Page 2 September 28, 2017 EL SEGUNDO HERALD
Community Briefs
Local Weatherman Fritz Coleman to
Perform South Bay Comedy Benefit
Fritz Coleman is DEFYING GRAVITY to benefit South Bay Auxiliary CHLA! September 30, at 7 p.m. at Hermosa Beach Community
Theater, 710 Pier Avenue. For tickets, call 310-710-7035 or brownpapertickets.com. •
Calendar of Events
Deadline for Calendar items is the prior
Thursday by noon. Calendar items are $1
per word. Email listings to marketing@
heraldpublications.com. We take Visa and
MasterCard.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 28
• El Segundo Farmer’s Market, 3:00 PM.
– 7:00 PM., located on Main Street, Downtown
El Segundo.
• R.O.A.D. Meeting, 4:00 PM., El Segundo
Public Library, Rose Garden Room, 111
W. Mariposa Ave., Call: 310-322-1513.
FRIDAY, SEPT. 29
• Bingo, 1:00 PM. - 3:00 PM., 50 Plus, $3.00
minimum, Senior Club of El Segundo, 339
Sheldon St., Call Helen at: 310-416-9181.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 30
• Saturday Night Dance, 7:00 PM. – 9:45
PM., Cost: $3.00 Per Person, Adults of all
Ages Welcome, Senior Club of El Segundo,
339 Sheldon St., Call: 310-524-2705.
SUNDAY, OCT. 1
• Bridge & Pinochle Groups, 11:30 AM. –
3:45 PM, Senior Club of El Segundo, 339
Sheldon St., Call Pam at: 310-318-2856.
MONDAY, OCT. 2
Canasta Group, 12:00 PM. – 3:00 PM., 50
Plus, Free, Senior Club of El Segundo, 339
Sheldon St., Call Pam at: 310-318-2856.
TUESDAY, OCT. 3
• Pinochle, 11:30 AM. – 3:30 PM., Senior
Club of El Segundo, 339 Sheldon St., Call
Pam at: 310-318-2856.
• City Council Regular Meeting, 7:00 PM. –
10:00 PM., 350 Main Street, El Segundo,
Call: 310-524-2306.
• El Segundo Kiwanis Club Meeting, 12:10
PM., The Lakes at El Segundo, 400 S. Sepulveda
Blvd., Contact: elsegundokiwanis.org.
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 4
• National Walk to School Day – walk to
school, get some exercise, have fun.
• Bowling, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM, 50 Plus,
Senior Club of El Segundo, Gable House
Bowl, 22501 Hawthorne Blvd., Torrance,
Cost: $8.00 for 3 games, Call Joyce at:
310-322-7621.
• Drop-In Lobby Event: Wine Cork Pumpkins,
12:00 PM. – 1:00 PM., free, El
Segundo Public Library, 111 W. Mariposa
Avenue, Call: 310-524-2728.
THURSDAY, OCT. 5
• El Segundo Farmer’s Market, 3:00 PM.
– 7:00 PM., located on Main Street, Downtown
El Segundo.
• El Segundo Historical Committee Meeting,
7:00 PM. – 8:00 PM., El Segundo Public
Library, 111 W. Mariposa Avenue, Call:
310-640-8923.
FRIDAY, OCT. 6
• Bingo, 1:00 PM. - 3:00 PM., 50 Plus, $3.00
minimum, Senior Club of El Segundo, 339
Sheldon St., Call Helen at: 310-416-9181.
• Free Computer Class: Email Attachments,
8:30 AM., free, seating is limited and
registration is required, El Segundo Public
Library, 111 W. Mariposa Ave., Call:
310-524-2728.
SATURDAY, OCT. 7
• Celebrate: A Fireworks Spectacular, 7:30
PM., Library Park, Main Street, For more
info: centennialfireworks.com. (3:00 PM
– Concert in the Park)
• Saturday Night Dance, 7:00 PM. – 9:45
PM., Cost: $3.00 Per Person, Adults of all
Ages Welcome, Senior Club of El Segundo,
339 Sheldon St., Call: 310-524-2705.
SUNDAY, OCT. 8
• Bridge & Pinochle Groups, 11:30 AM. –
3:45 PM, Senior Club of El Segundo, 339
Sheldon St., Call Pam at: 310-318-2856.
MONDAY, OCT. 9
• Canasta Group, 12:00 PM. – 3:00 PM., 50
Plus, Free, Senior Club of El Segundo, 339
Sheldon St., Call Pam at: 310-318-2856.
TUESDAY, OCT. 10
• Pinochle, 11:30 AM. – 3:30 PM., Senior
Club of El Segundo, 339 Sheldon St., Call
Pam at: 310-318-2856.
• Board of Education Meeting, 7:00 PM.,
District Administrative Offices – Board
Room, 641 Sheldon St.
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 11
• Bowling, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM, 50 Plus,
Senior Club of El Segundo, Gable House
Bowl, 22501 Hawthorne Blvd., Torrance,
Cost: $8.00 for 3 games, Call Joyce at:
310-322-7621.
THURSDAY, OCT. 12
• El Segundo Farmer’s Market, 3:00 PM.
– 7:00 PM., located on Main Street, Downtown
El Segundo. •
Pastor John Svendsen from front page
diagnosis, Svendsen feels it is time to lighten
his daily load a bit. He also believes First
Baptist could use some fresh direction moving
into the future. “I’ve sort of been a chaplain
and they need more of a captain,” he said.
“Every pastor brings to the table a certain
skill set and that leadership may be better
served by someone else going forward.”
While nothing is set in stone, the church is
currently in talks about a possible partnership
with another congregation. For the time being,
a rotating team of speakers will deliver the
sermons upon Svendsen’s departure.
Since his diagnosis, Svendsen’s life has
been somewhat of a “rollercoaster,” but he
is pleased to report that he’s doing fairly
well overall. Nonetheless, the illness was a
pivotal part of his decision to make a change.
“I realized that if I don’t have as long to live
as I might have thought, I wondered, ‘What
do I want to do with this next chapter?’” he
said. “I love teaching and preaching, and I
want to help mentor young men to be the
next generation of pastors.”
In addition to settling in at a new church,
Svendsen also plans to travel to China in
February as part of a teaching excursion.
He has made similar trips in the past to areas
as diverse as Georgia (the country) and
the Dominican Republic. “There’s a great
need in many parts of the world that don’t
have as many theological opportunities,”
he explained. “Your garden-variety pastor
can make a contribution by going to those
developing world situations and teaching the
pastors there. It’s a rewarding experience.”
When asked about any particularly memorable
rewarding experiences or highlights
during his tenure at First Baptist Church,
Svendsen preferred to look at the whole rather
than single out any moment. “I like to think of
just the regular teaching, preaching, counseling
and shepherding of the people week-in and
week-out,” he said. “It is the steady stream
that I enjoy, so I like to think of my legacy
as having an even-keeled ministry.”
Svendsen maintained a small (about 50
people on average) but loyal congregation
over the years. “It’s always been a family
community in El Segundo and also insulated-
-in a good way--because it allows for families
to grow and thrive here,” he said.
While describing himself as “low-key” on
the administrative side, Svendsen emphasized
that he is passionate in his preaching. “Even
if you don’t agree with me, you will say, ‘I
can tell he believes what he preaches,’” he
said. And his message has remained the same
over his 36 years as a pastor. “I want people
to see their need for a savior and that Jesus
is that savior. If I’ve gotten them to see that
need and have that faith and have their lives
shaped by that, then I’m very well-satisfied
that I’ve done my job.”
That job was something Svendsen knew he
wanted to pursue from an early age growing
up in La Canada. Both his dad and grandfather
were pastors, as were other family members.
But he is quick to point out that his chosen
career path was not a matter of simply
following in prior footsteps. By the age of
16, he knew in his heart that the ministry
was his calling. After completing college and
seminary, Svendsen had stints at churches in
Queens, New York and Connecticut before
returning to the West Coast in 1990. Still
unmarried at the time, he noted that he was
able to live on “a smaller salary” or in a
“dicier location.” When he got to El Segundo,
he realized this could be a good place to
finally get hitched. “I was an old bachelor
until Susie rescued me when I was 39,” he
said. The couple have now been married for
22 years. Moving back to Southern California
also allowed Svendsen to take care of his
aging parents who have since passed away.
And though he and Susie did not have any
children, they did take in two youngsters
for 10 years.
While excited about the move, Svendsen
said he will miss the “great weather” and
“friendly people” of El Segundo. “And most
of all the loving congregation I’ve spent more
than a quarter-century living amongst,” he
said. He literally has lived amongst them, as
his home is in the parsonage on the church
property. “It has been a good run,” he added.
“I’ve enjoyed it and been honored to be here.”
The congregation will miss him as well.
“Pastor John has been an integral part of my
life and my families’ lives for the past 18
years,” said First Baptist Associate Pastor
Lisa Lait. “He is more than a pastor. He’s
a friend, mentor and an example of what it
means to be a Christian.”
Mary Beth Wong noted that when her
husband Frank was on hospice care, “Pastor
John came every Sunday in between morning
and evening services to read and pray with
him. Even when Pastor John was/is fighting
cancer himself, he never neglected any opportunity
to find out how the members of
his flock were doing. He is a true example
of a good shepherd and we have been so
blessed to be under his care.”
Meanwhile, Svendsen’s faith has helped
guide him through his own challenges. “I
know this is a secular newspaper and not a
religious forum, but it’s important to mention
that as I face my cancer and earlier death…
what has gotten me through it is that cancer
is not my greatest problem. It’s the penalty of
sin--and I’ve already solved that. The Gospel
has been the best medicine--more so than
chemotherapy or radiation—and it has been
nothing but good news for me. It puts life’s
problems in their proper perspective. I want
to continue spreading the message in Oregon.”
Those who would like to stop by and
wish Pastor John Svendsen well will have
the opportunity to do so on Sunday, October
1 during an open house at the First Baptist
Church’s Fellowship Hall (591 E. Palm Avenue)
at noon. The community is invited. •
Pastor John Svendsen. Photo Courtesy of First Baptist Church.