of faith.

Learn more about Rev. Fanestil’s work at johnfanestil.com.

Last September, Good Samaritan Metropolitan Community Church hosted an opioid overdose prevention workshop led by LA CADA (Los Angeles Centers for Alcohol and Drug Abuse). Around 30 community members gathered for this 90-minute session, which combined practical training with a compassionate, human-centered approach to addressing the opioid crisis.

The workshop focused on recognizing the signs of an overdose, understanding the use of Narcan as a life-saving intervention, and equipping participants with the knowledge to respond swiftly and safely in an emergency. More than just a technical training, the conversation acknowledged the emotional and psychological weight of addiction, emphasizing mercy, preparedness, and support over stigma or judgment.

Attendees left with both practical tools and a renewed commitment to caring for neighbors in moments of greatest vulnerability—a quiet but vital act of love in action.

This past Summer of 2024, La Mirada Methodist Church hosted the second annual Queerfully & Wonderfully Made Pride celebration, filling Smith Hall and the courtyard with music, color, and community. The day featured powerful storytelling, a combined choir from several Collaborative churches, a lively Drag King performance, queer artistry showcased in a local marketplace, shared food and conversation, and an open table for communion for those who wished to receive it.

The theme, Finding Your Voice, wove through every part of the event. We heard the stories of queer youth on journeys of self-discovery, courage, and resilience—stories of learning to live authentically, facing rejection, and finding hope as families and communities grew toward acceptance.

At its heart, this event was about showing what church can and should be: a place where no one is made to feel small, unwelcome, or unsafe because of who they are. Together as a Collaborative, we celebrated the truth that every person is wonderfully made in God’s image—and that faith can be a source of love, affirmation, and belonging.