On Sunday, September 29th, volunteers from the World Mission Society Church of God in Cerritos, Los Angeles, Orange County, and Torrance united together to host the 8,339th Worldwide Cleanup Campaign in the city of Artesia. A total of 70 volunteers participated in this cleanup with bright smiles, willing hearts, and the mind of servitude.
They donned equally vibrant volunteer shirts with the slogan “with the Heart of Mother” printed on the back, signifying that the philanthropic efforts by the volunteers would be carried out with sincere love for all humankind, following the example of Heavenly Mother.
Pioneer Boulevard Cleanup
Volunteers joyfully traversed down Pioneer Boulevard, between the cross streets of 178th and Arkansas Street, filling trash bags with litter and plastic waste products that pose a great threat to the community’s environmental sustainability. The majority of trash collected was found near the 91 freeway on-ramp/off-ramp and around the underpass which is frequented by pedestrians.
Due to heavy traffic flow and inconsistent street maintenance, the area was susceptible to trash buildup. However, the volunteers took the lead in displaying servitude and bringing a sense of comfort and safety, especially for pedestrians. “I believe it was God’s will that we did a cleanup on Pioneer Boulevard, since we strive to be pioneers of the gospel by serving our community,” said Alaina Marasa.
Worldwide Cleanup Campaign
The Church of God is responding to climate change globally with its Worldwide Cleanup Campaign. Young adult volunteers work tirelessly to clean up polluted streets, parks, downtown areas, and mountains and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in daily life. Street cleanups are currently held in 30 countries with more than 29,000 participants. Volunteer service is a central mission of the Church of God, and earlier this year, the country of Peru honored the church with the Medal of Honor Award in recognition of more than 20 years of dedicated volunteer service.
Many passers-by expressed their support by honking their horns and sharing words of encouragement and appreciation to the volunteers. Not only did the volunteers dedicate their time and efforts for this cleanup to be efficient and successful, but they also supplied the cleanup materials and rented a U-Haul to properly dispose of the 25 bags of trash collected. “It’s a rewarding experience to volunteer in the community that we are a part of. Not only does it develop our character, but we are also shining the glory of God by making it known that the Church of God is here in this community and it’s where we can find the love of our Heavenly Mother,” said Jeremiah Partee.
Awarded by Mayor of Artesia
The year 2024 marks a very special milestone for the Church of God as we celebrate the 60th year of the establishment of the church, as well as 60 years of dedicated volunteerism to embrace the global community as our own family. Volunteers of the Church of God genuinely follow the example of Christ to give love to our neighbors. They do so by carrying out numerous humanitarian efforts that aim to achieve the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to spread happiness to all humankind with Mother’s love. We give thanks to our Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother for allowing us to be pioneers of servitude and kindness in our respective communities.
The church of God was invited on Oct 14, 2024 to the city council chambers in Artesia, CA to be presented with a certificate for their efforts in beautifying the city. The mayor himself proclaimed and congratulated our church on its 60th anniversary.
Mayor Tony Lima of Artesia presents the Church of God with a Certificate of Recognition at the city council chambers. The mayor congratulates the Church of God on its 60th anniversary.
