Once again, Submerge sent volunteers to our local police station to help wrap hundreds of their Toys for Tots gifts so they can bless lots of families in need. It’s another way to work alongside volunteers and to help support our local first-responders.

For the second year in a row, Submerge helped serve hot chocolate & goodies to every student at OB Elementary School as they came to help decorate the OB Holiday Tree! We love partnering with with the teachers & parents to do this.

This year, Submerge partnered with two local nonprofits to help run this year’s OB Food & Toy drive that got to bless 71 seniors and 91 families (including 195 children) with lots of food, toys, gifts, & needed items for the holidays, and saw over 100 community volunteers over 5 days help with it!

Submerge was the main sponsors one again of the famous crooked OB Holiday Tree, and of the OB Holiday Parade, and we got to be extra involved in the parade this year! One of our Submerge families got to light the tree to kick off the parade, and then our Submerge float was one of the first ones down the street. We had a big fully-decorated boat with a live band playing some great Christmas hoedown songs (to keep with this year’s “Hippie Hoedown” theme, and we even won an award for our float–”Best OB Spirit”!

Submerge partnered with Outreach Theraplay to build a playground at Buena Onda’s ministry center, creating a space where kids can laugh, play, and feel loved for years to come. The celebration was just as meaningful, as over 110 community members joined us for a BBQ filled with connection, joy, and hours of play. Huge thanks to the 15 Submerge volunteers who made this possible and to everyone who supported us through prayer and giving. Together, we’re making a difference, one neighborhood at a time—locally and globally!

Submerge had an amazing time helping at OB Elementary’s annual Fall Festival, running fun fall activities and enjoying all the kids’ creative costumes. It was a joy to see hundreds of families come together for an evening of community and celebration. A huge thank-you to our incredible volunteers whose hard work and energy made the event so memorable. We’re grateful for the chance to serve and can’t wait to do it again next year!

Submerge got the opportunity to support the newest annual event in our town: The Sunset Cliffs Auto Show. We got to partner with another church (St. Peter’s by the Sea) to run the kids zone all day, which provided tons of car-themed fun for lots of kids and families! We also gave out lots of fun free stuff to kids and got to connect with even more community families and neighbors. Another great way to “be the church” and add to the fun of our town!

A huge shout-out to Bill Joyce, Liam, and Woody for repping Submerge Church all day at Ocean Beach’s GromFest! They served tirelessly and brought the Submerge spirit to the event. We were also cheering on the Submerge kids who competed—such a fun day watching the groms in action! It was an awesome way to support and celebrate our neighborhood.

Submerge Church was thrilled to give back by providing lunch and an abundance of teacher supplies and student backpacks to the dedicated staff at OB Elementary and Dewey Elementary. As they prepared their classrooms for the upcoming school year, nearly 100 staff members were treated to meals—our first time supporting two schools at once! A huge thanks to everyone who donated supplies and funds, and special appreciation to Mad Munch and Johnny Manana’s (David Sason) for helping make it all possible!

A big congratulations goes out to our partners DesBorder: Together for a Cleaner Environment and Cans4Books for the launch of Reef the Whale, a new initiative aimed at collecting cans and turning them into funds for children’s books. Submerge Church is proud to be a founding sponsor of these fantastic causes that make a positive impact on both the environment and children’s education!

The Annual Street Fair & Chili Cook-Off was a blast, with over 30 amazing Submerge Church volunteers making their presence known across four different locations! We sponsored the Family Fun Zone, gave out tons of free merch (and Pocket Jesus) at our booth on Newport, entered our “Slow Cooked & Submerged” chili in the cook-off, and cheered on Submerger Nate in the Dirty Birds Ocean Beach wing-eating contest. A huge shout-out to everyone who helped make it all happen so we could be a key part of the biggest event of the year in our town!

Submerge Church was honored to be recognized alongside other dedicated community members at Dewey Elementary’s volunteer appreciation breakfast. Attendees were treated to performances by several student classes, and a talk from the principal. Submerge is proud of its new partnership with the school this year and looks forward to continuing the collaboration in the upcoming school year.

Submerge volunteers came together at SDPD Western Division to wash and wax over 30 police vehicles, something that doesn’t get done very often for them. The captain and officers expressed deep appreciation for the effort, and had a lot of fun connecting with all the children who participated. The officers shared how cared for they felt and how much it helps morale. We love partnering throughout the year with these first-responders who work hard to keep our community safe.

As Submerge we once again partnered with our community to help with one of their longest running events–the oldest Kite Festival in the country! We partnered with new community startup SkyHawk Sports to host a small kids zone at the festival, and ran a Submerge booth all day at it where we gave out lots of fun free toys and kite-themed prizes to lots of kids & families. We love being a part of these fun beautiful traditions in our town!

Submerge Church teamed up with local OB neighbors to support the Ocean Beach MainStreet Association in a town-wide beautification project. They made a big impact by collecting a significant amount of trash, leaving the community cleaner and brighter. Afterward, volunteers were treated to a meal from Dirty Birds Ocean Beach, who generously supported the effort. The collaboration left everyone excited for more opportunities to serve together in the future!

We got the opportunity to bring together another huge crew of incredible volunteers from Submerge, Dewey, and NROTC to beautifully remodel the outdoor playground for the kindergartners at the school. It had gotten into such poor shape that it was barely being used, but after our remodel, it had a new sandbox, new outdoor activities, and more. And we were able to revamp the school’s garden area too. The teachers & kids were so grateful!

More than 50 volunteers from Submerge Church & the community came together to remodel the Teacher’s Lounge at Dewey Elementary, and it turned out amazing! With the support of those who donated, purchased raffle tickets, and contributed through the registry, the teacher’s lounge was completely transformed. The teachers, staff, and principal were blown away by the generosity of time and resources, and they’re excited for future collaborations!

Submerge Church had the privilege of purchasing and installing a swing for the “mod/severe classroom” at Ocean Beach Elementary. The kids enjoyed it the moment it was completed and it will help many students through the years! This was made possible by the generosity of those who support God’s work through Submerge and the “You’re Amazing Fund.”

We’re so thankful for ALL that God has done in us & through us in  our first year of Submerge — thank you to everyone who has been a part of it through giving, praying, serving, inviting others, supporting, & cheering us on!

In the middle of summer, we got a group of volunteers mid-day (kids too!) to join some school staff at OB Elementary School in weeding and cleaning up their garden. We love experiencing God through working outside, working in the dirt with our hands, bringing beauty to a place, and forming new friendships. And now the garden will be ready for the kids in the new school year!

We try to be the hands & feet of Jesus for big community events, for lots of local businesses & schools, and for the individuals in need, so they can feel “seen” by God. In place of our usual co-ed Life Group meeting one Tuesday night, we encouraged our group members (and invited other friends) to show up to do a radical cleanup up of a guy’s yard we met–he’s elderly and has limited movement, so walking down his stairs to his driveway every day through overgrown trees & bushes was dangerous. We had 17 volunteers come help and in one evening we got it entirely cleared out, & paid to have it all hauled away. Now it’s safer for him to get around his house/yard, and he can finally have the sun shining through his front door again!

We love supporting the biggest annual event in OB each year–the OB Street Fair & Chili Cook-off, and this year we were involved in lots of ways! We co-sponsored the Community Mural project that happens all day and invites hundreds of neighbors to “make their mark” on a mural that will hang in our town for decades to come. We also co-sponsored the Dirty Birds Wings Eating Contest (where our own pastor competed!), and donated a large gift through that to the OB Clean & Safe Committee. And we sponsored two booths in the main area, where we met lots of people and gave away lots of free stuff!

At the annual OB Kite Festival this year, we got to add to the fun by providing a free kids’ craft for all the families to participate in, and we helped with set up of other booths, met lots of people, and connect with even more organizations!

This year we joined the newly formed group OB Beautification Initiative who recruits community volunteers to help beautify lots of areas around our town. We started by cleaning up and planting lots of new stuff along the entrance to OB (on Sunset Cliffs Dr, just past the sign), and have donated lots of plants and lots of hours!

After a big shed on the property of the OB Women’s Club was destroyed with recent storms, the community rallied around them to donate funds to replace it (Submerge Church was one of the biggest donors). Then we sent Submerge volunteers for a full Saturday to build them a brand new one. They were blown away by our generosity of time & service and are excited to continue partnering in the future!

“Thank you so much for coming to our aid with our shed! Everyone is so grateful!”

During the 2022-2023 school year, we put a “needs request” box in the teacher mailroom at OB Elementary, so we teachers could request things they need (but can’t afford) for their classroom, and for families they know are struggling. Thanks to the generosity of many Submergers, we’ve been able to meet a whole bunch of needs for classrooms, families, teachers, and kids throughout the school year!

“The kids were so thankful!  Their wonder projects came out beautiful on the boards you provided. My sincere thanks.”
“You are truly angels on Earth.  Thank you for your kindness from the bottom of my heart.”
“Thank you! Love this wonderful connection. It’s like having our own Make a Wish foundation! I really appreciate you and your congregation!”

We love partnering with the OBMA and all they do in our town, and so far this year we helped sponsor the OB Earth Day Cleanup by donating funds & bringing a big crew of volunteer, have helped put up & take down holiday decorations, and co-sponsored one of their monthly Sundowners. It’s a great way to stay connected with local businesses.