The California-Pacific Conference’s vision: Ending Spiritual and Physical Hunger resonates and inspires the laity and clergy of our area to give, lead, and serve in new and exciting ways. Each week we will share a video from one of our churches that is living into the vision. Many of the examples and expressions of grace, connection, and service have been realized and grown exponentially during the pandemic and subsequent seasons.  

This week we feature 580 Café in Los Angeles, California. You are invited to share this video with your congregation, study group, and broader network. Consider how your ministry might further express and move toward the vision. 

The Wesley Foundation at The University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) evolved over the years from a traditional campus ministry that focused solely on spiritual and social gatherings to a center for social justice and equity. Under the leadership of Deaconess Jean Roe Smith, the 580 Café provides food, safe space for conversation, and a haven for activism. Students and community residents converge to discuss and take action on issues that affect the student’s understanding of their identities and acceptance of their power to enact change to systems and structures that may not always honor their humanity.