ENGAGE Lifestlye Magazine Shares Stories of Hope and Faith

Lutheran Social Services of Southern California (LSSSC) - a leading provider of social services programs in Southern California – published its inaugural issue of ENGAGE Magazine in 2023. The cover story of the Winter issue features the “surfing bishop of San Diego,” The Reverend Dave Nagler, Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America’s Pacifica Synod.

ENGAGE was conceived and designed internally as a vehicle to share the nonprofit’s stories of hope and diversity among its 40 social services programs in six counties throughout Southern California.

“Our mission is to bring thoughtful and engaging commentary on social issues and the people working to solve them, while also displaying the mission of LSSSC’s goal to Embrace, Equip and Empower the vulnerable of Southern California,” says Dr. LaSharnda Beckwith, LSSSC CEO and President.

Published quarterly, ENGAGE is free and available in print and digital versions upon subscription request. The upcoming spring issue is slated to publish on April 1 with a focus on volunteerism, mental health, fair housing, and Juneteenth. Subsequent issues will publish this summer with stories on Hispanic heritage, emergency preparedness and Hunger Action Month. The fall issue will emphasize college/career, domestic violence, Indigenous Peoples Awareness Month and Global Peer Support Day.

Editor and LSSSC Chief Development & Marketing Officer Lori J. Butler, CFRE says, “The origin and intentionality behind our name, ENGAGE is simple: "engage" means involve (someone's interest or attention). We are further grounded in sharing the views, perspectives, and stories of those touched by LSSSC’s social service efforts.”

To subscribe or advertise in the magazine, visit

https://www.lsssc.org/ or call 714-685-1800.

For 76 years, Lutheran Social Services of Southern California (LSSSC) has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to helping the most vulnerable families and individuals in Southern California. LSSSC is a social ministry organization with the Lutheran Services of America, one of the largest health and human service networks in America. Partners and funders include the San Bernardino County Department of Behavioral Health, and US Departments of Education, Housing and Urban Development, Health and Human Services. The history of LSSSC dates back to 1944 when a handful of congregants from Lutheran churches in San Diego began providing services and resources to veterans returning home. This group joined with like-minded congregants in Los Angeles and formed Lutheran Social Services in 1946. Today, LSSSC employs almost 200 caring and dedicated staff that deliver more than 30 programs across six counties. Ignited by faith, we live out God’s love by embracing, equipping, and empowering vulnerable people in Southern California.

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