Community Outreach
Connecting College Students with Christ
Intensely passionate about sharing Jesus with others, Daniel and Lainie Allen have provided spiritual mentoring and coaching to nurture others and help bring focus to their lives for over twenty-five years. Coming alongside over 200 young leaders during that time, they continue to pour themselves into students at the University of Virginia (UVA), some of whom are helping the Allens plant Epiphany Anglican Church in Charlottesville, VA.
"Could it be that God is calling the Anglican Mission to focus on reaching college students in a more significant and deliberate way?" asks Daniel.
The Allens pioneered Higher Call in 1997, a ministry of leadership development to emerging leaders on the campus of Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee. Using a curriculum built upon Daniel's thesis for a Masters of Divinity degree from Fuller Seminary, students engaged in a nine-month training experience.
"We led them to Christ, discipled them, developed their leadership abilities by spending time with them and then deployed them to do ministry with us," explains Daniel. "At one time we had 25 students ministering with us in the community."
Students serve a local mission agency as part of a four-day, intensive learning experience.
Early participants of the program, Tyler Crowley, Director of Worship Arts at Hope Church in Richmond, Virginia and wife Michelle, point to their experience with the Allens as "their single most formative experience to date".
"Being students and then facilitators of Higher Call did more to shape who we are as leaders than anything else we have done," explains Tyler. "The Allens have a magical way of calling forth leadership within people that is not fully realized."
"As we started out, I thought our work would be about curriculum and well-organized systems," said Daniel. "What we heard repeatedly from students was more like, ‘We just want to hang out with you and do life'. At the risk of stating the obvious - building relationship is huge."
The Allens have been on mission at UVA since 1999, connecting first hand with Christians, the curious, and the "God-skeptical". Through Bible discussion groups, intercessory prayer gatherings on campus and spiritual direction/mentoring groups in homes, they are seeing students come to faith in Christ, grow as His followers and develop their capacity to lead others.
University students mentored by Daniel and Lainie provide an afternoon of music, games and food for the children of Friendship Court, a low-income housing project.
For Lainie, ministry to students at UVA began with prayer walking, then divine appointments with people resulting in intentional weekly meetings with two unchurched students, Carlos and Katie.
"I had them read two chapters from the book of John each week then we entered into honest discussion about faith," explains Lainie. "It was not a traditional Bible study and I did not do any teaching; we just talked."
Along the way, Carlos and Katie came to faith, then Katie brought her two roommates to the discussion group, and they came to faith. Since then, the Allens have come alongside countless others, many of which are now in full-time vocational ministry.
"Many students are drawn to the Anglican Mission because of the depth and maturity expressed in a church connected to its history and global family," said Daniel. "We are church planters working toward ordination with the Anglican Mission because it is characterized by values we espouse in relational ministry: the authority of Scripture, expectant prayer, a tone that is gracious and generous, focus on spiritual legacy, and rich liturgical and mystical expressions of faith in Christ."
If you are interested in exploring an internship with Daniel and Lainie at Epiphany or in their work with university students, you can contact them via email at daniel@epiphanycville.org or lainie.seek@gmail.com.
No Strings Attached
Corbin Hillam, college pastor at IAC, on his hands and kneeds praying for students while chalking advertisements that gain attention.
Acting as a bridge between inter-faith groups on the campus of Colorado College, the No Strings Attached college ministry at International Anglican Church (IAC) in Colorado Springs, CO is using a variety of innovative events to serve the college community and build relationships. Corbin Hillam is the IAC pastor for college ministry who uses his talents as a cartoon illustrator to reach students. He has "chalked" artistic advertisements on campus sidewalks, drawing crowds that foster conversation and open doors for ministry.
Another invitation on Colorado College campus sidewalk.
"I have met more kids ‘chalking' for an event than I could meet in three weeks of walking around campus," said Corbin."Corb spends a tremendous amount of time on campus connecting with students through his artistic gifts," said Nathaniel Kidd, a Colorado College graduate. "Within a year, he was better connected than I was as a student."
Corbin has an expansive vision for reaching students for Christ. "When people ask me how many kids are in our college group, I say ‘2000' because that is how many there are on campus," he said.
Students gather for a No Strings Attached event.
Operating on a block system, Colorado College students receive three weeks of classroom instruction, taking the fourth week off to study for exams. During that week, IAC hosts a popular campus event known as Study Break, where students have the opportunity to cultivate friendships while relaxing to live music performed by student bands. Parishioners provide desserts for the event, sometimes feeding up to 150 students.
IAC has also partnered with the college's Ceramics Department and the Shove Chapel Community Kitchen to sponsor "Empty Bowls." This unique fundraising event is advertised through "chalking" and providing soup to fill handmade bowls, with proceeds benefiting the community kitchen. Last year, participation in campus-wide "foot washings" during the college's Faith Week engaged over 100 students in conversation about Jesus while receiving a foot massage.
"I have even been meeting with a group of guys that brew beer," said Corbin. "We meet at my house and while the beer is brewing, we have spiritual discussions. None of them are Christians - my relationship with them is an outgrowth of Study Break."
"I would say that the IAC ministry has impacted my life primarily by encouraging me to participate actively in the work of ministry while they support me in it," said Nathaniel.
As a senior at Colorado College, he fulfilled a joint internship with No Strings Attached and InterVarsity that encouraged him to serve Christ by intentional participation in campus life.
"Not only did IAC provide me with the resources and inspiration to discover what it means to do radically incarnational ministry, but I also encountered a role model in Corbin Hillam," said Nathaniel. "I have graduated with a Christian faith that is sustainable, international, historical and modern."
In January 2008, IAC and No Strings Attached hosted Rwandan Bishop Onesphore Rwaje and his wife Josephine in several venues to create awareness about Rwanda, including a dinner with the Black Student Union at an interracial residence on campus.
"Socially minded students seem to be fascinated with our church plant because of our connection with Rwanda and the post-genocide reconciliation that is taking place there," said Corbin.
The No Strings Attached college ministry of IAC under the leadership of Corbin Hillam is committed to living out Jesus Christ among students at Colorado College. They embody their name by providing untraditional, creative venues that capture an audience for Him.
Growing in Grace, a GiG That Changes Lives
Living more than a slogan: GIG Founder, Don Blair.
Don Blair preaches in flip-flops and cutoffs at St. Andrew's in Little Rock, Arkansas, each week to an audience of around 100 people who are struggling with addictions. Growing in Grace (GiG), founded eight years ago as a small group in Don's home, is reaching thousands with the Gospel message.
As a former addict and veteran, Don is passionate to help those struggling with similar issues.
"The twelve step program helps people recover, but I wanted to raise the bar, and name the ‘higher power of my understanding' as Jesus Christ," shares Don. "Alcoholics Anonymous says that one in 35 recover, and those are statistics I just can't live with."
So Don and wife Donna are building a bridge from the street to the church, picking up people at treatment centers and Veterans facilities, feeding them a home cooked meal and sharing Christ. In 2008, St. Andrew's baptized 80 people from the outreach, and they have baptized fifteen already this year.
Members of St. Andrew's cook, clean-up, lead worship and teaching, provide child care and provide many other acts of service to support GiG and make the ministry possible.
"They support us in many ways but most importantly - they keep us prayed up," exclaims Don.
As part of the program, Don has an old fashioned altar call he humorously describes as "anglicostalism" and sees at least 20 people respond each week.
"I estimate that 40% of those that find us recover and go on to live healthy lives," he says. "Mostly, we are planting seeds."
As an arm of the outreach, GiG provides clothing, food, furniture and practical help. They have also donated twenty-five cars to those in need of transportation.
"The ministry kept me humble and gave me hope, knowing others were facing the same struggles," Vincent Hunter says.
A year and a half after finding GiG, Vincent married his girlfriend of nine years at St. Andrew's. They and their three kids have been part of the St. Andrew's community now for five years.
"We hear from all sorts of places that St. Andrew's is such an open and loving church so A Community of God's Grace and Healing is not just a slogan, but what we mean to be - with God's help!" Don declares.
A Bridge to Wholeness
Church of the Apostles in Fairfield, Connecticut is partnering with Bridgeport Rescue Mission (www.bridgeportrescuemission.org) to provide life-saving care for the hungry, homeless and addicted of Fairfield County. The process is life changing, for those who give as well as receive.
The mobile kitchen draws a hungry crowd, and volunteers interact with children riding bikes in their inner city neighborhood.
"Just like our relationship with Rwanda, we have so much to learn from the people at the Mission," explains the Rev. Keith Guinta, Apostles Worship/Associate Pastor. "They know what they have been rescued from and live by faith that inspires others every day."
Located on a busy street in a racially diverse neighborhood, the Mission has seven programs that provide people on the fringes of society with a place of hope and dignity.
"The only requirement to enter one of our programs is a willingness to explore the issues of life through a relationship with Jesus Christ," explains the Rev. Michael Moran, Director of Programs and Ministries.
Volunteers set out clothes for the needy in a familiar neighborhood.
Apostles serves the Rescue Mission I a number of ways. Bishop Thad Barnum, Rector of Apostles, reports that his wife Erilynne, a vocational deacon, spends time weekly at the women's shelter to build relationships and disciple the women in the Scriptures. In addition, the worship team leads monthly chapel services, and teams go out on Friday nights with the mobile kitchen to serve the poor neighborhoods of Bridgeport.
"We are grateful that a number of the leaders at Bridgeport Rescue Mission make Apostles their church home and that the men and women from the Mission often join us in worship," Bishop Barnum notes.
Chuck Myrick, an Apostles parishioner, recently lost his job of 30 years and has been volunteering at Bridgeport regularly for the past year. He says, "I have never done anything like this before and those guys at the Mission have given me a new perspective on people like myself, who are in the workaday world. They have identified their addictions and are fighting to change their lives; most people don't have that kind of courage."
Celebrating Recovery with the Unchurched at Christ Anglican
Christ Church Anglican in Jacksonville, Florida, launched the "Celebrate Recovery" program in May under the leadership of Mark Eldredge, Rector, and welcomed 35-45 unchurched people every Friday evening. Seventeen children participated in a separate program while their parents focused on the recovery material based on eight principles from the Beatitudes.
"When we identified our unchurched target community, we realized that they were not going to show up to our contemporary style seeker service," explains Eldredge, "and so we needed to do something that was going to connect them."
Marking the full-circle journey to recovery, two new families joined Christ Church Anglican, and nine children received baptism on Sunday, September 13, 2009.
"People in our community face addictions, welfare and hopelessness, and many of them fear they will never get out of their situations," explains Mark. "Going through 'Celebrate Recovery' has given them a sense that God is doing something, and they have hope again. We are grateful that we were ready to receive these families when they found us."
Creating Kingdom Connections with Coffee
Rwandan farmers harvest the coffee, but the fruit of their labor is providing opportunities for many Anglican Mission coffee fans to evangelize as many enjoy a cup of joe.
Coffee story 1
Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee Company (LOTH) is on the road this fall touring with Grammy-award-winning band Third Day in thirteen cities this Fall and Creation Fest for a 25 city tour this Winter. The LOTH team shares stories of reconciliation and redemption while serving premium coffee!
Play Third Day Video
Coffee Story 2
Anglican Mission church members also communicate the same message, making connections over coffee and reaching out to their own neighborhoods.
"What you are doing with the coffee growers in Rwanda is good, but when do you share the Gospel"? The Rev. Jonathan Golden, Rector of St. Peter's Place and founder of LOTH, posed this question he is frequently asked to Archbishop Emmanuel Kolini on a recent trip to Rwanda.
Archbishop Kolini's response: "You should say that the Gospel was shared in word alone for 150 years in Rwanda, and it led to war. Now is the time to share it through deeds first and show us as a friend. Belgium priests enslaved the people through coffee, and now we are freeing the people through coffee."
Coffee story 3
Parishioners of Church of the Advent in Columbia Heights, DC, and St. George's Anglican Community in Phoenix, Arizona, are certainly people of words and deeds, sharing the Gospel through regular coffee events.
Coffee and Chat is a weekly Advent outreach to their next-door neighbor Las Casa shelter; where free coffee and pastries draw a crowd, opening doors to conversation, friendship, Bible study and prayer. Several people from the shelter now attend weekly worship and prayer gatherings at Advent.
"They know that when we come to hang out, we aren't there just to represent the church - we genuinely want to be their friends," shares Brian Topiano, founder of the outreach.
Coffee story 4
In the same spirit, the Rev. Shane Copeland of St. George's describes his congregation's monthly coffee house as an event "for the sake of others seeking to build relationships with the unchurched." With the blessing of host site, Roosevelt Community Church, the church's art space is transformed each month into a coffee house with live music and comfy seating, often drawing large crowds (pictured above).
"We have seen lots of new faces, and some have started attending our worship services," reports Shane.
Festival Fosters New Faces for Church of the Resurrection
Preparing through focused times of prayer, fasting and training, Church of the Resurrection of Wheaton, Illinois, hosted their first annual Festival and Open House on Sunday, September 13 as an evangelistic outreach to the surrounding community.
Over 900 people of all ages gathered immediately following each of two morning worship services to partake in free food and festivities that included live music, street performers and even junior Irish dancers.
The day also marked the beginning of a four-part sermon series from a devotional booklet called "Stop and Get Direction", written by church member Dr. Stephen Gauthier designed to take the congregation through a study of the book of Proverbs. 
"Our goal was for members to bring friends to the open house and extend an invitation to come back for the continuation of the teaching on Proverbs," shares Trevor McMaken, Assistant to the Rev. Stewart Ruch, Rector of Church of the Resurrection.
Almost half of the 60 visitors signed up to participate in the upcoming "get to know the staff" lunch, three signed up for the Alpha course and several came forward to enter into a first time or renewed relationship with Christ.
"The event fostered an atmosphere of celebration, joy and family," said Trevor. "We heard all kinds of anecdotal stories afterward, including one about a group of joggers that came by to inquire about what we were doing, and came back later to worship with us!"
Acts of Kindness Team
It started by sharing the love of Jesus Christ with others through simple, unselfish deeds, both planned and spontaneous. The Acts of Kindness Team (AOK) at Prince of Peace Anglican in Melbourne, Florida, grew to 90 members in less than a year. Their ministry was featured in a June Senior Life Magazine story describing one of their recent community outreaches.
Read the article written by Linda S. Humphrey about the AOK event here. (Click in the digital magazine's right lower corner to page 10.)
Reaching the Unemployed with the Gospel
Three years ago, before the official launch of Grace Church in Olive Branch, Mississippi, the Rev. Chas Williams and his father Chuck joined a network of ten groups meeting in the Memphis metro area to offer support and encouragement to those who are underemployed or unemployed. With the current sluggish economy, they are experiencing record attendance at weekly Career Transition meetings.
"It is devastating to lose a job after 30-40 years with the same company," states Chas. "These meetings get them up early, out of isolation and working toward new employment."
Held at their new worship space, each meeting begins with a short devotional and prayer and then moves on to tackle practical details such as interviewing skills, writing a resume and networking.
"Going to these meetings, they just gain strength from one another," shares Chuck, retired from sales and sales management positions where he used to teach interviewing skills to new managers. "Recently, we had our largest gathering to date with 19 in attendance. It shows we are filling a need."
A Career Transition Workshop in progress
Using public service announcements, good signage and word of mouth, this meeting in particular brought a surprise recruiter who was looking for people to fill jobs in information technology. After the meeting broke, several job seekers approached him.
"My Dad is the brains behind this ministry," reveals Chas. "He retired last year and is using his business background along with the Gospel to help others. We hear wonderful testimonies of those participating being renewed in their faith and drawn back to church."
Ash Wednesday Brings a Diversity of Expressions Together
Shortly before celebrating their one year anniversary as a church plant, St. George's Anglican in Phoenix, Arizona, partnered with three congregations - North Phoenix Baptist (NPB), Desert Mission Anglican and Open Door Fellowship - to host an Ash Wednesday service for over 200 people, a first time experience for two thirds of those attending.
Publicized through Facebook, church websites, blogs, and flyers, St. George's Rector, Shane Copeland explains, "These churches have never done anything together, and our host [meeting place], Open Door Fellowship, had never held an Ash Wednesday service on their campus. This all came together out of relationships with leaders that go back almost twenty years. People from each congregation had a part in the service, and it was an incredible night!"
"I attended my first Ash Wednesday service last year and knew it was a key component of Lent that I wanted to incorporate into our worship at NPB this year," shares Scott Savage, Ministry Associate for College and Young Adults. "Shane and I meet regularly over coffee to get to know one another and look for opportunities to work together. This service is a way to observe our common convictions that respects everyone's tradition."
Fifteen newly released convicts were sitting in the crowd that evening, under the care of Ken Pettis, member of NPB and Director of Prison Transition Services for Along Side Ministries, a mentoring ministry for successful re-entry into society.
"The entire event was meaningful to them because of the way Shane explained every part of the service," said Ken. "I wanted them to experience the rich heritage we have as Christians in traditional worship, and this was definitely a significant learning experience."
To Ken's surprise, every one of the men chose to go forward and receive ashes. Because of their own brokenness and deep mourning over sin, they identified with Jesus' suffering, His forgiveness of their sin and the hope they have in Christ for a bright future.
"These men hope people will be open to them as they transition back into society. Offering a choice of grape juice during communion is perceived as a sign of acceptance since they cannot drink alcohol while on parole," shares Ken. "They were learning how to be open as well to different expressions of worship as followers of Christ. Some were moved to tears."
After the service, all fifteen ex-convicts piled out of a van to pick up food at a local grocery store. Still donning a cross of ashes upon their forehead, they became immediately aware of cashiers and stockers throughout the store that were also wearing ashes.
"They identified with men and women they never knew," explains Ken, "and felt part of the universal church. This experience affected them in a powerful way."
Oasis in an Urban Desert
Posters used to advertise previous successful Urban Oasis events.
Church of the Resurrection in Washington, DC, started as a small house fellowship four years ago and now has over 300 parishioners with ninety percent under the age of thirty-five. Most of their growth came from regular times of worship and fellowship outside the church.
"We threw lots of parties," jokes Laura Waters Hinson, former Director of Creative Arts and Outreach. "Over time, people were drawn to the church after experiencing authentic fellowship among young Christians that love each other, the city of Washington, DC and the Lord."
In 2005, the Rev. Dan Claire, senior pastor at Church of the Resurrection, invited Laura to join his staff and replicate their experience on a larger scale, taking it outside the church walls and incorporating art, culture and food. Thus Urban Oasis was born, a regular event series designed to address topics of cultural, artistic or theological signifi cance, looking at them through the lens of faith. Communicating the vision and practical needs of the new venture through emails to the church database, Laura built a leadership team of eight people and a large bank of on-call volunteer staff that now leads Urban Oasis.
Each event requires 10-15 people to set up refreshments, welcome newcomers, search for venues outside the church, provide technical assistance, take photos and clean up afterward.
Past events include a summer wine tasting that incorporated a short talk on the process of crushing grapes into wine as a metaphor for the transforming power of Christ; film and documentary screenings such as "Amazing Grace" and "Bonhoeffer;" portrayals of Jesus through art; Rwandan bishops addressing the topics of reconciliation and redemption; and musical concerts. Each event is advertised through pulpit announcements and specially designed posters hanging in high traffic areas of the community. A minimal entry fee paid by attendees offsets expenses for speakers, facilities and refreshments.
"Dan always makes it clear from the pulpit that these events are an outreach opportunity, not just a social event," said Laura. "Parishioners are encouraged to bring un-churched friends and co-workers."
"The fruit of the ministry is that we have drawn a new audience to the church and challenged the congregation to be more outwardly focused with a mission mind-set," said Laura. "Urban Oasis has fostered conversations between Christians and non-believers, connecting the local with the global, the intellect to the heart and ideas with their consequences."
"Our goal for Urban Oasis is to put ourselves into the culture instead of being separate from it as well as meeting people where they are and building relationships," explains Laura. "We hope and pray that they get a glimpse of the joy of true Christian fellowship and the creative ways Christ reveals himself through art and culture."
