Laguna Beach is famous for beauty—but the real story is how a small town holds together when things don’t “work on paper.”
 
In this episode of The Heart of Laguna, Fr. Will Crist sits down with Slade Carlton, Outreach Volunteer at Laguna Beach United Methodist Church, a local builder-turned-community leader who has devoted himself to serving neighbors on the margins and strengthening civic life.

Slade shares how a simple “blessing bag” idea became a four-year movement of relationship-based outreach—109 Saturday beach cleanups and counting—built in partnership with local churches, Friendship Shelter, and the Laguna Beach Police Department. Together, they explore what makes Laguna’s interfaith spirit so unusual, why affordable housing is now a defining challenge, and how the ASL (Alternative Sleeping Location) reflects the values we refuse to let go of: dignity, compassion, and practical care.
 
This isn’t a debate about politics. It’s a conversation about belonging, civic responsibility, and the kind of leadership that starts small—one relationship, one project, one neighbor at a time.

Show notes
 
Guest: Slade Carlton — Outreach Volunteer, Laguna Beach United Methodist Church
Host: Fr. Will Crist — St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, Laguna Beach


In this episode

• Slade’s path: builder/entrepreneur → community outreach leader after selling his company
• The “blessing bag” project revealed how personal homelessness is for many families
• Why relationship-based outreach matters: learning names, building trust, creating community
• How Laguna’s Saturday Main Beach cleanups began—and why they’ve continued for four years (109 events)
• Laguna’s unique “weird and wonderful” tradition: embracing people on the margins (Joe Lucas, Eiler Larson, and more)
• Why Laguna “doesn’t work on paper”—and how churches help bridge divides
• Housing & Human Services: what Slade is learning about preserving affordability and community life
• The ASL (Alternative Sleeping Location): what it provides, why it matters, and what’s changing
• Why affordability is the long-term issue: “not enough homes,” “not enough affordable homes,” and what it means for teachers, police, workers, and artists
• ADUs (Accessory Dwelling Units): promise vs. reality in Laguna
• A leadership challenge: how to welcome new residents into Laguna’s civic story—not just its amenities
• Signs of hope: the Cold Weather Shelter, interfaith collaboration, and younger leaders shaping the future

Memorable lines

• “Laguna Beach doesn’t work on paper… but somehow we make it work.”
• “It’s what you do, not what you say.”

Get involved

• Interested in volunteering or learning more about outreach at Laguna Beach United Methodist Church? Visit their website or stop by on a Sunday—ask about outreach opportunities, beach cleanups, and service partnerships.

About the Show
The Heart of Laguna is a weekly conversation from KXFM in Laguna Beach. Each episode explores what holds us together when the world feels like it’s coming apart—through stories, spirit, and service from the soul of the city.🎙 New episodes every Wednesday morning on KXFM at 8:00.