Evergreen SGV Dedication Service

Yesterday after worship service at Epic, I headed over to Evergreen SGV for the dedication of their new property in La Puente. SGV is Epic's "mother church" having been planted from them as a satellite in 1998. I had the honor of saying a few words on behalf of our church to their congregation during the ceremony. In fact, the words of encouragment all came from pastors of SGV's church plants/sister churches to date: Kim Kira (Lighthouse), Jon Hori (LifeSong), Troy Wong (Gateway), Ken Fong (Evergreen LA), and myself (Epic). It was really fun since I hadn't heard these guys or Pastor Cory speak (ever or in very long time). It was nice to be with them in one place at the same time. I wish I had taken my camera to give you a sense of the celebration and scope of the property (17 acres of the former Victory Outreach)...it was wonderful and overwhelming all at the same time! I especially enjoyed the reunion of familiar faces that I haven't seen in years (I used to be a member, intern, and pastor at Evergreen for 10 years). God's richest blessings to SGV in their new home! A great ending to a great day!

In case you're interested, below is my address to them:

EVERGREEN SGV - DEDICATION SERVICE
Kevin T. Doi
February 24, 2008

"Pastor Cory and Evergreen SGV, good afternoon. What a great and glorious day in the Lord for you! On behalf of Epic, I want to congratulate you on acquiring this beautiful property.

On the other side of the spectrum, Epic doesn’t really own anything, and we borrow almost everything – so I realize this may be the only occasion I ever get to dedicate something. So thanks for inviting me to the party!

Ephesians 2:19-22 says this:

19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God's people and also members of his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

Today, whether it’s the Staples Center, the Kodak Theatre, or the recent addition at LACMA – unveilings tend to garner a lot of fanfare and attention. And rightly so - as architecture and design go, buildings are its own important art form and aesthetic, its own gift to culture or to a city.

But in the end, good form always follows function; because in the end, it really is less about the buildings, but what happens inside: It is about the Lakers, it is about the Oscars, it is about Warhol and Monet.

God has given you an amazing gift today. But in the end, it’s more than the land or the buildings that we dedicate, but you. We celebrate the God who loves and believes in you. We want to rejoice in what God is doing in and through you, and give him thanks and praise.

SGV, God knows that you will make kingdom use of the space he has placed in your hands. He knows you will be a community that reflects the beauty of his grace. He knows you will be a friend to your neighbors, a light to the nations.

And so I suppose it is about a building afterall, the building that is you, the body of Christ here at Evergreen SGV, of which Jesus Christ is the chief cornerstone.

And so, may our Father in heaven from whom all blessings flow, enrich your relationships as a church community in this new and exciting chapter in your history that you begin today, may he bless this property and the ministry that emanates from it, and may he make you a blessing to the San Gabriel Valley, and ultimately to the world, in Jesus’ name, and for his sake. Amen."