La Crescenta Presbyterian Church

06/07/2026

Rev. Dr. Michael Morgan is Lead Pastor of Discipleship at Bel Air Church in Los Angeles with over 25 years of ministry experience. He is passionate about helping people grow as disciples of Jesus through spiritual formation, pastoral care, and community. Mike earned his Doctor of Ministry from Portland Seminary, focusing on cross-denominational discipleship, and created Equip, an eight-volume discipleship curriculum. He and his wife, Rebecca, have been married over 17 years and have a son, Benedict, along with their dog, Brody.

“Embodied: Being the Ears of Jesus”
Sermon by Rev. Dr. Michael Morgan
Scripture: Matthew 15:21-28

Rev. Morgan’s sermon invites us to notice and respond to the cries we would rather tune out, just as Jesus heard and honored the desperate pleas of the Canaanite mother in this passage. He will also explore how Jesus allows an “outsider” woman’s persistent cry for her daughter’s healing to reshape the moment, revealing a God whose mercy overflows every boundary and expectation. We’ll ask what it means for us, as Christ’s embodied church, to have ears that stay open to those on the margins who keep “shouting after us,” so we become a community that listens with compassion and acts in faith.

Rev. Dr. Michael Morgan is Lead Pastor of Discipleship at Bel Air C...

06/02/2026

Congratulations to Adam Hill and Vera Garabedian on graduating from Crescenta Valley High School. We are so proud of their hard work, their dedication to our church family, and the ways they’ve grown in their faith.

It has been a joy to walk alongside them, and we look forward with excitement to how God will lead them in this next chapter.

05/25/2026

This Memorial Day, we pause to honor the men and women who have laid down their lives in service to God and country, remembering their sacrifice with deep gratitude and reverence. Scripture reminds us, "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends" John 15:13, and we see this love reflected in those who gave their all so that others might live in freedom. As we remember them, we also look to the hope we have in Christ, trusting that "whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's" Romans 14:8, and praying that their legacy would inspire us to live lives of courageous faith, humble service, and steadfast love.

05/17/2026

Welcome Rev. Nicholas Warnes! Rev. Warnes holds a Masters of Divinity from Fuller Theological Seminary, with an Emphasis in Worship Theology and Art, and is the Founder and Executive Director of Cyclical Inc. He enjoys the regular pattern and rhythm of being both the Executive Director of Cyclical Inc and Director of Cyclical LA in Los Angeles, a ministry of the San Fernando Presbytery. Nick is also a recognized speaker on faithful innovation, international church planting coach, and the president of the board of the Church Planting Initiative at Fuller Theological Seminary. Nick finished his first book in 2014 with Dr. Mark Lau Branson called Starting Missional Churches: Life With God in the Neighborhood. More recently, Nick edited Faithful Innovation in 2020 and authored Deconstructing Church Planting in January 2022. Nick lives with his wife, Whitney, and son, Lee, in Los Angeles, CA.

"Holding Captivity Captive"
Sermon by Rev. Nicholas Warnes
Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-16

Christ has not only broken our chains; in his death, resurrection, and ascension he has taken the very powers that held us captive and made them his captives, turning our bo***ge into a parade of grace for the sake of his body, the church. In Ephesians 4:1–16, Paul, a prisoner in the Lord, urges us to live a life worthy of this calling by walking in humility, gentleness, patience, and love, guarding the unity that Christ has won. The One who “ascended on high” and “held captivity captive” now gives gifts to his people, apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers, not as trophies of victory, but as servants who equip the saints so that every member can participate in building up the body of Christ. Where sin, death, and fear once dictated our story, Jesus now writes a new story of maturity, where we are no longer children tossed by every wind of doctrine, but a people who speak the truth in love and grow up into Christ, our head. “Holding captivity captive” means that in every place we still feel bound by shame, division, or despair, Christ is already Lord, inviting us to step into the freedom of our shared calling, each one doing their part so that the whole body becomes healthy, growing, and full of love.

Welcome Rev. Nicholas Warnes! Rev. Warnes holds a Masters of Divinity from Fuller Theological Seminary, with an Emphasis in Worship Theology and Art, and is ...

05/10/2026

"Boundary Crossing Barnabas"
Sermon by Rev. Dr. Terry McGonigal
Scripture: Acts 9:26-30. Acts 11:22-26

Barnabas steps into Saul’s story when the church wants to keep its distance, crossing boundaries of fear, reputation, and painful memory to stand beside a new brother in Christ. In Acts 9, when the disciples in Jerusalem cannot trust the former persecutor, Barnabas listens to Saul’s testimony and uses his own credibility to usher him into the fellowship of the apostles. Later, in Acts 11, when a surprising, multiethnic church forms in Antioch, Barnabas rejoices in God’s grace among Gentile believers, encourages them to remain faithful, and then seeks out Saul so they can teach this young community together. “Boundary Crossing Barnabas” invites us to follow his example today—trusting God’s work in unlikely people, celebrating grace in unexpected places, and using whatever influence we have to welcome and build up those God is calling.

Barnabas steps into Saul’s story when the church wants to keep its distance, crossing boundaries of fear, reputation, and painful memory to stand beside a ne...

05/10/2026

On this Mother’s Day, La Crescenta Presbyterian Church gives thanks for the women who nurture, guide, and reflect God’s love in countless ways. We honor mothers, grandmothers, and all who have offered care and wisdom, shaping lives through their faith and compassion. May today be a reminder of God’s enduring love, and a time to celebrate the strength, grace, and devotion that bless our families and community.

05/03/2026

Welcome Rev. Kevin Haah. After graduating from Cornell Law School, Kevin began his career as an attorney in Los Angeles before marrying his wife, Grace, and starting a family together—raising three children: Quill and twins Eliana and Bennett. He became a partner at a prestigious law firm before sensing a call to ministry, which led him to pursue a Master of Divinity at Fuller Theological Seminary.

Kevin went on to serve as a pastor, church planter, and adjunct professor, teaching church planting at Fuller. In 2008, he and Grace planted New City Church of Los Angeles, cultivating an inclusive, multi-ethnic, and socioeconomically diverse Christ-centered community in downtown Los Angeles. He served as lead pastor until 2023.

He is a contributor to Planting Missional Churches: Life with God in the Neighborhood and co-author of Together for the City: When the Mission Is Bigger than One Congregation.

Today, Kevin has returned to the practice of law, where he represents nonprofits, churches, and ecclesial bodies, and also serves as a church consultant and coach. He is a Teaching Elder in the Presbytery of San Gabriel of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

"Redeeming Our Regrets Passage"
Sermon by Rev. Kevin Haah
Scripture: John 21:1-19

In John 21:1–19, we meet Peter not at his best, but in the shadow of his deepest regret, having denied Jesus three times. Yet it is precisely there, on the shoreline of failure, that the risen Christ meets him with grace, not condemnation. Jesus does not ignore Peter’s past, but gently leads him through restoration, asking three times, “Do you love me?”—redeeming each denial with an invitation to renewed calling. This passage reminds us that our regrets do not disqualify us from God’s purposes; instead, when surrendered to Christ, they become the very place where redemption begins. In the hands of Jesus, even our worst moments are not the end of our story, but the starting point for renewed identity, deeper love, and faithful service.

Sermon 5-3- 2026 "Redeeming Our Regrets" by Rev. Kevin Haah with scripture from John 21:1-19

04/26/2026

Just when we think we’ve got life neatly mapped out, God has a way of throwing us “lessons out of left field.” In Exodus 20, the Ten Commandments aren’t just old rules on stone tablets; they are God’s surprising gift to shape a people who belong to Him, teaching us how to love God and one another in everyday life. In Romans 12, Paul picks up that same theme and shows us what it looks like to become “living sacrifices”—men and women whose ordinary, daily choices are transformed into worship.

This Sunday, Rev. Dr. Richard Lyon invites us to see how God often uses the unexpected—a hard conversation, an inconvenient interruption, even a painful disappointment—to teach us obedience, humility, and love that run counter to the patterns of this world. We’ll explore how God’s commands and Paul’s call to sincere love, genuine hospitality, and patient endurance can reframe those “out of left field” moments as opportunities for growth rather than reasons for fear or frustration.

Sermon 4-26-2026 “Lessons Out of Left Field” by Rev. Dr. Richard Lyon

04/24/2026

We gather in solemn remembrance of the Armenian Genocide, during which more than 1.5 million Armenian men, women, and children were systematically killed by the Ottoman Empire under the cover of World War I. We stand in solidarity with our Armenian brothers and sisters here in Los Angeles and around the world, united in the pursuit of a world free from hatred, violence, and the abuse of power. We pray for the Lord’s peace, protection, and justice for all who suffer oppression, now and always.