Manna to purchase Shepherd’s House building in T.O.





OVERFLOWING—The Rev. Leaf Zwerling stands outside the Shepherd’s House Foursquare Church in Thousand Oaks on Feb. 2. The church has outgrown its building and is looking for a new home.

OVERFLOWING—The Rev. Leaf Zwerling stands outside the Shepherd’s House Foursquare Church in Thousand Oaks on Feb. 2. The church has outgrown its building and is looking for a new home.

Sixty years after its founding pastor built a small A-framed church near what was then Ventura Boulevard (later Thousand Oaks Boulevard), the congregation of Shepherd’s House Foursquare Church is leaving, and not for the reason some might suspect.

The 3,000-square-foot building not far from City Hall is bursting at the seams. Even after renting space across the street, there’s not enough room for its growing flock of worshipers.

The congregation, which had about 30 members when Pastors Leaf and Joanie Zwerling arrived 8½ years ago, has swelled to about 160, including 40 or so children, Leaf Zwerling said.

“Sometimes I wish the original pastor had built it twice as big because we would love to stay,” he said.

Already three of the church’s classrooms are too full during family services and the church has had to juggle service times to accommodate everyone.

Members bit the bullet and decided to put the property on the market in early 2015. It wasn’t long before they found an interested buyer, one that delighted the congregation.

“At first, we thought it’s got to be a church that buys it. But once Manna came and showed interest and put in an offer, I feel like there was an even greater sense of joy for them because they can have an even greater community impact than maybe a smaller or newer church trying to establish its own identity,” Zwerling said.

If the deal goes through, the Conejo Valley food bank will continue a tradition of service that’s always been a part of the church, said longtime members Hank and Jean Heister.

“Jean and I don’t go to church for ourselves,” Hank said. “We go to see who we can help.”

Feeding Conejo families year-round is a large part of the church’s contribution to the community. Quarterly, the Shepherd’s House provides 50 to 60 families with groceries, the pastor said.

The church’s spirit of giving is well-known to its neighbors. Last Christmas, a dinner party for the congregation turned into a celebration for the whole community when word got out.

“When we came to attend the party ourselves, there was no room,” Hank Heister said. “All of a sudden, we had to start running out and getting more food and, instead of attending the party, we were giving it.”

The Heisters said it’s a great example of the congregation’s general approach to Christianity.

“If you weren’t there to serve, you’d probably have left disappointed,” Jean said of the turnabout.

Bucking the trend

While church attendance is down across the country, it’s just the opposite at Shepherd’s House. Zwerling said local families have been inspired to join because of the opportunity the church provides to put faith into action.

“We want our people to realize they don’t come to church just to be blessed, but to be a blessing,” the pastor said.

But that’s not their only key to success.

“Whether it’s your first time or you’ve been coming for 20 years in a row and have never missed a Sunday service, we want each person to experience God’s love,” Zwerling said. “We believe God’s love changes hearts and lives and identities.”

It’s a message not lost on the Heisters.

“When most people come in to a new church, they’re uncomfortable, not comfortable, but with Shepherd’s House, you’re comfortable,” Jean said.

“You come into Shepherd’s House and you . . . just can’t get away from the spirit of love,” said Hank. “It doesn’t matter what your challenge is, you know you’re loved.”

As for relocation plans, the church hasn’t found an appropriate place yet, but it’s eagerly looking and hoping to find a large enough building in the same general area of the city, Zwerling said.

IN A NUTSHELL

Shepherd’s House Foursquare Church is at 95 N. Oakview Drive in Thousand Oaks. A service for adults takes place at 8:30 a.m. Sundays and a family service is offered at 10 a.m.


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