By Hugo Torres

Pastor Hugo has served part-time as our Spanish-speaking pastor but recently came on full-time as our Local Outreach Spanish-Speaking Pastor. Hear more from him as he enters this new full-time position.

How do you feel coming on full-time at Evergreen?

First, I want to say thank you to our church family for having received me and my family with arms wide open. After seventeen years of being a tent maker (bi-vocational pastor), the Lord in his grace has opened a great and effective door for full time ministry here at Evergreen. This opportunity fills my heart fully with praises and thanksgiving to God.

Also, being always a solo pastor and now joining a great team of pastors and staff it gives me a sense and a place of belonging where everyone shares responsibilities for one common goal: Discipleship.  

Please share your responsibilities now being full-time at Evergreen

My main responsibility as pastor of local outreach is to lead in the execution of the vision of our church, with a special attention on evangelizing and edifying (making disciples) our local community of Avocado Heights. This means that I am responsible for developing and implementing strategies for the church’s local community’s discipleship, building up leaders for local outreach ministries, develop a Spanish speaking ministry as part of Evergreen Baptist Church, and help to incorporate the Spanish speaking group into the larger communal life of the congregation.

Besides the local outreach ministry, I am also responsible for overseeing and supervising our church’s facilities care under the oversight of the pastor of administration.

Please share how that has impacted your responsibilities at your previous church in La Habra

I think the greatest impact this has had is not being able to be there every Lord’s Day service to preach, since Sundays are generally a mandatory office day for our church staff and be available to meet upon request. Along with this, the other impact this has had is that I need to schedule guest speakers for every Sunday of the month to preach in La Habra congregation except the last Sunday when I am there to preach. Also, because I am not there every Sunday, there is the need to be one day a week in La Habra to attend whatever needs there are and be available to the members to meet upon request. Thanks to the flexibility on my schedule, I can do this by working remotely from La Habra office on Thursdays.  

What are you most excited about now being the full-time Local Outreach pastor at Evergreen?

I must be honest about it, there is so much work to do ahead of us. For instance, developing a Spanish speaking ministry at Evergreen and integrating the Spanish speaking body into the larger community life of the church is a big task that will demand hard work and bring its own challenges. However because I know that this is God’s work and not mine, I am excited to see how the Lord will use Evergreen church to make it happen.

How can we be praying for you and your family?

Coming to Evergreen church is a new chapter in my life and the life of my family, please pray for this transition process from La Habra congregation to Evergreen congregation to provide for the right man to take over at La Habra church and that the Lord use this transition to disciple every member of my family including myself. You can also pray for Jackie’s health that the Lord provides a good treatment for her stomach issues.

Paul Lu recently joined our staff as an intern. Hear more from him as he shares about his journey and what his hopes are for the future in serving the Lord.

Please share how you came to Evergreen.

Our family came to Evergreen through Michelle and Eric Abe, whose girls were friends with our daughter Phoebe at ACS (Arcadia Christian School). After visiting a few churches, we sensed the Lord guide us to call Evergreen SGV our home church. We have been here since February 2014, and have been members since July 2015. Since then, we have been deeply ministered by pastors, as well as many brothers and sisters in the church.  

What will your internship entail at Evergreen?

My internship will be primarily in Outreach and Worship ministries. I will be serving in Local and Global Outreach with Pastor Hugo and Jon H. I will also coordinate the praise teams for Lord's Day services, serving with Rich, Garrett and Irene. Also, the Lord has placed evangelism and prayer as two areas to serve the body of Christ. I pray for more opportunities to do so. 

What do you hope to gain from your internship at Evergreen?

I hope to be equipped at Evergreen so that when Prudence and I are sent out as missionaries we know how to plant churches and care for the flock. In the meantime, there's a lot to learn from the pastors, staff and the body of Christ on how to minister to one another in God's Word and in prayer.

What are your plans after the internship?

My plan is that Prudence and I would be sent out as missionaries to East Asia, Lord willing. I plan to equip the overlooked people in East Asia with communication tools for them to thrive in society, and look for opportunities to plant churches.

How can the church be praying for you?

Prudence and I are seeking the Lord's will in terms of missions. Please pray that God will bring our differences into alignment with His will. For me specifically, pray that I would lead sacrificially and lovingly.

by Kay Carey

During the first couple months of the pandemic, I had the opportunity to evaluate and reprioritize what I had been doing. One of the things God impressed upon my heart was to consider stepping down from staff and just serve Him as a lay person as a disciple maker. After seeking some wise counsel and much prayer, I decided to retire at age 63 from a formal staff position.   

As I reflect on my time as a ministry associate at Evergreen SGV, my heart overflows with gratitude for the blessed opportunity to grow in Jesus Christ. I give Him all the glory and honor for the wonderful time serving Him and His people.   

When I was first hired as outreach staff back in November 2006, I was going through a major transitional period of my life after returning from Costa Rica due to health issues - cancer and PPS (Post Polio Syndrome). After going through a season of treatment and healing, God opened a perfect ministry door at church. It really helped me to transition back into life in the U.S. 

I have many fond memories of ministering with many faithful people, promoting God’s great commission to the church family and equipping them to share the Gospel and His love locally, domestically and overseas in the outreach ministries. After seven years, I transitioned to discipleship/mentoring, which has been my passion for most of my Christian life. I am so grateful for all the things I learned from all the pastors and church family. Thank you so much for all your love, prayers and partnership/friendship!   

For those who are interested in knowing what I have been doing since my retirement: My daily activities have not drastically changed since my decision. I continue to disciple and mentor people as God allows and guides. I have been experiencing lots of joy and peace as I get to develop deep and meaningful relationships with family members and friends (old and new) who live near and far. 

“The Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.  May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.”

2 Thess. 3:3,5