Love Stockton
What would happen if our entire community mobilized together to love Stockton?
This is the question a group of community and faith-oriented residents of the City of Stockton asked in the midst of 2012. The city was crime ridden and on the brink of the largest city bankruptcy in U.S. history. Stockton was perennially on the list of “Worst cities in America” in nationwide publications. Morale of the city was at an all-time low. This group of residents believed there was much to love about Stockton; situated on the California/San Joaquin Delta, proximity to the San Francisco Bay Area and the great Sierra Nevada Mountain Range, a rich history of both agriculture and commerce, and the incredible diversity of our residents.
The concept behind Love Stockton is simple: when people of faith along with people of good will gather together (as individuals, churches, businesses, nonprofits and corporations) to unite, mobilize and saturate Stockton with love, positive change results. Through serving our neighbors and community in a way that meets needs, we demonstrate kindness and leave a lasting impact in the minds and hearts of those we serve. These service projects have resulted in parks revitalized, school beautified, and neighborhoods unified.
The model we use is to “partner with” the City of Stockton rather than to “do for” the city. We target city parks, local schools and needy neighborhoods for our projects. We ask Stockton Parks & Recreation, the Stockton Unified School District and other community stakeholders to name projects, set parameters and establish goals. Past projects include rebuilding playgrounds, resurfacing tennis courts, painting buildings and blacktops and cleaning classrooms.
We are asking you to partner with Love Stockton in our community projects. Your financial and/or in-kind gifts will multiply the impact of our hundreds of volunteers that tackle these projects. As a program of the Stockton Leadership Foundation, Love Stockton is a 501(c)3 organization.
Thank you for considering a partnership with Love Stockton!
Multi-Faith Clergy Gatherings
Early in his administration, Mayor Gary Podesto took initiative to build unity among the clergy across all faith lines by hosting a Mayor’s Clergy Breakfast after he announced a teenage being murdered the day before. He called for a rallying together of all clergy from all faiths, all ethnic groups and denominations to work together towards solutions for the problems in our city. Stockton Leadership Foundation began to work with the Mayor’s Office in developing a database to efficiently call the clergy together for quarterly meetings. Eventually Stockton Leadership Foundation took over the coordination of the Multi-Faith Clergy Gatherings, rotating the hosting of these gatherings in a variety of venues. Each of Mayor Podesto’s successors enthusiastically embraced this quarterly gathering throughout each of their administrations. Throughout these years SLF played an increasingly significant role in building a communication and collaboration network among clergy, including - at the Mayor’s request - coordinating the participation of Stockton clergy from all across faith and denominational lines in the invocation at City Council meetings.
The Multi-Faith Clergy Gathering was originated by the Stockton Leadership Foundation nearly twenty years ago for the purposes of:
• Facilitating interpersonal communication between city leaders and the full spectrum of faith leaders about issues of concern to people of our community;
• Weaving a fabric of relationships with people of other faith, ethnic, socioeconomic and geographic backgrounds;
• Highlighting the many accomplishments of the human service NPOs, NGOs which serve our city.
The Multi-Faith Clergy Gathering provides the Mayor, the City Council, the City Manager, and other invitees from City Hall an opportunity to present updates on city initiatives as well as enlist the faith community to participate in the civic well-being of Stockton. Usually, the host organization where gatherings convene also presents their programs to the leaders in attendance. The Stockton Leadership Foundation organizes, publicizes and conducts the event. Faith leaders (clergy, leaders of congregations and faith-focused non-profits) from all religious traditions within the City of Stockton are invited and encouraged to participate.
Some encouragements for those who participate in the Multi-Faith Clergy Gathering:
• Please RSVP in a timely fashion via email or a phone call.
• Please be yourself. We are not asking you to change your beliefs, convictions or faith.
• Please respect each other as people and residents of the same city. Take some time to understand one another. If presenters, hosts or those delivering the invocation/ benediction are not from your faith community, please observe, respect and understand your differences and similarities.
• Please use this time as an opportunity to build relationships. You may even find time outside these gatherings to get together and discuss your differences and similarities, providing opportunities to expand your understanding.
Some encouragements for those who present or share at the Multi-Faith Clergy Gathering:
• Please understand that the audience has leaders and representatives from multiple faith communities.
• Please do not feel a need to change or adjust your presentation to be more, or less, religious.
Some encouragements for those who cater or serve food at the Multi-Faith Clergy Gathering:
• Please remember that some religious faiths have dietary guidelines.
• Kosher, halal and vegetarian friendly options are greatly appreciated.
If you would like to host a future Clergy Gathering or have an idea for a non-profit organization (or a city department) to sponsor and present at a future gathering, please email the Stockton Leadership Foundation at stocktonleaders@gmail.com. Thank you for attending the Multi-Faith Clergy Gatherings. Your attendance displays your desire to see your city prosper and all of her citizens thrive.
To those willing to give the Invocation at the Stockton City Council:
Since Stockton Leadership Foundation is coordinating this schedule at the Mayor’s request, licensed or ordained clergy from the entire spectrum of the Multi-Faith Community are welcome to participate, as the purpose is to engender unified support toward our City Leaders in an atmosphere of respectful dialog from all points of view on issues that concern the well-being of our community.
Stockton Leadership Foundation maintained the Invocation schedule. Scheduled clergy would confirm by email that the date and contact information are correct, and be sure to have entered that date in their personal calendar. The Mayor’s office usually confirmed with participants by phone or email the day before.
The City Council meetings are scheduled on Tuesdays at 5:30 PM on the 2nd floor of City Hall. Clergy were encouraged to arrive no later than 5:20 to let the City Clerk know that you are present so you can be introduced as the meeting opens. Clergy are to be clear, positive, and brief (Suggesting one minute). If something in their schedule preempts this commitment, please contact by email and/or phone so that we can make efforts to fill your slot.
Restore Stockton
Administering grant funding from the Department of Justice, Restore Stockton performed their peer-mentoring program. One of the most successful out all of the grant recipients from around the country.
EASTER SUNRISE SERVICE
The Stockton Citywide Easter Sunrise Service is a celebration in the Christian tradition welcoming the city of Stockton to purposefully gather in a public setting to proclaim the central event of the Christian Gospel: the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
A deepening friendship between two pastors of different ethnicities and different protestant denominations gave rise to the first annual City Wide Easter Sunrise Service in 1999 at Stockton’s Downtown Waterfront Park, Weber Point Events Center. Over the years this gathering has grown, drawing participation of up to 1,000 people at 6AM on Easter morning from over 80 churches – all across denominational and ethnic lines.
Since 2009, the Stockton Citywide Easter Sunrise Service has been planned and organized by the Easter Sunrise Steering Committee that is overseen by the Stockton Leadership Foundation (SLF). Through the support of congregations, individuals, and an offering received at the service, SLF provides financial backing for the event.
The program of the Stockton Citywide Easter Sunrise Service is a simple, one hour worship service. However, planning and conducting this event takes many people contributing in unison:
The Easter Sunrise Steering Committee :: The steering committee consists of pastors, leaders, individuals from a variety of ethnic and geographic backgrounds. Members of the Easter Sunrise Service Steering Committee are selected by the Stockton Leadership Foundation. Members of the Easter Sunrise Steering Committee have various roles for the service, including: invitations, publicity, prayer support, set up and tear-down, sound system, music, coordination, stage management, and other items as listed in the event timeline.
Easter Sunrise Speaker :: The keynote speaker for the Stockton Citywide Easter Sunrise Service is selected by the Easter Sunrise Steering Committee. This person is selected according to various criteria, including:
• A strong biblical and theological foundation.
• Ability to communicate a clear Gospel-centered message to a large group of people.
• Over the years the goal is to rotate this role for ethnic and geographic diversity from the city.
Other Platform/Stage Participants :: The Easter Sunrise Steering Committee selects leaders from various congregations and organizations to guide the assembly through different elements of the service. Leaders are asked to pray, act as an emcee, read Scripture, etc.
Easter Sunrise Music Director :: The music director is selected by the Stockton Citywide Easter Sunrise Service Steering Committee. The music director needs to have experience working with diverse groups of musicians and styles of music. The music director selects the songs for the service. The music director may also serve as the choir director.
The Easter Sunrise Community Choir :: This is a volunteer choir from multiple congregations and neighborhoods throughout Stockton. The choir commits to rehearsing together beforehand and arriving early.
You can view our invitation to congregations here.
You can view our invitation to singers and musicians here.
You can view our 2020 Citywide Easter Sunrise Service here.
You can view our 2019 Citywide Easter Sunrise Service here.
You can view our 2017 Citywide Easter Sunrise Service here.
You can read a statement about our 2016 Citywide Easter Sunrise Service here.
SPIRIT FESTIVAL
The Stockton Spirit Festival (aka Stockton SpiritFest) was the San Joaquin Valley's largest free festival with music, food and family-friendly activities that was absolutely free to all guests. It was the hope that at this festival, the general public is introduced to the Church of Stockton in a manner that is welcoming, hospitable, engaging, approachable, resourceful, redemptive and relational.
In 2009 Grant, Lisa and Marguerite Hawes started The Annual Stockton Spirit Festival as a celebration following a day of service in cooperation with (what is now known as) Love Stockton, led by Marguerite, and the City of Stockton’s Public Works Dept. as a visible collaboration between the Church of Stockton and others of goodwill on city improvement projects.
After the 2016 Stockton Spirit Festival Grant, Lisa Hawes and Marguerite Hawes have decided to turn over the leadership of the event to Stockton Leadership Foundation to continue on with the new steering committee overseeing festival responsibilities.