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Check out Lanterns Church on Sundays in Taft Galloway

By Sarah Shurge Cabildo picked the name
When you think of church, most “Lanterns Church” for a specific rea-
of the time you think of a building. A son.
location. A place to go. “Everyone understands the differ-
“A building is a safe place to ence between light and darkness. We
gather, to worship, to be seen, to be truly believe that the church is the
welcomed at, but we understand the light and we’re called to share his
real truth, that church is the follow- light, which makes us lanterns,” said
ers,” said Ryan Cabildo, lead pastor Pastor Cabildo.
of Lanterns Church. “We don't want Cabildo stated that Lanterns is a
to go to church, we want to be the multigenerational and multicultural
church.” church.
Lanterns Church doesn’t have a “People tend to go places on Sun-
building. On Sundays, Lanterns has day where they are comfortable, and
service in Taft Galloway Elementary sometimes it can be a bit segregated.
School. After the past few years with division,
“We don’t want to be known for we get to focus on being unified and
being inside a building. We want to coming together,” said Pastor Ca-
be known for being outside in the bildo.
community,” said Pastor Cabildo. Lanterns invites and encourages
Lanterns is a completely portable the public to come with an open
church. After service is over, they mind. If you come and fill out a con-
pack up and leave the school. nect card, the church will donate five
“We’re big on community. We see dollars to Taft in partnership to pay
the pros in being in a school with for books for the upcoming school
families and people with real needs,” year.
said Pastor Cabildo. “We’ve part- Lanterns has service every Sun-
nered with the social worker at Taft, day at 10:30 a.m. in Taft Galloway
and one of our staff members has a Elementary School located at 4035
child that goes there. What better Lanterns Church Children’s Director and Admin Olivia LaRowe, Operations Director Gloria St Suite L, Wayne.
place to be than a school?” “We’re a new church, so we’re
Lanterns publicly launched their and Groups Coordinator Kwa Mandisa and Pastor Ryan Cabildo. slowly starting new things. We have
first Sunday service in Taft Galloway for them, a healing, and a God that planting church, so a percentage of meet-ups for women, men, and stu-
on October 2nd, 2022. says ‘when you feel lost, you’ll be the donations they received went to dents. We also have a kid’s program,
“Don’t come in thinking we’re per- found. When you feel broken, you’ll starting other churches. which is a safe place to learn about
fect or that you have to be perfect,” be healed.’ I get to do that everyday. “They’re trying to expand the king- love and purpose,” said Pastor Ca-
said Pastor Cabildo. “We’re messy, I can't imagine a better life,” said Pas- dom of God and I thought ‘how can bildo. If you have a need or want to
we’re real, and we just want to do life tor Cabildo. we have this experience and join the meet with the Lanterns’ staff outside
together. One of our favorite sayings Cabildo has been a pastor for five mission with the other churches in of Sunday service, you can. Lanterns
is ‘we’re a bunch of imperfect people years, however, he didn’t always plan Wayne’,” said Pastor Cabildo. has sub-leased an office in the Cham-
moving towards a perfect God’.” on being a pastor or starting a Cabildo grew up longboarding ber of Commerce in Downtown
Lanterns is a church designed to church. through the streets of Wayne. Wayne Wayne. A Lanterns staff member will
meet people where they are at. In his early 20s he was a musi- has always been his home and he be there Monday - Thursday 9 a.m.-
“We’re helping people discover cian that did small touring. He then has a deep passion and love for the 4 p.m.
their God-given purpose through went on to changing billboards on city and its history. For more information about
Jesus. We’re messy people that strug- the side of highways. “I didn't want to start a church. I Lanterns Church, you can visit
gle with addiction, anger issues, and Around seven years ago, he wanted someone else to do it and I lanternchurch.com. You can find
other issues. But we’re able to tell walked into a church that was only would just help. But I just couldn't them on Facebook, Instagram, or
those people that there's a purpose seven weeks old. This was a church- shake it. It kept becoming clearer any Podcast app by searching
and clearer,” said Pastor Cabildo. “Lanterns Church”.
“God used other people and they If you have any questions, you
kept speaking it into my life.” can email Pastor Cabildo at
A large amount of Cabildo’s fam- ryan@lanternschurch.com.
ily now serves at the Lanterns “It’s a team run church,” said Pas-
Church and he claims they are and tor Cabildo. “The diversity of people
have been extremely supportive from that come together to be the church
the very start. Monday through Sunday is why we
Cabildo’s sister, Olivia LaRowe is can do what we do. From the guy
Lanterns’ Children’s Director and waving the sign in the parking lot, to
Admin. Cabildo’s childhood best the people on stage, I couldn't imag-
friend, Kwa Mandisa is Lanterns’ Op- ine doing it without them. It's for
erations Director and Groups Coor- each and every person. Everyone has
Lanterns Church worship band. dinator. value.”
The Wayne Dispatch · March 2023 · 13