After losing her husband, Summer knew the next right step for her was to seek Jesus and be in community with her church family. Now, she ministers to others facing unimaginable grief, guiding them to the hope she’s found in Jesus.
“I think my understanding of hope has changed because I think hope isn’t found in circumstance. It’s found in knowing that God is going to walk me through the fire, that He enters into it with us—and that makes it that much more reliable,” Summer said.
On February 15, 2020, Summer woke up and realized her husband, Brian, wasn’t there. Shortly after, a coroner came to the door and informed her that Brian had passed away the night before. After years of struggling with mental illness, Brian lost his life to suicide.
“There’s absolutely nothing like facing hope being ripped away in that type of moment,” Summer said. With her family beside her, Summer called a trauma therapist, who told her to take it one day, and one step, at a time. “I knew that the next step to take was to just seek Jesus and to trust that He was going to walk us through it,” Summer said.
She went to Mariners the next morning, and discovered a group of people waiting for her in her normal row, ready to pray with her and surround her with love. In that moment, Summer knew God was with her, and her church community was there for her. Throughout the last year, she’s experienced God’s faithfulness and found hope in Jesus.
Now, she walks through seasons of grief with others and supports and loves them like others have loved and supported her. She is a part of a group of other widows, where she encourages and gives each hope to others facing unimaginable grief.
“We are going to go through hard things, but God is going to stand beside us and walk with us in the midst of it,” Summer said.
If you’re facing grief and loss like Summer, you are not alone. Remedy, our Care & Recovery Ministry, is Christ-centered recovery program for anyone experiencing challenges in life arising from hurts, habits, or hopelessness. Join us on Monday nights at 6:15p at Mariners Irvine and walk alongside others finding hope and healing in Jesus. Learn more here.
Have you ever wondered what’s next in your faith journey?
Maybe you’re new to Mariners or new to your faith, and have lots of questions. Or maybe you have been a part of Mariners for a long time, and are ready to get more involved by serving on a ministry team or connecting with others in community.
No matter where you are spiritually, there’s always an opportunity for you to grow and go deeper in your faith. At Mariners, we believe that everyone has a next step in faith and we’re passionate about helping you find yours.
If you’re looking for community, want to grow in your relationship with Jesus, and want to discover your purpose and figure out how God has wired you to fearlessly change the world, Next Step is for you.
Next Step is a 60-minute experience that will help you find your place in the bigger story of how God is working in you! At Next Step, you’ll have the opportunity to learn more about Mariners, have a live conversation with some of our pastors, and explore how you can get involved in what the Lord is doing through our church.
Join us this weekend to discover how God wants to use you to inspire others to follow Jesus and fearlessly change the world.
Find out more information here.
Where do you find hope when you need it most?
This weekend we’re launching our brand-new, summer teaching series, Hope in Hopeless Times, unpacking the book of f 1 Peter. The people of Peter’s day were a lot like us. They felt overwhelmed, and, at times, filled with despair and frustration. Peter’s first letter still speaks to us, like it did to the early church thousands of years ago, reminding us of the unwavering, unshakeable hope we have in Jesus.
We’re not going to skip a verse in 1 Peter so don’t skip a week! Join us every weekend at one of our locations throughout Orange County, or online at marinerschurch.tv, and invite your friends and neighbors to experience this incredible series with you.
Our amazing Mariners Creative Arts Volunteer Team has also created a beautiful series magazine filled with resources, original content, inspiring stories, and more to guide you as we explore the book of 1 Peter together.. Bring it with you to weekend worship services, and on the road with you when you’re traveling, to follow along with us week by week. Pick up a physical copy this weekend or download a digital version here.
For more information, resources, and shareable invites, visit the Hope in Hopeless Times series page.
Early in his musical career, Tim received a devastating cancer diagnosis and was told he had five years to live. 20 years later, he continues to live every day with purpose, hope, and a passion to reach and serve others with God’s love.
“I try to approach every day as being an instrument in God’s hands. ‘Lord, how are you going to use me in this sphere that You’ve brought me into today…How can I pursue excellence for Your Name’s sake?’ Then it’s easy to let the results be in His hands.” – Rob Pelinka
Los Angeles Lakers General Manager Rob Pelinka shares how his faith kept him grounded amidst the intensity of the NBA Playoffs in the “bubble,” and what life lessons he holds dear from his 20-year friendship with Kobe Bryant.
After experiencing a devastating 42% drop in income, Laynie took a big step of faith and made a bold and generous gift, trusting God would provide for her and her young daughter.
Colby experienced the depths of God’s fatherly love, guidance, and comfort during one of the most difficult seasons of his life—the tragic loss of his earthly father.
I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you, always praying with joy for all of you in my every prayer, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:3-6
Over the past year, one thing has remained true. God is good and faithful. We’re so grateful for how God has worked through Mariners Church to serve and reach our communities and our world with His love.
Because of your generosity, we were able to expand our impact, serve our cities, and reach even more people with the life-changing, good news of Jesus.
Here are a few of the amazing things God has done through our church:
- Throughout this past year, we invested heavily in our online services. Now, Mariners Online services serve people from all 50 states and 83 countries, with an average of 20,000 people worshiping online with us every weekend.
- We increased efforts at the Mariners Food Pantry to serve those battling food insecurity and launched Mariners in the Gap to support families with childcare, academics, and after-school enrichment.
- We launched weekend worship services at the OC Rescue Mission to share God’s love with the families at the mission.
- Through Mariners Hosted Here, we’re now bringing our online services to 55 at-home gatherings, 61 senior living facilities, and 300 prisons across the United States.
- Our Mariners in the Neighborhood locations will launch as four new Mariners Congregations this fall.
This is your generosity at work. Thank you for partnering with us to inspire others to follow Jesus and fearlessly change the world.
Mariners remains committed to going as far as the generosity of our church will allow. As we prepare to begin our new budget year on July 1, we invite you to take a step of faith to give generously and be a part of advancing God’s message, and His mission, on Earth. We’re excited about all the new opportunities the Lord is bringing our way and can’t wait to see where He will take us next.
“When I heard their stories, I felt like I knew them all my life. It reminded me of the process I had to go through to leave my country and come over to the United States,” Ali said.
Ali came to the United States at a young age seeking advanced medical care after losing one of his legs in an accident. As an adult, he became friends with a few people from Mariners Church who invited him to sign up for Rooted. At the end of his Rooted experience, Ali said “I believe” for the first time and made the decision to follow Jesus.
When Ali signed up to serve with Voice of the Refugees (VOR) and deliver food to refugee families, he wasn’t sure what to expect. As a refugee himself coming from a region that had experienced a lot of conflict, he didn’t know how people from other countries would receive him. “I wasn’t sure what type of people I would be meeting and talking to. I was a bit nervous about it,” Ali said.
One of the first families he met was from Iraq, a country that had been at war with Ali’s home country of Iran for several years when Ali was young. The father of that family was a former soldier who apologized to Ali for his part in the conflict. Ali assured him that what had happened was in the past and prayed with him. He told him, “we love God and God loves us the same. You are absolutely my brother.”
The experience stuck with Ali as he continued to serve even more refugee families with VOR in the following months. “It was such a powerful moment. I just felt blessed. It was such a heartwarming experience to know God is present and God is at work,” Ali said.
We invite you to come serve with us and our partners at Voice of the Refugee (VOR) on World Refugee Awareness Day. Join us this Saturday, June 26 at a family picnic where we’ll play games, connect, share stories, build relationships with our refugee families and neighbors, and celebrate the launch of VOR’s summer programs. Learn more and sign up through the link below.
We hope to see you there!