SHANNON KELLY
Assistant Perspectives Editor
Shalini Trehan knew she would be a Malibu Presbyterian Church regular from the first time she attended. As an incoming freshman at Pepperdine, Trehan found herself hunting for churches. Tagging along with her dorm friends one Tuesday night in October 2002, Trehan attended University Ministries, Malibu Presbyterian’s college program.
“After I went that one time, I was hooked,” she said. “It was just so neat to get a group of college students together and worship and kind of refocus.”
By Spring 2003, Trehan arranged for rides from campus for Sunday services. She graduated in April 2005 and now lives in Hollywood but still drives some 40 minutes out to Malibu on Sundays.
“It really feels like a small church,” she said. “People are so friendly, and they really reach out to meet you.”Though the church may feel small, it’s growing by most accounts. The 9 a.m. Sunday service follows a traditional structure with more hymns and it attracts an audience of older churchgoers, said the Rev. Greg Hughes, MPC’s senior pastor. But the 10:45 a.m. service, which many students attend, flows with upbeat tunes and an electric guitar. The latter service is typically packed — even Sunday’s Labor Day service — and Hughes said he’s thinking about adding another service to accommodate the crowds.
The congregation comes to hear Hughes’ sermons on deep worship and neighborly love. Though lacking the urbane finesse some pastors command, he makes up for it in plainspoken candor. He often begins with an anecdote, moving the audience to occasionally chuckle. A tangent or two — worldly matters, a personal story — usually slips its way into the half-hour oration.
Sandwiching the sermon are songs led by worship leader Scott Kauffman. Kauffman, who began at the church four years ago, brings in a contemporary, soulful sound. A singer in his own band, Kepano Green, Kauffman gets support at MPC from a five-person group complete with a piano, guitar, bass, drums and two backup vocalists. His worship often has members of the congregation throwing their arms in the air — but at the early service, things are more subdued.It’s a fine line the church must walk. With older members preferring traditional songs and students enjoying contemporary worship, Hughes said he’s concerned about which direction to take if the church should establish a third service.
Either way, the existing services continue to attract many Pepperdine students and faculty. Hughes, a pastor at MPC for four years, said the involvement of Pepperdine students at the church is one of the things that initially attracted him.
“The students bring a lot of life to the worship,” he said. “They really are some of the brightest and best college students.” The church’s UM program Tuesday nights draws the largest student crowd. According to UM’s Web site, the group’s purpose is to foster worship and fellowship among students and to encourage daily living in a godly manner.
Jeff Davenport, UM’s youth leader, recently moved away to pursue other opportunities. In his place is Ross McMeekin, from the University of Washington’s University Presbyterian Church in Seattle, Wash.Barring any major changes in format to UM, the program looks to keep its major draw on students: the chance to worship among their peers.“Being able to go to church with my friends is such a comfortable setting,” said sophomore Dorian Beaney. “It makes going a lot more appealing.”
UM focuses on music. With a student band playing, the crowd belts out worship songs with abandon.
For Trehan, the worship mix is perfect.
“At some churches you just kind of feel like you’re going to a rock concert,” she said. “I loved how at Malibu Pres, it was very worshipful and reverent but contemporary.”
09-08-2005
