Starting this month, Hope Coming Ministries will hold its religious service at 6 p.m. Saturday evenings instead of 10 a.m. on Sundays.

The congregation of 75 meets at 2250 Union Place in Simi Valley.

"We had Sunday services, and folks wanted to try out Saturday evening," said Frank Tomlinson, the church's pastor. "We're going to try it during the summer and see how it goes."

The church began holding regular services three years ago. Its Bible-based counseling center has been operating for 20 years.

People with marital issues and substance abuse and relationship problems seek help at the center.

"We counsel for every issue people have in life," Tomlinson said. "We see people from all religions and backgrounds . . . with all kinds of different problems."

Tomlinson, along with pastors Adrian Cranny and Ray Cruz, counsel more than 50 people a month between them.

The ministry is nonprofit, and clients pay whatever they can afford. The sessions are usually 45 minutes long once or twice a week, depending on the client's need, the pastor said.

At age 70, Tomlinson is careful about how many clients he takes on.

"Once we take on a person we are committed to sticking with them for as long as it takes until they feel back on track," he said.

Tomlinson, a retired homicide detective for the Los Angeles City Police Department, has lived in Simi Valley since 1972 with his wife of 40 years, Diane. The couple have four adult children and five grandchildren.

People often ask the exdetective if his background in homicide gives him a different perspective as a pastor.

"What we see in our marriage and parent counseling is that people take hope away from each other," Tomlinson said. "They're really killing each other spiritually. I just don't see the physical part the way I did as a homicide detective."

During the counseling sessions, Tomlinson and his team help people understand how they are abusing the way they live.

"We can't live without hope," Tomlinson said. "That's why we call our ministry Hope Coming."

For more information, call (805) 577-9102.