Join us for Worship
We'd love to have you in person or online. See you soon.
Welcome to First Lutheran
Located at 815 Venice Blvd, Venice Ca
Nestled right in the heart of Venice, our passion is connecting people on the Westside to God's love. Whether you’re single or married, young or old, a lifelong Christian or someone who’s leery of stepping foot inside a church, we think you’ll find that our community is a place where you can feel welcomed, supported, and loved.
Every Sunday Bible Class
Stay after first service, or come early to second service to attend,
we'd love to have you!
This class is a great way to go deeper into the Word and have discussion with a smaller group. Grab some coffee and a snack and meet in the classroom right by the playground and basketball court from 9:45am to 10:45am.
CHANDELIER: An Evening with Poet Carol V. Davis
Saturday, May 17th | 6:30 PM Presentation | 7:30 PM Reception
We are honored to welcome local poet Carol V. Davis, who teaches at both Santa Monica College and Antioch University. A Fulbright Scholar to Russia twice, Carol raised her three children in St. Petersburg, an experience that inspired her award-winning poetry collection Into the Arms of Pushkin, recipient of the T.S. Eliot Prize.
Her work explores themes of faith and doubt, place, family, nature, and Russia, drawing on her travels, heritage, and deep connection to language. Carol has also held writing residencies at two National Parks, one in Nebraska and one on the Navajo Reservation in Arizona, which feature prominently in her poetry.
The Kindness of Color by Janice Munemitsu
PRESENTATION & Q&A:
Janice will come prepared with an overview of the book and her family’s story involving settling
in southern CA from Japan, the internment camps during WWII and their aftermath, school
desegregation, and other topics of interest. There will be plenty of time for Q&A. No advanced
reading is necessary. That said, if anyone is interested, The Kindness of Color is available on
THE KINDNESS OF COLOR: A true story of perseverance, unity and hope, the book follows
two immigrant families facing separate battles with racism in WWII-era Southern California.
Unexpectedly, their paths intertwine, ultimately paving the way for the landmark court case
Mendez, et al. v. Westminster and the desegregation of California public schools seven years
before Brown v. Board of Education. In the face of tremendous discrimination, the Mendez and
Munemitsu families are sustained by the simple yet harrowing acts of kindness extended to
them by friends and strangers as they navigate their difficult journeys toward justice. It is this
kindness that encourages their hearts, opens paths to solutions, and creates communities of
support. – from book back cover.
SPECIAL GUEST PRESENTER:
Janice Munemitsu is a third-generation Japanese American Sansei. A native of Orange County,
California, she was raised on the family farm and worked there from age 5 through high school.
Janice’s corporate and ministry careers have been focused on creating strategic opportunities in
driving growth and new initiatives. As VP of Meals at ConAgra Foods in the 1990’s, Janice led a
team that managed brands of $250MM in annual sales and later steered the company’s change
management efforts through major culture shifts. Janice has led capital-raising efforts of
$150MM for several Southern California churches – including her home church (Mariners
Church) in Irvine. She was on the Generous Giving team from 2011-2021, inspiring believers to
trust God as a generous giver and to respond as He leads.
Janice has a BS and MBA from USC. She also completed an MA in Spiritual Formation and
Soul Care at Talbot Seminary (Biola University). She has served on the board for National
Christian Foundation California, and currently serves on Malachi 3 Foundation, The Bible
Project, and A3 (Asian Access) ministry boards. Janice is a new member of the US-Japan
Council which promotes collaboration in government, business, and education between the two
countries.
Her family name, Munemitsu, means source of light in Japanese kanji. She hopes her book, The
Kindness of Color, will be a source of light and hope, and will inspire us all to cultivate increasing
kindness towards one another.
Prayer Chain
Join our mailing list to receive a weekly prayer email! You'll receive a Prayer Chain email once a week that contains all of the prayer requests that are submitted with consent to share. This is a great way to stay connected with our church family and join together in powerful, united prayer.
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