community

Gathering of the People

“…strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. ‘We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,’ they said.“ – Acts 14:22 Experience within church congregations is as unique and varied as God’s creation. Whether our involvement has been during childhood, as an adult, or perhaps seeking a church to call home, our reflections will vary. The word church comes from a Greek word translated ecclesia; it means a gathering. And specifically the gathering of the people. If those assembled are in Christ, the main experience or focal point should be receiving encouragement — which means giving hope, courage, and confidence. We also encounter prayer, song, and most of all, agape or unconditional love. As you connect with a church family, you can say to yourself, “I’m not alone in this world. I have my church.” Whenever the body of believers gather, be

August 7, 2022 No Comments

Never Follow a Stranger

“But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” – John 10:5 The Bible teaches us that we are the Good Shepherd’s sheep and we are to hear His voice. Americans in particular do not care for this biblical sheep metaphor. In this country, we are all about being independent, “picking yourself up by your bootstraps,” being strong, and a leader. We like to be compared to things like lions and eagles. None of this sheep stuff — it does not resemble our vision of greatness. However, contrary to popular opinion, sheep are actually amazing animals and they’re quite intelligent. Studies seem to indicate that sheep are a lot smarter than dogs, and because of their intelligence, they are highly communal. That means that they love to be together just like we do; they love hanging

May 21, 2022 1 Comment

Facing Your Fears

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.” – Psalm 46:1-3 When you hear the term worry, what comes to mind? Maybe you’re thinking about a circumstance or incident that makes you scared, or maybe you’re thinking about an upcoming appointment or meeting. Whatever it is, I want to share with you today that worry has nothing to do with a specific event or situation, but rather with the desire to avoid it. Worry is the result of our attempts to avoid unpleasant feelings or events. When we are injured or burned by someone or something, our bodies and minds have a natural protection mechanism, which is to build walls and promise

November 30, 2021 1 Comment

A Place to Belong

“Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever.” – John 8:35 The powerful heart of the Gospel message is that God made a way for us when there was no other way. No amount of good or righteous deeds could build a bridge back to right standing with Him — we needed Him to do the work, and He did. We were infected by the poison of sin, and we were helpless to heal ourselves until He stepped in and made Himself the antidote; all we had to do was say “yes” and partake. At the moment we received Jesus as our Lord, we belonged to His family, and our souls breathed a sigh of relief. No longer did we have to seek a place to call home, for as His children, we inherited the love of a perfect Father and

May 29, 2021 No Comments

ROCK4CHOC: Hour of Power in the Community

At Shepherd’s Grove and Hour of Power, we strive to share God’s love and dignity with the people in the 15 feet of space around us. We’re excited for the opportunity to donate our campus on Sunday, August 5th from 4-7 pm, for ROCK4CHOC, a concert to benefit Children’s Hospital of Orange County. CHOC Children’s does incredible work for kids and families dealing with health crises. Every year, they host the CHOC Walk in the Park — a fundraiser walk held at Disneyland that brings in people from all over the country to raise money for these families. Many walkers have children, friends, or family members that have been or are currently treated by CHOC, while some walk in honor of someone who has passed away. Teams are compromised of many people from Orange County, including Team DAPS Magic, which has a number of Hour of Power staff that participate.

July 30, 2018 No Comments

Staff Spotlight: Tully Wilkinson

How long have you been with the ministry? Five years this summer What do you do for Shepherd’s Grove? I am the Pastor of Modern Worship How did God bring you to the ministry? I first came to work with Bobby Schuller, when I was hired at Tree of Life about a year before Tree of Life merged with Shepherd’s Grove. The funny thing is, I originally met the team when they reached out to me to see if I could help find them a worship pastor. After attending the church and falling in love with the community and vision of the church, my wife and I decided that maybe I could be that person to step into the role of Worship Pastor at Tree of Life. The rest is history. What is your favorite part about working here? My favorite part about working for Shepherd’s Grove is having the

February 23, 2018 1 Comment

Growing Together: A Visual History, and What’s to Come

In 1955, Garden Grove Community Church held its first service at the Orange Drive-in Theater. In 1961, Garden Grove Community Church held a first of its kind service in a new location — a walk in / drive sanctuary in Garden Grove (now known as Crystal Cathedral’s Arboretum). In 1970, Hour of Power was born with Dr. Robert Schuller’s mission to reach millions who couldn’t attend church. Arvella Schuller served as the program’s executive producer. In 1975, the Arboretum was overflowing with church congregants, so Dr. Schuller begins to execute his dream of building a new sanctuary on the property. In 1979, after overcoming many contracting challenges, the Crystal Cathedral held its ground-breaking ceremony. In 1990, Bobby Schuller made his first appearance on Hour of Power, singing “I Never Touched a Rainbow” as a 10-year-old. In 2000, Bobby Schuller is interviewed on Hour of Power for the first time by his

February 6, 2018 7 Comments

Staff Spotlight: Karen Galvin

How long have you been with the ministry? 10 years (Technically since March, 2008. Not made “official” until June, 2008) What do you do for Shepherd’s Grove? I am the Facilities Manager. I directly oversee the Security & Facilities departments and indirectly oversee Maintenance, Utilities, and Event Coordination. How did God bring you to the ministry? I discovered an ad at Santa Ana College for a minimum wage job working part-time in the Gift Shop/Bookstore at Crystal Cathedral. It paid too little money, was not enough hours, and was NOT the type of job I was looking for but God told me to go for it because you never know where it will lead. When I went for the interview, the Human Resources lady told me she thought I’d be much better suited for a position with the Hour of Power called “Detail/Correspondence”, which DID pay what I needed and

January 30, 2018 2 Comments

About the Music: “Let There Be Peace on Earth”

We are so blessed by our Voices of Hope Children’s Choir! Here they are performing their rendition of “Let There Be Peace on Earth,” accompanied by the Hour of Power Choir and Orchestra. This beautiful anthem was developed in 1955, with the words written by Jill Jackson and the melody by her husband, Sy Miller. Jill, after having experienced a sharp dip in her depression which led to her attempted — and failed — suicide, her heart then opened wide and willing to God’s unconditional love. She discovered from that moment on that she has a purpose, and her life and talent for music were valuable. A decade later, Sy and Jill went to a California retreat in the mountains where they met an array of young people with various socioeconomic, religious, and ethnic backgrounds. This week-long retreat was dedicated to exploring friendship through education and conversation. Introducing their song

January 25, 2018 No Comments

ROCK4CHOC: Hour of Power in the Community

Here at Shepherd’s Grove / Hour of Power, we strive to be active and compassionate members of our local community. We have been given the opportunity to donate our facilities for an evening, this upcoming Thursday, for ROCK4CHOC, a concert to benefit Children’s Hospital of Orange County. The concert will feature Krazy Kirk and the Hillbillies, who you might remember performed here on Bluegrass Sunday. As many of you know, our very own Cohen Schuller has been treated at CHOC, which is just one reason why this is a wonderful chance to get involved in the community around us. This concert correlates with CHOC Walk in the Park, which takes place later this month. Team DAPs Magic, which consists of numerous Shepherd’s Grove and Hour of Power staff members and attendees, has organized this event exclusively with CHOC. Preceding the concert, there will be light refreshments, a silent auction, and

August 14, 2017 1 Comment

Gathering of the People

Never Follow a Stranger

Facing Your Fears

A Place to Belong

ROCK4CHOC: Hour of Power in the Community

Staff Spotlight: Tully Wilkinson

Growing Together: A Visual History, and What’s to Come

Staff Spotlight: Karen Galvin

About the Music: “Let There Be Peace on Earth”

ROCK4CHOC: Hour of Power in the Community

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