erected. At that time a master plan for further expansion was conceived which had to wait until 1966 for its fulfillment. This included a multi-pur pose Fellowship Hall, seating up to 500 for ban quets and other gatherings, which also serves as a Youth Hall fore fireside meetings and the like. This wing also houses the 220-seat chapel, Sunday school classrooms for the first nine grades (each with an assembly room), and a complete and un usually well-equiped kitchen. There is parking space for 200 cars. The Edu cation wing is completely air-conditioned. It is de signed to accommodate a growing Sunday school. The central meeting area for each grade is an in valuable asset, providing for nursery through the ninth grade with eight adjoining classrooms for small class teaching opportunities. Two of these rooms open into the hallway, furnishing flexibility in use by other departments when needed. Each department has a cupboard and is equiped with basic supplies for making posters, bulletin boards, etc. There is also a builLin secretaries desk for each department. An audio-visual department is in operation for the entire Sunday school. When the attendance grew beyond capacity, two Sunday school hours were inaugurated. The first worship service is held simultaneously with Sunday school for grades 1-9; the second, high school through adults. Thus double use is made of the space avail able. Sunday school attendance now is over 1400, and membership 1500; there are 150 on the staff and seven adult classes are well attended. Summer camps include Hume Lake for high school and college age; Taquitz Pines and Forest Home for younger people. There are winter and spring re treats at Acorn Lodge. Church baseball and basket ball teams play in the city league, with many tro phies won. The church owns a new bus and rents a city bus with a uniformed driver—for Sundays. At North Long Beach Brethren Church, social life is geared around the Sunday school. Says the pastor: “My wife and I have always believed that the Sunday school should be given major consid eration. When you get a child in Sunday school, you have an automatic ‘in’ into his home. Our church family includes many families who have come to Christ as a result of their children’s at tending Sunday school.” While the church has a full-time assistant pas tor and a full-time Christian Education director, it does not have a youth director as such. The church is unusually fortunate in having sponsors for each age group who devote much time to that valuable ministry. “With sponsors like these,” de clares Dr. Peek, “one really isn’t pressed to find a youth director; however, the church is on the look out for the right person to co-ordinate the youth program at a future time.” Summer camps, winter retreats, sports, family gatherings — all of these are part and parcel of
O hjU rtifc OF THERo ttili;
Dr. George 0. Peek
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“K A Y dea r b r o t h e r ,” said the renowned Bible ■* * teacher and pastor of many years of the First Brethren Church of Long Beach, “always remember that two important factors in your min istry must take precedence and be given constant emphasis. One is the expository preaching of the Word of God and the other is a strong missionary program. These are the keys to a successful church ministry.” Well aware how fully the veteran Dr. Louis S. Bauman exemplified the principles of which he spoke, young George Peek, just beginning his min istry, took this counsel very much to heart. To this day he gives testimony to the validity of this advice and is grateful that he heeded it. He be lieves and has proven in his own ministry that God’s people must be grounded in the Bible through continuous Bible expository preaching and ever challenged with the Great Commission if the local church is to accomplish its purpose and reason for existence. The North Long Beach Brethren Church stands today as a monument to the grace and power of God, to the faithful declaration of His Word, and to the combined sacrificial service of pastor and people. Established in 1926 by the First Brethren Church of Long Beach, it operated as a mission outpost for a year, after which a pastor of its own was called. As he was a student from BIOLA, he was able to secure the services of the well- known soul winner, Dr. Thomas Horton, for his adult Sunday school teacher, which attracted many. Other student pastors followed and finally in 1948 George Peek accepted the call to be pastor. Mem bership at that time was 200 and the Sunday school attendance approximately 300. Happily, rap id growth made three remodelling programs neces sary. Finally, in 1955, with great faith and fore sight, the church bought the entire block where the church stands. In 1958 the present attractive sanctuary, with a seating capacity of 1100, was
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THE KING'S BUSINESS
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