The Hollywood Trash-a-Thon was a success! We raised over $2500 for our region to go toward this years Special Contribution and picked up over 50 bags full of trash! Hollywood is now a more beautiful place if that were possible. A special thank you to all the people who donated money for our cause.

Last weekend was another amazing one for our Hollywood House Church! I was particularly fired up about our Open Mic at Café Audrey on Friday. It was once again standing room only and many of those who came are now studying the Bible. Even Frank Potenza from Jimmy Kimmel Live! came and enjoyed the night with us (Uncle Frank Bio)! Be praying that the musicians coming will make decisions for God soon.

On Sunday, we had 73 in attendance at House Church, even with the Ventura House Church and the Teen Ministry meeting at other locations! It was amazing to hear Jake Tuason share at his restoration and equally amazing to see Ashley Woodey baptized at Topanga Beach after the service (pictures below). But the highlight for me had to be seeing Brother Carlos preach the word on Sunday morning after 4 years away from the pulpit. I think we were all inspired to hear about his life – strengths and weaknesses, victories and failures – and to see how powerfully God is raising him up and using him now!

Excitingly, this week we are starting a new BibleTalk at Robert and Grace Johnson’s near Santa Clarita. Carlos will be leading the new BibleTalk. Let’s pray that they have a great impact up there and we will continue to spread the word!

Many are close to making decisions about getting baptized, being restored or placing membership. Pray that the Lord keeps bringing in the harvest and that we work powerfully together, bearing with and loving each other. And to God be the Glory!

Here are the pics from Open Mic. Thanks to Albert for being the Hollywood Camera Guy! Tell your friends to check it out at Cafe Audrey every Friday @ 8:30pm.

What an amazing weekend for the Hollywood Ministry! The Open Mic @ Cafe Audrey was by far the best yet. Well over 50 people were there and even one of the main actresses from the hit show Friday Night Lights came and hung out for over an hour and got reached out to by the disciples. Many (not all) of the musicians that played were phenomenal. Even Vicki James and Dustin and Amanda Miller got up and displayed their talent for us!

Several visitors from Open Mic came to House Church as well as many others and we ended up with 92 people at our service, our most ever! The spirit and the singing of the group was electric. Carlos’ welcomes keep getting better and better and we were all excited to learn about his ugly fever blister! Hopefully, the message on ‘Radical Christianity’ (click here for the lesson notes) was tolerable and maybe even inspiring for some. The fellowship was encouraging afterwards and I think many visitors and christians were impacted by the whole day! (Thanks to Lucy, Dave and Jill and all the others that helped with Kids Kingdom as well.) Now there are so many Bible Studies and Restoration Studies going on that I can barely keep up! Surely ‘the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few’!

Don’t forget that it’s Bring Your Neighbor Day this Sunday! Let’s pray that the ‘Lord of the Harvest’ will blow it out and many more people will become disciples in LA!

Also check out the new website for the Empire City International Christian Church @ www.empirecityicc.org (Thanks Dustin for your work!)

(Pics coming later of Open Mic! - Thanks Albert)

Join us for Open Mic Every Friday - 8:30pm @ Cafe Audrey on the corner of Hollywood Blvd. and Las Palmas Ave. in Hollywood.