Many Azure Hills church members remember when the church campus was a country club, complete with an Olympic-sized pool and a snack bar. Azure Hills charter member Carolyn Marovitch remembers the journey to becoming a church. “I was with the group that walked through the country club before it was purchased.”
Founded on January 1, 1965, by 288 charter members, the church has grown to over 2,300 members. The weekend of January 17-19, 2025 the church celebrated 60 years of rich history under the theme 'All Belong,' reflecting the church’s commitment to embracing and uplifting people of all backgrounds and walks of life.
The anniversary weekend began on Friday, January 17, with a night of worship led by George Tuyu, youth pastor. Tara VinCross, senior pastor, preached on how everyone has a place at God’s table. During the first worship service on Saturday, Lee Venden, pastor, presented a unique message that included his late father, former senior pastor, Morris Venden. In the second service, Southeastern California Conference president, Jonathan Park, congratulated the church for its 60-year history of gospel ministry. Grand Terrace mayor, Bill Hussey, and mayor pro tem, Michelle Sabino, then presented a plaque and proclamation honoring Azure Hills' contributions to the community including hosting community events, supporting safety during the pandemic, and creating the Elias Community Center.
John Brunt, former senior pastor, preached a message titled, "Welcome," reminding the congregation to welcome others as Christ has welcomed us. The service concluded with five baptisms, including 92-year-old Florita Welborn, the oldest person ever baptized at Azure Hills, as well as Holly and Chris Negron and Anthony and Jankel Cadavid.
The weekend celebration continued with lunch and an evening concert by the Heritage Singers, and concluded on Sunday, January 19, with a pickleball tournament of players from ages 10 to 86 years old on the Azure Hills courts, organized by church member, Ernie Medina, Jr.
Throughout the weekend, Azure Hills celebrated God’s faithfulness, community impact, and commitment to welcoming all. “We are so grateful to Dr. Andy Sandiford and the Anniversary Planning Committee, who did a fantastic job organizing this weekend,” said Pastor Tara VinCross. “We are eager to see all that God will do in the years to come as we pursue Jesus, committed to loving our neighbors in Grand Terrace and beyond.”
Applause and cheers of gratitude erupted in the worship center on the morning of February 1, 2025. The Crosswalk Redlands community and members part of its Global Network filled the worship center to standing-room capacity. After ten years of dedicated ministry, Tim Gillespie, former lead and teaching pastor of Crosswalk Church, preached his final message as lead pastor. Iconically, he ended the service by reminding each member to “remember to Lovewell.”
Gillespie, who accepted a call to serve as vice president for mission and ministry for the Rocky Mountain region of AdventHealth, leaves a community deeply influenced by his leadership. Over the culmination of his ten years with Crosswalk Redlands and the church’s intentional mission expansion, Crosswalk has grown into a worldwide movement.
Rather than upgrading local facilities to accommodate growth, Crosswalk chose to plant churches—a move that shaped the next six years of Gillespie’s ministry and continues to define the Crosswalk Global Network today. He noted, “by expanding the mission of Crosswalk outside of the four walls of Redlands, we began to meet more people who were committed to the gospel, to expand the kingdom of God, and who are willing to put in the work in order to attend the churches that they were willing to build.” He clarified that the goal was never to simply broadcast a preacher from Redlands to multiple locations but to empower local leaders to serve their communities.
Crosswalk’s worship experience was intentionally structured around three key values: Belonging, Momentum, and Experience. From hospitality teams to children’s ministries, every aspect of the church was designed to create an inclusive and dynamic environment where people felt connected and engaged.
While some may assume that a church with a modern worship style might lack biblical depth, Gillespie emphasized that the opposite was true. Crosswalk, he explained, has a strong Christology that informs its mission and church structure, offering extensive discipleship opportunities through small groups, podcasts, and structured trainings. Gillespie reflected with pride for the growing community seen through the church, Lovewell groups, and their home-based watch parties.
As he steps away from pastoral ministry, Gillespie shared advice for the next generation of church leaders: “The church is a living organism that allows for new growth, new ideas, and new opportunities. As you gain the trust of the organization and the people you minister to, you will be able to do so much more than you can imagine today.”
Victorville Seventh-day Adventist church recently welcomed Pastor JJ Martinez Jr. as their new lead pastor. A California native, Martinez grew up attending La Sierra Academy and Rio Linda Academy before beginning his journey into ministry. Outside of his pastoral work, he enjoys building LEGO sets as a stress reliever and exploring different cuisines, with Italian, Mexican, and Indian food among his favorites.
Since arriving at Victorville Church, Martinez has been struck by the warmth and sense of community among its members. Through the trust and partnership with the congregation, Martinez shares, “We can work together toward the church’s mission and vision of spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ."
Before stepping into pastoral ministry, Martinez initially envisioned a career in healthcare.
"Initially, my plans were to serve people through the healthcare system," he shared. "I attended Union College (now Union Adventist University) and was in the nursing program. But while I was going through the program, I kept feeling God call me into pastoral ministry. After a while, I gave up running away from it and accepted that call. I felt so at peace and knew that God was leading, and I haven’t regretted that decision."
After completing his Master of Divinity at Andrews University, Martinez returned to the Rocky Mountain Conference, where he served multiple congregations, including the Lamar, Arkansas Valley, Pueblo, and Grand Junction Seventh-day Adventist churches.
For Martinez, ministry is about walking alongside people in their faith journey. “Many aspects of my ministry give me life and renew me,” he shared. “But the one that sticks out is seeing someone give their life to Jesus. Standing with someone in the baptismal waters is such a joy and honor. I love it when one person comes back home to Jesus.”
As he settles into his first year at Victorville Church, Martinez is focused on building relationships and supporting the church’s mission. Looking ahead, he hopes to continue strengthening connections within the congregation, mentoring those seeking to grow deeper in their faith, and celebrating moments of spiritual commitment, such as baptism and discipleship. “I want our church family to know that I am there for them through all that life has given.”
With a heart for discipleship and a passion for seeing lives transformed, Martinez looks forward to the journey ahead—one step at a time, walking in faith together.
“Growing up without a present father, I often questioned how a loving Heavenly Father could exist. Church was always part of my life, yet I struggled with faith—attending only because I had no choice. Like many in my youth group, I felt disconnected.”
That all changed, when Jonathan Navarro ran into two friends returning from Youth Rush. They were happy and excited about God. Navarro thought, “If God could do it for them, maybe He could do it for me.”Navarro, this year’s Youth Rush program head leader, joined the program the following summer in 2019 and had a life changing experience. Through daily worship, he learned that even though he had no earthly father, he had a Heavenly Father who cared deeply.
That summer left a lasting impact, giving Navarro the desire to pursue a degree in pastoral ministry at Southern Adventist University. He shares, “I am driven by the hope of impacting other youth, just as Youth Rush did for me.”
What is Youth Rush?
Youth Rush is Southeastern California Conference’s (SECC) Student Literature Evangelism program, which empowers youth ages 16 to 25 to share the good news while earning funds for Adventist education. Formally known as colporteuring, Youth Rush puts a new face on the long-standing ministry. Students distribute Bible-based literature in local communities on a donation basis, and the funds support their Adventist education. In addition to the ministry benefits, it offers unforgettable experiences—camping weekends, beach trips, and even a retreat to Catalina Island to foster meaningful community.
However, the true purpose of Youth Rush goes beyond literature distribution. It develops social skills, builds confidence, and develops leadership qualities among young people. By engaging in mission, youth are equipped to become the future leaders of our churches and communities.
Over the last few years, Youth Rush has seen remarkable growth in participation, literature sales, and Adventist scholarships:
Each number represents a youth dedicated to mission and each dollar represents a Christ-centered book in a community home. Every summer, many of our youth embrace the challenge to share the gospel and impact our communities. The personal experience of seeing God touch lives through literature, is truly life changing.
If you are a young person seeking a mission opportunity or know someone who might benefit, visit seccyouthrush.com to learn more and apply for our 2025 summer program.
April 30, 2025
RIVERSIDE, CALIF.—Southeastern California Conference (SECC) is excited to announce Isaac Kim as the Interim Youth Director, effective April, 2025. He succeeds Aren Rennacker who served as conference Youth Director from December, 2019 before accepting a call to the Pacific Union Conference.
Kim has served within SECC for over 25 years in ministry, beginning at the Calimesa Seventh-day Adventist Church as Associate Pastor prior to leading our conference Family & Children’s ministry as an Associate Youth Director since December, 2021. He likes to work collaboratively with ministry teams, cheerleading ministry leaders, and creating space for people to share life together. Isaac and his two boys enjoy sports, both playing and watching. He strives to be the best dad that he can be by modeling the love of Jesus and believes that the message of the Gospel shows up in different ways in our journeys.
As Interim Youth Director, Kim will oversee conference Youth department operations, youth, young adult, family, and children ministry programs, and support church youth ministry leaders in various capacities.
Southeastern California Conference is excited to see how God continues to move within our youth ministries. Please join us in congratulating Isaac.
RIVERSIDE, Calif— From the SECC Ministerial department: Meshach Soli, associate ministerial director,
“To our Southeastern California Conference family,
We have served at the SECC in a variety of capacities for over 15 years. We have been truly blessed to minister to our local church, our families, our children, youth, and young adults, our clubs, our pastors, and our leaders. However, after much consideration, prayer, counsel, and doubling down on our family’s core values, we have accepted a call to serve as the new Executive Secretary and Ministerial Director for the Hawaii Conference beginning on June 1 of this summer.
We are so grateful for the years that we have been able to spend here in growing, leading, and ministering, and we just want to thank all of our family and friends for all the love and support that you have poured into the Soli tribe for many years. We also want to thank our administrators who have poured into us and believed in our leadership—I want to specifically thank Dr. Jonathan Park, our president, for not only his guidance, but his mentorship throughout the years; to Patty Marruffo who has also played a significant role in our ministry and journey, and of course to our Youth department and our Ministerial department.
Transition is hard, but we are excited to see how God is going to lead in this new season. The Bible says, “He who began a good work [in us] will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ,” (Phil. 1:16, ESV) and we look forward to your prayers to help sustain us and guide us in this transition.
This is not goodbye, this is, ‘see you later.’ We’re looking forward to growing our family and being a blessing overseas.
God bless, and aloha.”
Matt Hayes, CFO, John Crafter, president, Patty Marruffo, secretary, and Dante Marruffo, vice president of The Firehouse Family organization pose with their axes.
For the third year in a row, over two hundred firefighter families partook in the annual Firehouse Family Retreat. This year, hosted at Pine Springs Ranch from March 20-23, families enjoyed three and a half days of fellowship and activities for the entire family to enjoy. Patty Marruffo, Southeastern California Conference (SECC) executive secretary, and Dante Marruffo, senior pastor of Orange Coast church, serve as volunteer chaplains for the Riverside Fire Department. The idea for the event was born out of assessing a need when ministering to firefighters in active duty. They partnered with John Crater, fire chief for the Temecula Division, three years ago to support firefighters and their families. To their success, the Southeastern California Conference along with the Pacific Union Conference, the City of Temecula, and a number of other organizations, helped sponsor the event for a third year.
Patty Marruffo and John Crater share a hug.
The Firehouse Family is a registered non-profit organization that seeks to provide resources and relief to firefighters and their families. In the March 27 Executive Committee meeting held by SECC, Chief John Crater shared a personal testimony to the executive body about his experience as a firefighter and the impact the event has had on his family. "I am incredibly grateful to my friends, Patty and Dante, and to this body for your support of this event," Crater said. Bradford Newton, president of the Pacific Union Conference was in attendance at the meeting. Chief Crater presented an engraved axe, dedicated to the Pacific Union Conference, in gratitude of their support.
Elder Brad Newton is presented with the Pacific Union axe.
Plans are already underway for the next Firehouse Family Retreat on March 19-22, 2026. To learn more about the Firehouse Family, visit www.thefirehousefamily.org/home.
The Firehouse Family is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Redlands Adventist Academy (RAA) students recently explored orthopedic surgery through an immersive lab led by alumnus Corey Fuller, orthopedist. Eager to give back, Fuller instructed Anatomy and Physiology students through procedures such as fracture repairs, bone structure analysis, and surgical techniques.
The session allowed students to work with surgical tools, reinforcing their classroom knowledge with real-world application. Student Sydney Van Zant appreciated the hands-on approach, stating, "It helped me better understand fractures and what factors go into repairing them." She emphasized the importance of precise screw placement, adding, "We had to be precise and make sure not to drill or cover any parts of the growth plate on the femur."
Faith Hayton found the experience engaging. "It was more helpful for me to do something hands-on and make connections about what we’ve learned in class," she said, describing the process of aligning bones using plates and screws. Grace Hayton also found the lab inspiring, sharing, "It made the medical field seem less scary and more interesting than I thought it would be."
Other students walked away with a greater appreciation for surgical work. Caroline Keough remarked, "The fact that the bone felt real was especially interesting. It gave me a deeper understanding of how surgeons work." Maidah Khan saw new career possibilities, saying, "After the lab, I started thinking about possibly going into surgery, and it rekindled my passion for cardiology."
Carter Leichty was surprised by the similarities between surgical tools and everyday hardware. "I didn't know that the equipment they use is very close to hardware tools like drills and screws," he observed. Keathy Sanchez valued the practical knowledge, stating, "It may also be helpful to know what happens in a surgical procedure if a friend breaks a bone."
The orthopedic surgery lab provided students with an invaluable learning experience, bridging academic study with hands-on medical practice. Dr. Fuller’s dedication to educating RAA students ensures young minds are equipped with knowledge that extends beyond the classroom, inspiring potential future careers in healthcare.
The annual Junior/Senior Bible Conference, hosted by the SECC Office of Education, brought together upperclassmen from academies across the Southeastern California Conference (SECC) and Southern California Conference (SCC) for a weekend of spiritual renewal, fellowship, and inspiration. Held at the newly renovated Pine Springs Ranch from January 29 to February 1, 2025, the event encouraged students to deepen their relationship with God while connecting with peers from other schools.
This year’s theme, "Rhythm," emphasized the importance of intentionally including God in daily life. Keynote speaker Mike Rhynus from the Loma Linda University School of Religion, a former attendee of the conference himself, delivered powerful messages that resonated with students, challenging them to integrate their faith into everyday routines.
Beyond the main sessions, the heart of the conference was found in family group sessions led by student leaders. These small groups, made up of students from different schools, fostered deeper discussions on scripture while also building lasting friendships through team activities. Ethan Gaines, senior at Redlands Adventist Academy shared, “The community that I created with people that I don’t normally see was amazing. Being able to worship with these people made our connections much more personal.”
A praise band composed of students from various schools led heartfelt worship, creating an atmosphere so powerful it was contagious. Nicholas Borchik, high school history teacher at Mesa Grande Academy, reflected on the impact the worship had. “Our intention for the event was to create a space for authentic corporate worship. Many of my students walked away saying that they want to take their worship experience into other spaces.” As the students return to their campuses, they carry with them the challenge to embrace Christ as an essential part of their lives, shaping their purpose, choices, and relationships.
Another meaningful element was the Prayer Oasis, a space designed by student Prayer Warriors, where attendees could engage in a unique, multi-sensory prayer experience. Youth pastors played a vital role as mentors for student leaders, while Bible teachers and chaperones helped facilitate team-building activities. Faculty and chaplains emphasized that the lessons learned should extend beyond the event, continuing to inspire students throughout the year.
The Junior/Senior Bible Conference remains a cornerstone of Adventist education in SECC, nurturing faith-filled leaders. Organizers look forward to expanding opportunities for students to engage even more deeply, ensuring that each year builds upon the last in fostering spiritual growth and community.
