The year was 1996. A year filled with critical decisions about Emmanuel Reformed Church and its destiny. Emmanuel is located in Paramount, CA, a blue-collar community with a rich Dutch history and heritage. The community around the church was experiencing a racial transition from predominately white to predominately Latino. It was evident that many businesses were changing to cater to the growing Latino influx. Consequently many churches in the community began to flee to the suburbs rather than deal with the hard transition of becoming a multicultural church.

Many of Emmanuel’s congregants pushed for relocation. Others argued to stay and serve. However, because of its historical roots to the community (80+ years) and its focus to serve its community as a missionary church with a missional calling, the church leadership (pastors, elders, deacons) chose to stay in the community and face head on the difficulty of becoming an multicultural church. In short it chose to stay and serve with the belief that urban cities matter to God especially the people that dwell in them.

At that time (1996) Emmanuel had 2 strong worship services that were critical to its foundation and existence. These services had developed, over years, worship traditions that many people held dearly especially as it related to its rich Dutch culture and heritage.  Thus, shortly after the decision was announced that the church would remain in the area, 2 critical questions immediately surfaced;

“How do we demonstrate to the community that they are welcomed to this church”?

“How do we minister effectively to such a diverse community”?

First, a plan was formulated to start another worship service that would be intentionally designed with the community in mind. This would allow the 2 original worship services to remain intact and the new worship service would present a different worship style more conducive to the community. Second, the church started making tons of phone calls throughout the community. Volunteers from the congregation rallied together to make invitation phone calls (“will you and family come checkout the new worship service”) within the Paramount community from September – December 1996. Over 15,000 such calls were made. Those who responded positively to the initial phone call received 2 more “reminder” phone calls (Dec 1996, Jan 1997) informing them of the “opening worship service” and encouraging them to attend.

Third, several members were asked to leave the existing worship services and commit to attending the new worship service for at least 1 year. Why? To help bring social, relational, spiritual stability to the new worship service. Fourth, 2 young men, (Latino – Spanish speaking and African-American) were recruited to lead the service. It was very important and intentional that this new service reflect racial diversity in worship and leadership. The African-American man later became the pastor of the new service (1999) and continues to serve in this capacity.

The new service was called the “Noon Service” because the worship started at 12:00 Noon. On the first day, February 5, 1997, it kicked off. Approximately 450 showed up for the first service. It was a diverse crowd from all walks of life and the majority lived within 5 miles of the church. Overall the worship atmosphere was electric. Something new and very unique had been born from heaven that would eventually bless not only the church but the community. We even served a free lunch for everyone in attendance. On the second Sunday, approximately 300 people attended. By the end of the month, we were down to approximately 125-150. But the seed had been planted and by God’s grace, we believe the Lord would give increase as we were faithful to the historical and current call of our church as a missionary outpost. We nursed the young service along with tons of care calls and preaching the gospel in practical means that they could grasp and apply in their everyday lives.

The Noon Service music worship team at the outset was predominately white but Emmanuel continued to search for non-white worship leaders. 2 years later, after start of Noon Service, Emmanuel went after a gifted young African-American worship leader out of the Chicago area. He chose to come and his presence and musical giftedness brought a worship/music style that became very appealing not only to the Noon Service, but the church as well.

Fast forward 12 years later. The Noon Service serves as the main “entry point” of drawing a diverse community into the church. Emmanuel’s current ethnic make-up is approximately 50% white, 30% Latino, 15% African-American, and 5% other. As the Noon Service grew, so did its Latino attendance. Emmanuel tried to honor its Latino attendees by singing songs in Spanish when applicable. Some preaching was done as bi-lingual. About 3 years after the start of the Noon Service a Latino Pastor showed up with a desire to help pastor the Latino congregation. Through his leadership efforts, the Latino population of the Noon Service mushroomed. Emmanuel’s leadership saw the necessity of offering worship service in Spanish and in February 2005, a Spanish Noon Service was started. Today, the Noon Service attendance is approximately 500. The Spanish Noon Service attendance is approximately 250. Before the Noon Service, Emmanuel’s worship attendance was approximately 1100. Current church worship attendance is now approaching 1900. All glory and praise for such increase is given to God alone.

Last, the transition from mono-cultural to multicultural was not an easy threshold for the church to cross. It took much love, patience and, trial & error. The critical key in the context of Emmanuel’s church history and current congregation was that the church chose not to try to “impose” ethnic diversity upon the church. The original worship services were allowed to stay “as is”. The decision to start another worship service designed for community attraction was key. As the Noon Service grew, its impact on the overall church was evident. And the church began to see more clearly the need to embrace and invite all people under its church roof. Today we celebrate our diversity because the church is better for it, the community is blessed, and God is glorified.