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Our weekly newsletter filled with news, updates, and inspiring stories of how God is working in the Bay Area.

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“Salt is good; but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have the salt of friendship among yourselves, and live in peace with one another.”

– Mark 9:50 GNT

Our friendships greatly determine how impactful we are in the world around us. God destines each person to not only have an inspiring life, but also create a culture of inspiring friendship wherever we are and whomever we’re with to make each other great!

Finding Purpose through Friendship

Recently in San Francisco, we saw God moving to change a life through the “salt of friendship.”  Miles Diloy became a Christian at the onset of the pandemic in 2020 as a junior attending Sacred Heart Cathedral High School. While playing on the school basketball team, he became friends with Luke Munchua and built a connection that God would deepen through the pandemic.

As a high school junior, Luke was focused mainly on his academics and playing basketball. Once the pandemic hit, one of the few friends who was always there for him was Miles. Miles invited Luke to join him for a Friday night teen devotional on Zoom. Luke was inspired by Miles’ initiative, loyalty, and faith in God. As Miles shared about his life and past family challenges, Luke related and began sharing about his life as well. Miles introduced other friends from the SF Teen and Campus ministries to Luke and together their friendships became like family.

Luke wanted to learn more about God and live a purposeful life. He began studying the Bible on Zoom and continued in person during their senior year. Eventually Miles and Luke each decided to attend the University of San Francisco (USF) for college, inspired to embark on this next stage together with other friends they knew in the USF campus ministry.  

Luke dedicated week after week to studying the Bible, hanging out with spiritual friends, going on prayer walks together and learning how to reconcile and deepen his relationship with his family. He saw relationships with people in a whole new light by being able to see and take responsibility for choices he had made. Even when the new college semester of his nursing program started up and Luke began being entrenched in school work, he still prioritized time to learn about God and build spiritual friendships. 

Luke was impacted by seeing how much God was willing to forgive him as he learned about Jesus dying on the cross, which helped him learn to love his family and friends deeply. He decided to get baptized just a couple of weeks ago and is excited about living for God’s purpose of loving and changing lives. Now Luke and Miles are helping their other friends on campus learn about God and teaching others to care as they both serve as inclusive coaches for E-Hoops SF at USF on weekends.

Building Faith Together as Deep-Spirited Friends

If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart if you care—then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends.

– Philippians 2:1-2 MSG

We are also excited about our recent fall Single Professionals dinner parties. In San Francisco, the families ministry invited singles from all over the Bay for a Friday night dinner party featuring a catered dinner and incredible desserts hosted by Patrick and Anita Cross. From great conversations to acting out a variety of funny commercials together, the faith of the singles was built through memories made and relationships that were deepened. 

In Silicon Valley, the families ministry has been hosting dinner parties this summer and fall where single professionals from all walks of life can come together to relax, enjoy great conversations, and have fun over dinner and dessert. The games and experiences together have made for some incredible evenings, built the faith of the singles and their friends studying the Bible who joined, and inspired the married couples who have been helping to host! 

God’s power and purpose have the greatest impact when we take on his heart and passion for building life-changing friendships. Spiritual friends truly make all the difference!

Until next time,

Ray & Amy Kim

Lead Ministers, San Francisco

 

Written by

Ray Kim

Ray Kim is a Southern California native who made the Bay Area his home after graduating from the University of California, Berkeley. He is passionate about community service, and is spearheading such efforts as the E-Hoops program at the University of San Francisco.