From the inner city of Philadelphia to the pristine shores of Malibu. That’s the passage 37-year old Pastor Greg Hughes has traveled, with a few steps in between.
The newly installed senior pastor at Malibu Presbyterian is a native of Los Angeles — having been raised in suburban Newbury Park.
“I remember being brought to Malibu as a child, to play on the beach,” he says. Later, as a teenager, he recalls traveling the canyon roads to the beach to surf and still later bicycling through town.
After a 13-month search by the church’s pastor nominating committee, and a review of more than 100 candidates for the position, Hughes was chosen to lead the church.
Jim Ludwig, chair of the committee, made the following statement in a press release: “Greg was selected because he scored very high on all the four basic criteria: competence, compatibility, chemistry and character.”
Hughes earned a bachelor’s degree in Religious Studies from Westmont College in Santa Barbara and his Master of Divinity degree from Princeton Theological Seminary, with a concentration in preaching.
His previous position was as pastor in Los Alamitos, near Long Beach, where he served for 10 years. His ministry began as a young life director for high school students in West Windsor, New Jersey. He then worked in Philadelphia on a youth project run by Tony Campolo, who was later a presidential advisor to President Clinton. The goal of the Evangelistic Association for the Promotion of Education program was to help children in the inner city with special tutoring programs and special events to help keep them away from a destructive life style.
The son of a Presbyterian pastor, Hughes is a family man. He and his wife, Kay, have been married for 10 years and have a 10-month-old son, Jake.
Though Malibu may seem like a perfect paradise to some, there are some challenges Hughes may face.
“Even though Malibu residents live in a very affluent community,” he observes, “affluence is no guarantee that one’s life will be happy.
“Marriages breaking up and children using drugs are two problems that still are here, despite the affluence,” he says.
“I see as the challenge for both children and adults as finding meaning and purpose in our lives,” says Hughes. “I hope to teach our parishioners to give back, to be able to help people less fortunate.”
More than 600 people attend Malibu Presbyterian Sunday services. Having grown up in a community where there was what he calls “a real neighborhood feel,” Hughes says he hopes Malibu will be the same way. “I am eager to get to know the people,” he says.
He is especially interested in improving the participation of college-age youngsters, noting the congregation already includes about 200 young people.
“More community participation will be a goal,” says Hughes.
Among the community activities will be fundraisers to cover special needs and emergencies.