Brentwood Presbyterian Turns 75

Brentwood Presbyterian Church, one of the longest-standing members of our Brentwood community, is celebrating “The Seasons of BPC — 75 Years of Praising God†on the corner of San Vicente and Bundy on the weekend of February 26-27.
BPC, as the church is often called, is one of the cornerstones of Brentwood, having served countless community members: children, families, congregants and organizations in the neighborhood, around Los Angeles, across the country and throughout the world.
For years extending back to about 1950, BPC has hosted regular meetings for the Boy Scouts, AA, election polling, multi-denominational religious services and community meetings.
The church has also provided educational opportunities for our youngest community members through the Brentwood Presbyterian Church Nursery School to our most sage and seasoned friends through its regular educational classes, lectures and seminars on weekdays and weekends.
Founded in 1929 and Incorporated in 1935, Brentwood Presbyterian Church has been a steadily growing and expanding community resource. In 1948 the Brentwood Presbyterian Church Nursery School opened its doors and the Sanctuary was expanded to accommodate over 200 people.
Ten years later, the Christian Education building, adjacent to the Sanctuary was constructed to provide even greater service to its members and the community. In 1990 a $2.7 million capital campaign was launched to expand the Sanctuary again — to about double its size — to accommodate BPC’s growing membership. Approximately $500,000 from those campaign funds were dedicated to the building of a pediatric hospital wing in Malawi, Africa and a transitional housing facility for homeless women in neighboring Venice, California.
BPC’s commitment to mission giving has continued to grow and flourish ever since and boasts a total contribution of over $7 million to various mission related organizations and projects over the years.
With the practice that its dollars follow its people, BPC actively lives out its “mission†beliefs with hands-on projects including 31 years of home building through its Mexico Work Camp projects where adults, high school and college students and families have built over 200 homes over the years.
Among its numerous other projects, the church each month prepares and delivers home-cooked meals for the homeless in Santa Monica, participates in several events at My Friends Place in Hollywood and more recently, served as a staging area for the packing and delivery of approximately 2,600 “survival kits†for the City’s homeless through The Giving Spirit.
BPC is celebrating its past, and its future, with a two-day gathering to welcome back many of its former pastors, members and friends. Beginning with a Celebration Concert which includes the children’s choir on Saturday, February 26 at 5:00PM, a Dinner Reception follows with time to reconnect with many from our history.
On Sunday, February 27, BPC will hold its two regular worship services at 8:30 and at 10:00AM with a special fellowship time to celebrate being together as a faith community.
Serving others has been a main focus of BPC for generations and is part of our 75th Anniversary celebration as well. This year our 75th will be connected to a 1st Anniversary celebration of the “Marathon of Service†and a Habitat Build in which community members are welcome to serve. The “Marathon of Service†was initiated last year in the spirit of serving throughout the Greater Los Angeles Community during the L.A. Marathon weekend.
One way to participate with us for for year’s “Marathon of Service†here in Brentwood is to join us at the church to pass out water at the L.A. Marathon on Sunday, March 20.
BPC has changed and adapted to meet its congregation and community needs over the years. Most recently, the church has welcomed Rev. Dave Carpenter to serve as their Pastor/Head of Staff.
Originally from New Jersey, Dave knew BPC well from his days as a youth pastor in the Los Angeles area. Dave is married to Yvette, who attended BPC as a young girl, and they have two children. Dave is joined by Rev. Dr. Roche Vermaak, our Associate Pastor who came to BPC in 2005.
Roche and his wife, Kobie, currently serving as the Minister of Faith Formation and Innovation at West Hollywood Presbyterian Church, emigrated from South Africa in 2001 with their two children.
The Brentwood Presbyterian Church Mission Statement reads: Brentwood Presbyterian Church is a welcoming Christian faith community, joyfully celebrating God’s love as known through Christ, purposefully nurturing individual and spiritual growth and gratefully serving all people.
The Core Values that govern all church activities are:
o Acceptance and Inclusiveness that welcomes all people and calls us to act lovingly and without judgment toward everyone.
o Partnership among members, staff and pastors, using our gifts to lead and serve the church, caring for all people. We are all ministers.
o Joy in our faith journey, worship, ministry and church-family life.
o Mission by sharing our time, talent and resources inside and outside the church.
BPC is proud of its heritage and presence in the community, and now turns its focus on the future, continuing in its readiness to serve Brentwood, Los Angeles and around the world.
As the 75th Anniversary celebration nears, Pastor Dave Carpenter and current Clerk of Session, Terry Pasteris, enthusiastically announce “everyone is truly welcome at BPC! We are so looking forward to this anniversary weekend to reconnect with old friends, celebrate with our current members and guests and welcoming visitors we haven’t even met yet!â€
Join us at the corner of San Vicente and Bundy on February 26 and 27…and, COME AS YOU ARE!