100% Uniting: Building a Community Through Faith and Friendship
When Omar Rodriguez heard that the Evangelical Free Church of Fullerton was looking to build a presence in the South Fullerton area, he knew it would be no easy task. Having earned his Master of Divinity and Master of Theology degrees from Talbot, however, he felt equipped to jump in and help drive the leadership to make the outreach a reality.
Omar started a small Bible study in the South Fullerton area, and it slowly grew. He soon realized that the best way to reach the people was through building relationships in the community and school system. As Omar gained their trust, he was able to see the needs in the community and help out where he could.
The small Bible study soon grew into Maple Evangelical Free Church. Today, the congregation meets on Sunday mornings and the diverse services are able to reach both English and Spanish speaking people in the community.
As the church grew, Omar was also able to start a tutoring program at the local school, helping families and youth know that the church truly cared about the people.
Omar helped take the vision of one church and inspire a whole community. He still keeps in close contact with many of his professors from Talbot, and has valued their support through the process. Omar never imagined that God would use his education in this way, but he is thankful to see the lives of those in his own community changed.