750 Lutheran Youths Leave Ventura a Nicer Place

Travis Goodrich and a dozen fellow parishioners didn’t complain Saturday when they were assigned the chore at which many cleaners draw the line:

They did windows.

“I take pride in my work,” said Travis, a member of Whittier’s Trinity Lutheran Church, admitting that he tries harder when “it’s for someone other than my mom.”

The window-cleaning, along with weeding and other chores, was for the elderly residents of Stardust mobile home park. They were among the beneficiaries of Saturday afternoon service projects throughout the city.

The teenagers and their adult leaders, along with more than 750 other Lutherans, were in town this weekend for the Pacific Southwest District Youth Gathering, an annual meeting of high school students from churches throughout Southern California, Arizona and Nevada.

From Friday night through Sunday, the participants used Bible study, guest speakers and workshops to explore this year’s theme, “Going Vertical,” a challenge to prioritize their lives and maintain connections.

“They’re learning about their relationship with God, their parents and their friends,” said Peter Librojo, an event organizer who brought 15 of his charges to the gathering from Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Goleta. The youths were housed in Ventura’s Doubletree Hotel.

Social activities included a dance Saturday night followed by a bonfire on San Buenaventura State Beach. The group will gather for a worship service this morning before returning home.

Librojo said the conference is held at different locations throughout the district. Last year’s gathering was in La Jolla.

“They picked this site because they always wanted to come to the Santa Barbara-Ventura area,” Librojo said, adding that the beach was especially enticing to participants from inland California and the desert states.

There were local participants from Peace Lutheran in Camarillo and St. John’s in Oxnard.

Mike Schultze, the youth director at Peace Lutheran, brought three high school freshmen. They elected to clean coastline.

“We live in Ventura County, and to be able to clean up the area in which we live, we feel like we contribute to the betterment of our community,” Schultze said. “We like our beaches.”

Picking up trash and driftwood at the shore was just one alternative in the optional service project. Some participants painted benches on the pier and beachfront promenade. Others cleaned three of Ventura’s parks or worked with the California Department of Transportation for roadside improvements.

“It’s overwhelming to [come up with] projects for 300 people, but it’s well worth it,” said Beth Sutherland of Partners in Progress, a Ventura beautification group.

Project Understanding’s volunteer coordinator, Carolyn Echols, said a group of 17 from Escondido and Vista saved her agency several days’ work during the busy Thanksgiving season. They neatly shelved cans of tuna, beans, peanut butter and bags of pasta and rice at the organization’s food bank.

The group also toured the Ventura Avenue agency and learned about its services for the homeless and its tutoring program.

“It was pretty inspiring,” said 16-year-old Ryan Payne of Gloria Dei in Escondido.

Having signed up to perform “random acts of Christian kindness” at the Stardust park, youth minister Noel Fairchild and three teens from Mt. Calvary in Diamond Bar said her group and its partners from Trinity in Whittier were fulfilling their mission.

“Actions kind of speak louder than words,” Fairchild said. “Jesus Christ came to this earth as a servant, not to be served, and we’re modeling that behavior through action.”

“We’re just giving back what he gave to us,” 14-year-old Morgan Weintraub added.

At ages 87 and 88, Mac Fuller and his wife, Ruth, were happy to have the help.

“I think it’s a great thing and I’m just real pleased with the work,” Mac said. “They’re all good congenial people.”

Back at the Doubletree, a dimly lighted meeting room was set aside for prayer. On butcher paper, in colored marker, were many prayers of thanks for friends and a few for the healing of sick family members.

But among the petitions was one that revealed one of the less spiritual goals for the weekend:

“For good surf.”