by Matt Mueller-Curson
It should come as no surprise to anyone that the youth of All Saints Church embody the spirit of this parish with enthusiasm and dedication. And it would be hard to get any more involved at All Saints than high school junior Lorenzo Bacani. Acolyte, chorister, Vestry member – Lorenzo has done it all.
Lorenzo and his dad, Roland, have attended All Saints since Lorenzo was very young. Together they joined this community after searching for a church where they felt comfortable with the attitudes and teachings. From an early age, Lorenzo was ready to get involved at All Saints, and he became an acolyte as soon as he was old enough. Lorenzo reflects that, “while sitting in a pew and observing Sunday services is fantastic, when given the opportunity I’ll always choose to get up and join in.” Lorenzo now serves as the captain of his acolyte crew and cherishes how he’s able to be so involved in the flow of the weekly worship.
Lorenzo attends Los Angeles High School for the Performing Arts and can’t say enough about how great his school is for him. He really values his art education. His primary medium is music and he concentrates on vocals and playing the saxophone. Music is a driving force in his life and he plans to pursue higher education in music after high school. He hopes to spend his life performing music and, someday, teaching. All Saints has given him the opportunity to move into leadership in worship by performing musically as a member of both Trouveres and Vox Cambiata youth choirs. Lorenzo also serves as one of the two youth members on the All Saints Church Vestry – the elected group responsible for articulating the mission of the church as the equivalent of its lay board of directors. He has greatly enjoyed his time serving on the Vestry and says that the most exciting activity has been the selection process of the new rector, Mike Kinman.
Lorenzo is an active member of the ASC Youth Group and their weekly Wednesday get-togethers are always one of highlights of his week. Some of Lorenzo’s closest friends are in youth group with him. He loves their group discussions. “Some of my favorite memories have come from just hanging around talking with the group.”
One of his most rewarding experiences was their recent mission trip to Mexico. The crew traveled to Baja California where they were able to help improve the conditions of an impoverished elementary school. When Lorenzo reflects on that trip, he values the opportunity to help those who are in a tougher spot in life than he himself. “Being down there, I was acutely aware of the severe disparity between my own situation and those of the families we met there. Being able to paint classrooms and help improve the general upkeep of the school was an awesome way to practice what I think is the core value of All Saints Church – making life better for everyone.”
Lorenzo says it is important to give back to your community, whether that is your local church or the global community. Lorenzo’s words are pure and simple: “There is never a bad time to reflect on how we can all be of service in our communities, small and large.”
