An Open Table on Airport Way
Long Beach Christian Fellowship meets at a single location on the eastern edge of Long Beach, just south of the 405 at 3210 E. Airport Way. The congregation describes itself as a Spirit-led community of believers and dreamers, seekers and ministers, learning to live and love like Jesus. Its defining image is a table with room for everyone, and it has built a reputation in the city for being the kind of church where disagreements do not end belonging, where curiosity is welcomed alongside conviction, and where people from very different backgrounds are invited to pull up a chair. Sunday worship gathers at 10:00 a.m. and runs until about 11:30 a.m., and the service is also livestreamed on YouTube for those who join from home.
The Apostles' Creed and the Open Table
The theological center of LBCF is the Apostles' Creed, recited in full. Beyond those biblical essentials, the congregation acknowledges that its members come from different traditions and land in different places in their interpretations of Scripture, and it chooses unity in Christ in the midst of those disputable matters. The church holds that the Bible is God-inspired and foundational, and it seeks to be a prayerful, contemplative community shaped by that scripture. Its faith commitments include working toward justice, equality, and restoration in homes and in the wider community, and interrupting systems of oppression with a posture of non-violence. A separate Justice page spells out a vision of right relationship, of shalom with nothing missing and nothing broken, and of loving neighbors as oneself, with particular care for the lonely, forgotten, broken, and marginalized.
An Affirming Community and Qmunity
LBCF is openly and explicitly LGBTQ+ affirming. The church teaches that LGBTQ+ people and straight cisgender people are equally part of God's creation and loved by God, and it extends an unqualified invitation to participate fully in the life of the church - including weddings, membership, and leadership positions. At the same time, the church extends generous hospitality toward those who hold different perspectives and chooses unity across those differences.
That commitment is woven into a dedicated ministry called Qmunity, described as a vibrant ministry dedicated to serving and celebrating the LGBTQ+ community with unwavering love and inclusion. Qmunity fosters spaces where everyone is embraced as a cherished child of God, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, and joins the wider congregation in serving one another, the local community, and beyond.
Sunday Worship and the Worship Team
The Sunday gathering is led by a worship team that draws on fresh and eclectic selections of music - traditional hymns, current songs, and pieces written by LBCF's own worship leaders. The teams meet weekly to grow in community, sharpen musical excellence, and move flexibly with the Spirit. Worship ministry is led by Jason Maligmat, and the church teaches that music has the capacity to speak in a way that is beyond language, and that God uses it to move armies and change the world.
Behind the scenes, a Production Ministry runs sound, streaming, and presentation support for every gathering. The team trains new volunteers from scratch, so no prior experience is required to join, and ministry leaders Mag and Pax oversee the work.
Kaleidoscope Kids and the Teens
Children from toddler age through fifth grade are part of Kaleidoscope Kids, the church's children's ministry. The vision is for children to experience the living God, be transformed by His love, filled with the Holy Spirit, and learn His story through the Bible. Kaleidoscope Kids meets at 10:00 a.m. on Sundays, in step with the main worship gathering, and there is an at-home packet option for families joining by livestream. Pastor Mary Dorsett leads this ministry.
For students in middle school and high school, the Teens ministry offers fun, safe, and inclusive spaces to explore faith, ask hard questions, and build friendships. Middle schoolers meet weekly, and high schoolers meet several times a month; both groups are listed on the church calendar. Pastor Mary and Elder Nora Maligmat are the main points of contact.
Small Groups, Prayer, and Womenish
Small Groups are described as vibrant and nurturing spaces for connection and spiritual growth. Participants can choose short-term seasonal groups that run six to eight weeks or longer-term community groups built around deeper relationships. Pastor Barb Sunofsky coordinates the ministry and welcomes new leaders.
The Prayer Ministry frames prayer as essential to the body of Christ as lungs are to the human body. The team prays with and for others, teaches the church family how to grow in confidence with God, and seeks to step more fully into the gifts of the Spirit in organic, faith-building ways. A prayer ministry leader named Gabi oversees this work.
Womenish is the church's women's ministry, named with a wink at the in-between spaces of womanhood. The webpage is under construction, but interested women can reach out through the main office for current gatherings.
Hospitality and the Sunday Gathering Team
Hospitality at LBCF is more than coffee and donuts. The Hospitality Ministry embodies the hospitality of Jesus toward every person, preparing Sunday gathering spaces and fostering connection in neighborhoods and workplaces as well. Volunteers serve on Sunday Gathering Teams for set-up and tear-down, kitchen crew, greeters and ushers, and the welcome table, drawing on Romans 15:7 as a guiding verse. A leader named Jayna heads this ministry.
Pastors and Elders
LBCF is co-led by Pastors Mary Dorsett and Danny Cortez. Pastor Mary also oversees children's ministry, while Pastor Barb Sunofsky serves as Pastor Emerita and continues to coordinate small groups. An elder board supports the pastoral team, with Alvia Lee as president, Kyle Lassegard as treasurer, and Tina Ying as secretary, joined by Dani Chang, Kim Liang, John Sunofsky, Nora Maligmat, and Bryan Cullison. The church also commissions women to serve and lead at all organizational levels.
Planning a First Visit
Sunday gatherings begin at 10:00 a.m. at 3210 E. Airport Way. Children's ministry for toddlers through fifth grade meets at the same time, and middle and high school students have their own weekly rhythms on the calendar, so families can worship and learn together under one roof. Those joining from anywhere in the world can find the livestream on the LBCF YouTube channel, with past services archived there as well. Newcomers are invited to reach out through the Connect form on the website, by emailing contact@LBCF.org, or by calling (562) 989-6000. The church calendar lists upcoming events and small-group rhythms, and online giving is available through the church's giving page.