Neighborhood Comes Together for Summer Film Festival

The second event of the third annual Lutheran Church of Our Savior Film Festival was held recently, to the delight of all of the neighborhood families. Staged by church council members and featuring games and activities as well as a showing of the hit children's film, "Despicable Me 2," the free event was truly one of wholesome summer fun. Families started arriving around 7 p.m., setting up folding chairs and blankets in front of a huge inflatable screen as well as heading over to the snack booth to purchase freshly made popcorn and candy. Rebecca Mugiishi, who designed the program three years ago, spoke of why it was important for members of the community to be able to gather together and have fun. She said, "From our church perspective, it is so important to be part of the community," and elaborated that the main goal was to bring everyone, regardless of whether they were congregation members, to a "safe haven." In fact, she commented on how each year, more and more people from outside the congregation attend. "We want people to have hope that San Bernardino is still a great place to be," she stated, "We want people to feel comfortable if they have any questions about God or relationships. [We] want to be a good neighbor and friend." Pastor Scottie Lloyd echoed these sentiments and stated in regards to the event, "It helps us to get to know our neighbors better," and it allows an opportunity for "clean, wholesome, family entertainment." He went on to describe that "In the old days, the church was the only place where you could find sanctuary, regardless of politics. How [do you] develop that in the 21st century?" The way this sense of community and security is developed is by doing exactly what this church has been doing for years. From putting on events such as this film festival to being a supportive backbone for the neighborhood, the Lutheran Church of Our Savior has always been extremely active in the community as well as a hub for community activities. San Bernardino educators, girl scout troops, and the Wildwood Park Neighborhood Association all use the church's grounds to facilitate their meetings or activities. As for the film festival, it was really important for it to be a free event that everyone could attend. After fundraising throughout the year, the church was able to bring this event to life. Pastor Lloyd stated that if there was a charge, the event would be "nothing more than a business," and that in a time when the city may not be able to afford staging such gatherings and where businesses may not want to, an opportunity arises for the church to provide for community needs.