A Reflection on Residency + Introducing the 2021 Residency Cohort

Photos by Marie Dufour

Mary Claire, Adult Discipleship resident, cohort 2020–2022

As I reflect on the Lord’s faithfulness from my past year in Residency, a flood of images come to mind that bring tears to my eyes. Truly, there is no place I would have rather spent the last year of my life and no place I would be than right here at Christ Community Church. I don’t say this implying that everything has been easy; rather, this season has had its fair share of difficulties. However, it is clear that this is exactly where he wants me, so how could I go elsewhere?

 In April of 2020, I was a senior in college with no plans for my immediate future and had the unique challenge of working in a global pandemic. I sensed that the Lord was writing the concluding paragraph of my chapter in Lincoln, Nebraska, and I began to pray about the plans he had in store for me. It seemed as though God kept flashing neon signs that screamed “Go to Omaha!”, but I still felt uncertain if it was the next best step for me. I prayed, “If Omaha is where you want me, you’re going to need to provide three things: a job, a place to live, and community.” When sipping some coffee with my dad across the table one day and telling him about this prayer, he casually mentioned the residency program at CCC. I remembered that I had some friends in the program and decided to call and get the full scoop. After the initial call, something inside of me began to stir, and all but three weeks later I was officially a resident. Now, I can see how the Lord was clearing a path for me to get here. I am amazed at how he provided not only a job, but a free place to live, and some of the sweetest community I have experienced in my life.

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Recently, in one of our Adult Ministries meeting, we were prompted with the question, “If you could tell yourself one thing on your first day at CCC, what would it be?” After reflecting for a moment, I shared with our team that I would encourage the Mary Claire of one year ago to “Be humble and remain eager to learn.” Through various experiences, the Lord has continued to show me with grace and mercy that there is much in this world I am unaware of and there is more to learn. This theme has threaded itself throughout my first year and I anticipate that it will be woven into every part of my future. This journey of humility was not something that I learned overnight or anything that I would claim to own now. However, I do see how the Lord has placed experiences, people, and opportunities in my life that continue to challenge my pride and spur me towards the greatest example of humility, Jesus Christ. One of those experiences that has created the most transformation was the sudden and unexpected passing of my dad. On May 20, 2021, I received the news that he had a massive heart attack and was being taken to a hospital in Lincoln. I raced to my car and drove there, but by the time I arrived, he had passed away. This was my first major loss through death and I could not have predicted something of this magnitude occurring so early in life. Through the deepest of valleys, it can become easy to wonder if the Lord is present in the middle of unbearable grief. By his grace, he reminds me that he remains near to the brokenhearted and walks with them through the valley.

“[The Lord] reminds me that he remains near to the brokenhearted and walks with them through the valley.”

Although this season has been one of the deepest valleys I have walked through, I cannot help but exclaim the goodness of God. At my lowest point, he demonstrated his great love for me by providing the body of Christ and transforming me more into his likeness. The Saturday after my dad’s death, I had driven home from being with my family and walked into a kitchen that was full of care packages and letters that people connected to CCC had provided. I crumpled to the ground, tears streaming from my eyes, in awe of how much the Lord had blessed me with the people here. I sat at my dad’s funeral in utter humility as person after person approached me that had taken the time to show up and support my family during our biggest loss. The body of Christ surrounded me and continues to do so in my mourning. What an overwhelmingly sweet gift from the Lord.

I never anticipated that grief would be a time of sanctification and growth, but in the past five months, I have seen the Lord do big things in my heart. I have learned the importance of going first and foremost to the Lord when I cry, when I celebrate, when I need a friend. I learned that he alone is the source of my healing and the best comforter as I grieve. I have had to learn how to admit when I cannot do something and need help. I learned how to accept help and allow others to care for me. I have gained further awareness of the Lord and his nearness. I distinguish his voice and watch as he uses my story to elevate his name. And through it all, I have a hope that is rooted deep in my soul. Romans 5:1–5 touches on this. There is space to rejoice in our sufferings because suffering produces endurance, endurance produces character, and character produces hope. And this produces a deep joy in my soul. He does not allow me to remain the same but rather loves me enough to make me more like him. I think the Lord could have done this deep transformative work elsewhere, but I’m thankful that he chose to do so at Christ Community Church. And for that, I dwell in a state of gratitude for the God that sees us and works all things together for good.

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“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”

— Romans 5:1–5 (NIV)

Mary Claire at a Young Adult Hangout event she helped organize (Photo by Isaiah Lackey)

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GET TO KNOW THE 2021–2023 COHORT:

ADÈ IDOWU
COLLEGE MINISTRY

AGE: 22
HOMETOWNS: Conyers, Georgia
COLLEGE/DEGREE: Toccoa Falls College; Bachelor of Arts in Ministry and Leadership
CALL TO MINISTRY: When the Lord revealed to me my identity in him, I was convinced that every person should know that same truth. From there, a desire for ministry in any context became a flame inside of my heart. 
FAVORITE FOOD: Steak
STARBUCKS DRINK: Grande Cold Brew with honey

CAMERON BOOZE
MISSIONS

AGE: 21
HOMETOWN: Kent Island, Maryland
COLLEGE/DEGREE: Toccoa Falls College; Cross-Cultural Studies
CALL TO MINISTRY: During my senior year of high school, I went to Honduras on a short-term trip and saw real poverty for the first time. I sensed the Lord moving my heart and inviting me to go to unreached places to share his love and the news of his salvation.
FAVORITE FOOD: Anything I cook with friends (especially international food)
FAVORITE STARBUCKS DRINK: Herbal tea blends and chai

DANI GABEL
COMMUNICATIONS

AGE: 22
HOMETOWN: Waconia, Minnesota
COLLEGE/DEGREE: Crown College; Bachelor of Arts in Communication with a triple concentration in Advertising/Graphic Design, Digital Arts, and Relational Communication and a double minor in Video & Film Production and Christian Studies
CALL TO MINISTRY: Growing up, I always looked up to the staff in my home church, loving that they got to work alongside other believers, and that in each of their jobs—though all very different from one another—they got to share God’s love using their specific gifts. The summer between my sophomore and junior year in college, I was given the opportunity to intern on a church's communication team, and that was when I knew that I wanted to use my gifts in design and communication to bring others closer to Jesus.
FAVORITE FOOD: Shrimp
FAVORITE STARBUCKS DRINK: Iced Cinnamon Dolce Latte with blonde espresso and almond milk

MATT BRATTON
HIGH SCHOOL MINISTRY

AGE: 22
HOMETOWN: Murrysville, PA
COLLEGE/DEGREE: Crown College; Bachelor of Science in Youth & Family Ministry
CALL TO MINISTRY: I was learning and growing in my faith in my teen years and clearly felt God calling me to pursue vocational ministry at the C&MA LIFE Alliance Youth Conference in St. Louis in 2013. I have a passion for helping teens get closer to Christ because that is when God got a hold of my life. I enjoy helping adolescents wrestle with their faith and draw closer to Jesus when life gets complex, in a season where they are learning much more about themselves, the world, and the people around them.
FAVORITE FOOD: Burgers
FAVORITE STARBUCKS DRINK: Iced Mocha

MEREDITH COWMAN
KIDS MINISTRY

AGE: 22
HOMETOWN: Quincy, Illinois
COLLEGE/DEGREE: Grace College; Bachelor of Science in Counseling
CALL TO MINISTRY: My whole life, the Lord has been using the local church to deeply shape me and mold me to become more like Jesus. The Lord has done the most transformative work in me through discipleship and people willing to pursue me. I believe the Lord has called me to this very same thing, to bring up young leaders as pursuers of Christ and people. 
FAVORITE FOOD: Donuts
FAVORITE STARBUCKS DRINK: Iced coffee with white mocha syrup and half & half

PAUL GABEL
COMMUNICATIONS

AGE: 26
HOMETOWN: Watertown, South Dakota
COLLEGE/DEGREE: Crown College; Bachelor of Arts in Advertising and Graphic Design/Communications
CALL TO MINISTRY: I was saved at a young age and grew up in a home where our God-given talents and gifts were encouraged. I understood early on that God can use me anywhere to be his witness. As I grew up, I found God’s call to find new ways to spread the gospel. Now I am honing my skills as an artist and a storyteller to be God’s witness to reach people in new ways.
FAVORITE FOOD: I don’t even know…
FAVORITE STARBUCKS DRINK: Iced Caramel Macchiato (yes, I enjoy the frou-frou)

To learn more about the CCC Residency program, to support a resident financially, or to apply for the residency program yourself, visit cccresidency.org.

CCC's Nursery Renovation

Photos by Marie Dufour

There haven’t been many changes to the nursery in the twenty-nine years I’ve attended CCC. About ten years ago, we painted a few walls and added some graphics to the walls, so we are so excited to share that CCC has started renovation of the nursery!

This renovation would not be possible if not for the foresight and love of a wonderful woman’s legacy and the endowment she left to CCC to be used for families and kids. What better way to honor her, and to celebrate our 100th year, than to invest some of that money in the next generation! As a church that cares for and invests in the next generation, we want our space for these little ones to reflect the love and care our staff and volunteers have for these babies.

These children are the next generation who will carry on where this generation has left off, and they may still be here when CCC celebrates its 200th anniversary. In order to see another 100 years of ministry, we must invest in the lives of those who will shepherd the church one day.

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Scroll through these images to see some “before” and “during” photographs

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As we looked at remodeling the nursery, we determined that we would several changes:

1. Change the current Nursery entrance off the Atrium into a Family Care room. Parents with wiggly or fussy kids can still engage with the service via streaming on a tv, while the kids can play with toys and get the wiggles out.

2. Renovate the Nursing Moms’ room and move the entrance from inside the nursery to the Worship Center hallway, making the room more accessible for nursing moms.

3. Create a new nursery entrance inside the secure Kids wing. Parents will take their child to the child’s classroom and have a secure space to leave strollers and car seats. Parents and nursery volunteers will be able to build relationships and trust with each other.

4. Update the nursery with fresh carpet and paint, as well as better safety/security and usability.

CCC started the remodel on April 28 and it should be completed this summer. We are so excited to share this beautiful new disciple-making space with the families who already attend CCC and those who will come in the future!

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Check out this video for more details from our Executive Director of Next Generation Ministries, Dan McClannan.

Living Generously

Carey & Susan Friesen | Photo by Marie Dufour

Warm and friendly, Carey and Susan Friesen are the type of couple with whom you feel instantly at ease. They have no pretense, but are hardworking and generous people who are continually looking for ways they can serve God and others, both in the church and outside it. Their story of generosity began long ago, before the two of them met, married, and raised a family.

Carey and Susan were both raised in homes with parents who followed Jesus. There was a history of hospitality in Susan’s family, with her parents heavily involved in the church. Her family was not content to simply attend church, but viewed hospitality as an act of worship to the Lord. Carey’s family had a similar emphasis on faithfully serving, with his parents moving the family overseas to participate in missions work in Manila in the Philippines. While the family served there only a year, the experience impacted Carey’s worldview. After Carey and Susan got married, they sought to build off the foundations their parents and grandparents laid as they pursued Christ as a married couple. Though circumstances in life were not always easy, the Friesens shared a strong desire to show hospitality and generosity to everyone they met.

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For Carey and Susan, generosity has been about so much more than putting cash into the offering or writing a check. They have demonstrated generosity with their time and resources as well. Faithfully serving a church community has been a hallmark of their marriage. At prior churches, they served in various roles. When they began attending CCC, Carey joined the Production Team, working with sound and video. Susan also quickly became involved, leading worship as part of the Worship Team. She has also led Bible studies with Women’s Ministry and served as a mentor to younger moms at MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers), as well as mentoring younger women one-on-one. Together, Carey and Susan have mentored and provided guidance, feedback, love, and support to younger couples who are facing challenges in marriage. When the pandemic began in 2020, they looked for ways to freely give to others, no strings attached. When many organizations were struggling financially, the couple enjoyed being able to give anonymously, using the resources that God has provided for them to help others who were struggling.

Susan leading worship at the Thrive Women’s Conference in February 2020 | Photo by Krystal Sibley

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The Young Adults Group that meets in the Friesens’ home | Photo by Seth Renicks

This spirit of generosity has also fueled the Friesens’ ministry to young adults at CCC. They have asked themselves, “Where is a need in the church and how can we help fill it?” The couple, who have two adult daughters and a son, noticed that young adults have often felt disconnected from the church. Creating a space for young adults to gather in community seemed a priority, so the couple gladly opened their house. Each week, young adults gather at their house to grow in their faith and build relationships with others. They see opening their home as an act of worship towards Jesus, so when the young adults want to stay late or borrow the house when the Friesens aren’t home, it’s no problem—whoever is last out just needs to remember to lock the door. 

Generosity is about serving faithfully in whatever way God calls you.

Growing in generosity of time, resources, and finances wasn’t a quick process, nor was it always the easiest choice. During a time when Carey was unemployed, the family had to deeply rely on God to provide what they needed. Tithing was difficult, yet they continued to honor God with their finances. Early in their marriage, they began giving in small ways, and over time, increased what they were able to give of both time and finances. The Friesens shared that it’s not about being able to give large amounts, but to serve faithfully in whatever way God calls you.

Rachel Bebee is the Communications Project Manager at Christ Community Church.

An Atheist in a Foxhole

Photos of Ron by Jeff Luzum

There is an old saying, “There is no such thing as an atheist in a foxhole.” Sadly, that is a myth. I was an atheist, and I spent plenty of time in foxholes.

I was about thirteen years old when I first began to consider myself an atheist, not because of some tragedy that made me angry at God, or because someone told me what to think, but because that was what made sense to me. I didn’t have a problem with people who believed in God. All of my friends had some kind of religion in their lives. I had friends that were Catholic, Jewish, Lutheran, or Protestant. It didn’t matter to me. God wasn’t anything that was a part of my family growing up. It was not frowned upon, but religion just never seemed to come up. The only time I remember stepping foot in a church was when my big sister got married. My biblical knowledge at a young age came from movies like The Ten Commandments and TV shows like the Little Drummer Boy.

I was a senior in high school when I decided to join the military. My first thought was the US Army, but I was also impressed with the Marine Corps. Back then, the military recruiters were allowed to reach out to high school kids to tell them about all the great opportunities the military offered. They came to the schools and met with anyone who would talk to them. I was an easy mark. I knew from an early age that I was destined for the military. One of my grandfathers fought in WWII, and my father fought in The Korean War. Reruns of Rat Patrol were on TV and the greatest American action hero of all time, John Wayne, had made movies like The Longest Day, The Sands of Iwo Jima, and The Green Berets. The Vietnam War was ending. Yet like God, my dad never really talked a lot about Korea, nor my grandfather about WWII, and when my oldest brother enlisted in the Army, Vietnam was over. My brother just missed the draft when he graduated from high school and frankly I doubt he would have enlisted at all if it hadn’t been at the suggestion of the local judicial system. Yep, back then it was considered by some a favorable alternative to jail. I think some still would agree to that, except anymore the military can afford to amend the old adage, to “beggars can be choosy.” The Air Force called me, and I told them, “Sorry, if you’re not a pilot in the Air Force, what good are you?” Don’t worry, the Air Force got back at me for that one later on. I said, “I’m blind as a bat without my glasses, so I think I’ll pass.” When the Navy called, I said, “I’m 6 foot 2, I hit my head every time I walk into the basement of the house I’ve lived in since before I could walk. If you put me on a ship, I’ll have a head wound in the first twenty-four hours.” Swing and a miss, strike two.

When I took my oath of service, I even left “God” off the “So help me God.”

Okay, it was up to the Jar Heads now to try and steal the show. By now, you can guess I didn’t join the illustrious and honorable ranks of the US Marine Corps. I had one thing in my head. I wanted to jump out of airplanes. I figured that would be more fun than flying them. Everyone always asks, “Why would you want to jump out of a perfectly good airplane?” My reply has always been, “You obviously have never flown in an Air Force aircraft. There is nothing perfectly good about them.” I’ve always felt safer jumping out of them then landing in them. Remember the payback I talked about earlier? The Army promised to throw me out of airplanes, so that’s how I ended up in the foxhole. When I took my oath of service, I even left “God” off the “So help me God.” When I went to get my dog tags, they asked me my religion, so I told them atheist. My dog tags said “No Preference.” I thought, that’s not right, I have a preference, it’s atheism. Still, I had no problem with religion. As long as I was left alone about my choices, I was fine with what everyone else’s choices were. Now so far most people would say, “Okay, you’re falling out of planes but it’s not like you’re being shot at.” That was about to change. 

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Over the course of ten years, I would see combat three times. The first was over the skies of Panama City, Panama, in 1989. I came out the door of a C-141 aircraft at 450 feet above the ground at 2 AM on December 20. Thankfully, training paid off. The first night one of my own soldiers and close friends almost shot me. With a few thousand paratroopers trying to link up with each other in the middle of the night, they had a plan to make it happen without the good guys getting shot by each other. The plan was that every American soldier had the same challenge and password. When a unit in motion comes upon a stationary unit, the stationary unit issued a challenge, and the unit in motion needed to respond with the correct password, or the stationary unit would shoot the unit in motion. For Operation Just Cause, the challenge and password was a number combination. That combination was nine. That means the stationary unit said a number between one and nine. The unit in motion had to respond with a number that was added to it to total nine.

There I was, walking through the night in very tall grass and brush surrounding our drop zone, gun fire all around, and I hear a voice in the dark say, “Five!” I froze, my mind starts to race. The number combination is nine and someone just said “Five.” 

Okay, I can do this. Five plus what equals nine? Um, five plus.... 

I hear again, “Five!!!” Ummm, nine, that’s five plus... 

One more time: “Five!!!” 

“Geisler?” 

“Who is that?”

“Sergeant O.”

“Holy Crap, I almost shot you!” 

“Four, right?”

An entire brigade of paratroopers running around in the dark, not to mention all the not- so-nice guys, and I happened to run into one of my own team members, A. P. Geisler. One out seven or eight thousand people with guns and I run into the one guy whose voice I recognized. Guess what—still an atheist.

Same country, two days later, middle of the night again. I was getting ready to lie down after a long, hot day. I had just checked on my soldiers on watch. We were in a building that was, just days before, occupied by the Panamanian Army’s paratroopers. They picked this particular moment to mount a counter attack. I laid down and, all heck breaks loose. I jumped up and ran to my men. I went to the window that one of my guys was manning, firing his Squad Automatic Weapon about 750 rounds a minute. Since I was getting ready to lie down, I was in a t-shirt and a jungle hat while everyone else was wearing flak vest and Kevlar® helmets. I was standing about a foot away from my guy when he ducked his head and said, “Did you hear that explosion?” I didn’t think anything of it and went on directing fire and calling for a forward unit on the radio. The next day, he and his roommate Geisler came up to me and asked if I remembered the explosion comment from the night before. “Yeah, I guess.” They showed me the slug from the bullet buried in the back of his Kevlar® helmet. One foot to the left, and my mom and dad were getting a visit from an Army chaplain. Yep, still an atheist.

Fast forward about a year to the other side of the world in the desert of Iraq. I had jumped into a foxhole—an Iraqi foxhole—but nevertheless, a foxhole. I jumped in to it to clear it. There was an AK-47 and a RPG (Rocket Propelled Grenade launcher) leaning up against the side of the foxhole. I pulled the AK out and handed it to one of my guys outside and reached for the RPG. Just as I did, I noticed a small wire coming off the trigger guard of the RPG. I stopped long enough to follow the wire to the pin of the hand grenade shoved into a hole in the back of the foxhole. I cut the wire, remove the grenade and the RPG. Not very sophisticated, but I think the previous occupant left in a hurry. Still, I remained an atheist.

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A few years passed and this time I was on the Horn of Africa. Now things get a little hairy. There really isn’t much to joke about that came out of Mogadishu Somalia. Well, there isn’t much to joke about in polite company about Somalia at all, and polite company is anyone who wasn’t there. This was the conflict called The Battle of Mogadishu, but most people refer to it as the Black Hawk Down incident because of the movie by that name. I’ve watched this movie twice in my life. Once was by myself in a dark theater… that was a good decision on my part. The second was with my sons when it came out on DVD. I wanted them to understand a little bit about why I am who I am. That DVD sits on a shelf in my basement to this day and I will likely never watch it again. Partly because of the inaccuracy of the story, partly because of the Hollywood aspect of the story, but mostly because it makes me angry for all of those reasons and many more. The point is that I’ve been in some really not-nice places. I’ve done and seen some really not-nice things, things that would give the average person nightmares. I guess that makes me somewhat average, as after twenty-five years, some of these things still give me nightmares. I left the service in 1995, and yes, I was still an atheist. 

I had always seen myself as a lifer in the Army—I never really expected to retire. I planned to spend my entire life in the Army, and I was good with that. Ultimately, I left because I had just gotten divorced and felt I needed to take custody of my two sons, ages two and three at the time. I knew with my chosen profession the chance of my winning custody of two small boys was slim to none. I was no longer in a foxhole, but yes, I was still an atheist. 

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Jesus is pulling for you, too.

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Ron and his wife, Sheri

All the flying bullets, explosions, and parachute jumps at Zero Dark Thirty hadn’t opened my eyes. Ten years of beating up my body and soul didn’t show me what God had in store for me. In the end it was my loving wife, a house fire, and a visit from Pastor Paul Gedden. I’m no longer in a foxhole, and as of four and a half years ago, I’m no longer an atheist, either. All those years ago, God had plenty of opportunities to right me off. One foot to the left, a better-concealed trip wire, or a trigger-happy buddy and no one would have known my story. Most would not have missed it. 

We are all broken and God can make the broken beautiful again. For all my veteran brethren who still fight the nightmares and demons, I can’t say that the nightmares have gone away, but even those are brighter today than they were when I was just an atheist in a foxhole. To quote a saying from another of my philosophical heroes, “Keep your stick on the ice. Remember, I'm pulling for you. We're all in this together.” And Jesus is pulling for you, too.

–Written by Ron Oglesbee; edited by Rachel Bebee & Marie Dufour

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HEAR MORE OF RON’S STORY:

Charles Williams

A national evangelist, Charles was the field representative of the C&MA in charge of Black Ministries (now known as the African-American Pastors’ Association).

Charles Williams was born December 7, 1923, at the little mining town of Logans Ferry, Pennsylvania (now known as Logans Ferry Heights). His father and mother were the late Mr. Jeremiah Henry Williams and the late Mrs. L. K. Cook.

[Jeremiah] Williams was a graduate of Tuskegee Institute, Alabama, and a tailor by trade. He also was a veteran of World War I. Charles was age three when his father died, and it became his mother’s responsibility to raise him, his brother Jeremiah Henry Williams Jr., and his sister Rosa Williams. This was not an easy job, especially during the Great Depression years.

Some years later, Charles’ mother married the late Mr. Colonel Cook. Charles’ sister, Rosa Williams, died at eight years of age.

Time of Growth

Mrs. Cook was a hard-working widow who successfully raised her two sons and taught them how to work even from an early age. In time, the family moved from Logans Ferry, Pennsylvania, to New Kensington, Pennsylvania, and from there to Lincoln Beach, Pennsylvania.

Charles and his brother, Henry, delivered the Pittsburgh Post Gazette during the early mornings of those formative years in sub-zero temperatures, which was good training in teaching them responsibility.

Charles attended the Stewart Grade School along with our late missionary Rev. Edward Thompson of Viet Nam. He attended high school at New Kensington, Pennsylvania, and graduated in 1940. He worked hard and in 1942 entered the Missionary Training Institute at Nyack, New York, and graduated in 1945.

He was converted to Christ at the Community Church at Lincoln Beach, Pennsylvania, around 1937 under the ministry of an Alliance minister named Pastor Peterson and received much spiritual help under the later field representative, the Rev. J. D. Bell. He was a spiritual father to Charles and was used by God in involving him in the Christian ministry.

Rev. Bell founded Lincoln Beach Camp, which was later called the John Davis Bell Camp. It was there that Charles, along with many others, found special help and inspiration through the various evangelists and missionaries.

Evangelistic Ministry

Upon graduating from Nyack, Charles went on to hold pastorates at Twinsburg, Ohio, and Birmingham, Alabama. These were very difficult pastorates with few members in attendance, and Charles had to trust the Lord for his livelihood, but God graciously sustained him.

While at Twinsburg, Ohio, he was ordained into the Christian ministry by the then District Superintendent Allen and the late Pastor Zeimer of the Toledo Gospel Tabernacle. He also journeyed to Birmingham, Alabama, and married Miss Rosalia Bernice Oliver on October 22, 1947.

To this union was added three boys and a girl: Charles H. Williams Jr., Smith E. Williams, John D. Williams, and Lois Williams. The eldest son served in the United States Coast Guard, and the second son attended the Concordia Junior College at Portland, Oregon. Mrs. Williams is the Lutheran sister of the Revs. Douglas and Herbert Oliver who also were students at Nyack along with Charles.

Upon the completion of the Twinsburg and Birmingham pastorates, Charles entered full-time evangelistic ministry and traveled extensively both in and out of the country. He made some 10 evangelistic tours outside of the country which carried him to Liberia, Ghana, England, Haiti, Trinidad, Tobago, Jamaica, Mexico, South America, Canada, and South Africa. Many souls were won to Christ through these various meetings in conjunction with various churches and mission boards.

Charles was the president director of the National Negro Evangelical Association of Oregon, the president of the Evangelical Holiness and Missionary Association, which was an affiliate of the C&MA, and a national evangelist and field representative of the C&MA in charge of Black Ministries (now known as the African-American Pastors’ Association).

He resided in Portland, Oregon, with his wife and family until his death in 2008. Charles’ dear mother died at the age of 76, and Charles was eternally grateful to God for having given him a devoted mother who lived a dedicated Christian life before him and taught him how to be responsible in life and supported him during his years of schooling.

Story provided by The Alliance News

E. B. Nichols

E. B. Nichols graduated in 1896 from the Mission Training Institute (now Nyack College in New York). In God’s providence, he became superintendent of the early African-American ministries of the C&MA.

E. B. traveled extensively holding meetings and overseeing his team in the establishment of many Alliance branches throughout the United States. He reported the following in The Alliance Witness July 13, 1989:

Our Third Annual Convention commenced on Friday morning, June 2, 1898, in the Wylie Avenue A. M. E. Church of which Dr. J. W. Gazaway is pastor. The Convention opened with a meeting for prayer and humiliation before our Father, who graciously showered upon us an “earnest” of what was to follow, praise be to His name! From the very first, the Holy Spirit wonderfully manifested His presence and power in saving, sanctifying, and healing. Many were saved and filled with the Holy Spirit.

On Wednesday, June 8, Dr. G. D. Watson gave very helpful and instructive messages on “Our Blessed Hope, the Lord’s Second Coming.” The Lord wonderfully used our dear brother, Rev. R. H. Shirley of Coxsackie, New York. The noble corps of workers from Ohio, namely Sisters Bowles, Smoot, Brown, Johnson, and others were very effectually used of the Holy Spirit in spreading the joyful message. May the “Lord of the harvest” give us many such Spirit-filled hearts to labor for Him.

Thursday, June 9, was given to the ministry of divine healing—brief messages showing Jesus Christ as not only willing to heal our sicknesses but also to be to us our very life, health, and strength. Bless His name! After the messages many were anointed, after which some wonderful cures were testified to, namely, sight restored, internal ailments of long standing cured, and some were brought back from sick beds and went away healed. Praise God! “He is just the same today.”

Marvelous Light

The interest increased steadily, and we believe there has been a great and effectual work accomplished by our Father through this branch of the C&MA among African Americans, who, because of past oppression, feel somewhat backward, and will not press their way into Conventions where these truths are taught, and learn of Him “more perfectly.” And because of this we are working to obtain and praying that the Lord may give us means and workers to carry this marvelous light of the Fourfold Gospel into some of the much needed localities of the South, and so the close of the Convention we started a side fund apart from our regular missionary offering for the purpose stated above.

Our dear sisters Bowles and Smoots of Cleveland, Ohio, came to us directly from Kentucky to assist in the Convention. They were trying to establish a work but failed owing to the above needs. Therefore, as soon as the dear Lord will enable us to sufficiently increase the said fund we expect to send a party of four or five workers in His name to these very same places. We are sure that after they shall have heard and seen examples of His marvelous work they will readily welcome messengers and support their work. Do pray that God may order our steps.

Sunday afternoon, June 12, we gave especially to the subject of missions which lay so near to the heart of our dear Lord and which He has placed so near to some of our hearts, but owing to that day being a day set apart by that denomination for missionary purposes, etc., we were not allowed to take our usual missionary offering, which is always the chief feature and most joyful time of an Alliance Convention, when we can give Him back part of what He has so freely given us.

Above All

The winding-up was Sunday night, June 12, when the church and neighborhood rang with our late brother Macomber’s “song.” “We’re bound to take the Congo for Jesus.”

Dr. Gazaway did his utmost for us to make the Convention a success. God will bless him for the same. May the dear Lord give us more pastors who are not afraid of the truth.

We are much indebted to many of the liberal merchants of Pittsburg for their hospitality, Messrs. Marvin & Co., Lutz & Co., Dilworth & Co., etc. Last year our late brother Conley gave our workers a luncheon in the Alliance Rooms on Penn Avenue. In his stead the dear Lord has given us a friend and brother in the person of Mr. J. T. Gilbert, of the Hotel Anderson, whom the Lord so wonderfully delivered through the Convention last year. He sent us a whole dinner and a waiter to serve it, besides giving most liberally of his means. May God indeed give us many such people who love Him above all!

The people could not understand how our dear members, who are Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians, Congregationalists, and converted and sanctified Catholics, could work so peaceably together, but many learned the secret by receiving the Holy Spirit.

Our beloved president, W. P. Robinson, did his best, and now everybody is longing for the next Convention. Pray that our Father may keep us low at His feet.

Story provided by The Alliance News

What is Lent?

In our pandemic-induced isolation, a date threatens to pass without our notice. Tomorrow (as I write) is Ash Wednesday. On this date, some of your friends may receive a cross smudged on their foreheads. They probably did not get this from an infant playing with markers; it was likely intentional, and is a symbol of religious observance. It is a mark designed to recognize the beginning of Lent.  

Today (Tuesday), many who enjoy a good party will celebrate Mardi Gras. (For the language-challenged, Mardi Gras is French for “Fat Tuesday.” Social-media “experts” on fat may shudder at the phrase; but the idea is that people get one last bash at celebrating before Lenten sacrifices begin on Wednesday.) 

“Whether or not you celebrate Lent, Ash Wednesday or Mardi Gras, their origins are actually in the Church Calendar.”

Whether or not you celebrate Lent, Ash Wednesday or Mardi Gras (or Carnival, Carnaval, Carnevale, etc.), their origins are actually in the Church Calendar.  For numerous religious traditions around the world, the day before Ash Wednesday (Mardi Gras) is also known as Shrove Tuesday. It is the last day of Shrovetide, or the period prior to Lent itself. (Our unfamiliarity with terms/phrases like Shrove Tuesday, or Quinquagesima [the Sunday before Ash Wednesday, 50 days before Easter] reflects Evangelicalism’s general avoidance of liturgical formalities ... an avoidance less common outside of western, informal expressions of Christianity.)

Since the earliest centuries after Christ, Jesus-followers have felt the impulse to reflect on Jesus’ first coming and work out how they might also sacrifice something as an expression of love for Christ and His mission. Shrovetide, virtually unheard of today, begins on the Sunday before Lent (though traditions vary), and observers mark this time with introspection, confession of sin, and a consideration of Lenten sacrifices one might make during Lent itself. 

Observance of Lent was/is the church’s way to remember Jesus within its calendar. In ancient Israel, and for centuries in the church, the calendar was used to retell stories.  Mostly stories of deliverance. In many ways, we do the same in our country ... though we have replaced deliverance under Moses (in Judaism) and through Christ (in Christianity) with the American story of deliverance (e.g. July 4th, Labor and Memorial Days, etc.). Which story do you most identify when you look at your daily, weekly, monthly and annual calendar? The loss of awareness of a religious “calendar” is understandable in our relaxed church culture, but may also be a loss to our memories. Leviticus shows us that God taught his people their “story” through that calendar.  Is it any wonder the Bible tells us often to “Remember!”? Celebrating holidays (holy-days) is to collectively remind ourselves or our identity and roots. Our story.  (When God “remembers us,” he takes action ... not that He ever forgot.  When WE remember, it is often a miracle!) 

Ash Wednesday begins the 40-day period of Lent.  Lent (which excludes Sundays, for those who are counting closely) precedes Easter each year. It echoes the extended time Jesus fasted in the wilderness before beginning his ministry and his trip to the cross and resurrection. The linkage to those 40 days prompts the desire of so many to consider fasting or sacrificing elements in our lives.  Of course, Easter is THE central day of remembrance in the year for Christians, and sacrifice in front of that celebration has seemed normal and natural throughout church history.

“Giving up” things is popular during Lent. For many, it is an excuse to go on another diet.  For others, giving up things like chocolate (or sugar?) feels like serious sacrifice. For those with faith in Jesus, the impulse to imitate their savior, even if in smaller ways, can be strong. Some “sacrifices” are fairly silly; but others can be more serious indeed.

Should you or I consider such sacrifices this Lenten season?  What does Jesus think about such things? Truthfully, there is no easy answer.  In our upcoming sermon series on Leviticus, we will learn that coming into the presence of God always required sacrifice in the old system, something that cost the worshipper.  But with the sacrifice of Christ, such costs have already been borne. Nevertheless, the impulse to return in kind to our savior remains, doesn’t it? Perhaps the answer to the question is to be found in our motives.

In Hebrews 2:11, we are told Jesus was “not ashamed” to call us his brothers and sisters (cf. the language of “kinship” in Matt 12:49-50).  And in John 15:14, Jesus reminds us that he calls us his friends!  For those of us who love Christ, he has established a family under his leadership; he is our brother, but also our Lord.  The relationship is established due to our trust in him and his sacrifice … not ours.  And the gift that we gain due to our faith is a new relationship, with him and with other Jesus followers. If our motive is to respond in thanks, and to give space in our lives for him to do a work in our souls, then small steps of sacrifice during Lent may be appropriate.  

Should you consider forgoing something (or adding a habit?) so as to understand the grace of God in a new way?If so, I am quite confident that God will find that sacrifice acceptable. Our current consumer culture, a culture that seem to thrive on paying it great attention while indulging ourselves, might argue otherwise. However, Romans 12:1 suggests that giving ourselves unreservedly to God is always warmly received.Perhaps some of you will look for new ways to give space for God to be at work in your lives.

Carrie Elizabeth Merriweather

The first female African-American missionary to be sent by the C&MA

In 1890, The Christian and Missionary Alliance established a mission post in Sierra Leone hoping that it would provide a gateway into what was known as “French Soudan”—a vast expanse of land stretching from present-day Mali to the eastern highlands of Ethiopia. The French government stonewalled the missionaries’ entrance to the Soudan for nearly 30 years. In that time, our missionaries faced hardship and death from disease and tribal conflict.

When recalling the treacherous conditions that these early workers encountered, R. S. Roseberry, pioneer missionary to French West Africa, wrote in his book The Niger Vision, “It is doubtful if any effort to open a road into the Dark Continent surpasses the heroism of the early pioneers of the Soudan Mission.”

On the trail from Freetown to the highlands, one may find the last resting place of men and women who had a vision and followed on to the end. Some sleep in unmarked graves in the long grass. More than 30 lives were laid down in those years of trial, when the strongest hearts were tried.

At a point of desperation, the field sent out a call in 1912 for more missionaries. Carrie Elizabeth Merriweather, a second-year student at The Missionary Training Institute (now Nyack College, Nyack, N.Y.), heard that call and decided to respond, ultimately forgoing her graduation. She arrived at Freetown, Sierra Leone, in November 1913, becoming the first female African-American missionary to be sent by the C&MA.

Born July 28, 1881, in Carthage, Indiana, Merriweather moved to Cleveland, Ohio, at the age of 17 to attend Friends’ Bible School. While there, she befriended Mrs. B. H. Smoot, ardent supporter of the foreign missionary effort. At Smoot’s encouragement, Merriweather enrolled at Nyack in 1910 with only $50 to cover her expenses. She spent the next two years studying and paying for her tuition by faith and hard work.

At the beginning of her second term in Sierra Leone, Merriweather was forced to leave the field because of illness. Although she continued to suffer from her condition after returning home, Merriweather still managed to travel and invite people to her house when she was too sick to leave. She spent the rest of her life stirring interest for Africa and encouraging others to follow God wherever He might call them.

Carrie Merriweather went to be with the Lord March 20, 1931. She left a tremendous legacy as over the next two decades, seven more African-American missionaries—Eugene M. and Sadie Thornley, Montrose and Ella Mae Waite (and later his second wife, Anna Marie), Mr. R. H. Wilson, and Mrs. A. A. Fitts (neé Bolden)—followed in her footsteps to spread the gospel in Sierra Leone and the regions beyond.

Story provided by The Alliance News

Introducing the Newest CCC Residency Cohort

Photos by Marie Dufour

CCC is thrilled to welcome our fourth cohort to the Church Residency program!

The residency is a two-year program focused on combining practical experience with graduate-level education. This year we’re welcoming seven residents working in five different ministry areas. The goal is for each of the residents to complete the program fully prepared for ministry without further debt, which is why the church, along with a generous discount from Crown, will pay 100% of their tuition.

As we endeavor on such an ambitious and Kingdom-focused approach to leadership training, we would ask you to consider doing four things in the coming months:

Pray

Pray for residents as they receive their training. Pray for the staff who are mentoring and training the residents. Pray for the churches, missions, and organizations that will soon be hiring our residents. And most of all, pray that God gets all the glory and that the mission of the Church advances because more bright, young leaders are being sent out!

Give

Although the church is paying for the residents’ tuition along with a small monthly stipend, each resident is required to raise support to cover their monthly expenses. Because we want the residents to focus on their experience without overextending themselves to get a part-time job, this support is crucial to free them up to focus on their training. If you feel led to contribute to an individual resident or if you’d like to designate giving to the program overall, visit cccomaha.org/give.

Host

Each resident will live with a CCC member/attender for the duration of their residency. This is not only a great way to save them money, but also to connect them with caring people who can provide additional leadership and support in their lives. If you have the gift of hospitality, an extra room or basement, and would like more information on becoming a host home, visit cccresidency.org/hosthome.

Connect

We’ll introduce you to the new cohort of residents below. As you see them around the church, please approach them and introduce yourself. Say “hi” and get to know them. Perhaps you would want to bless them with lunch or coffee or giving them an occasional gift card. More importantly, bless them with your words of love and encouragement.

A program like this can only be realized and accomplished together. It’s not just our staff who can pull this off. We need everyone in the church to capture the vision and recognize that, in order to provide a great program for residents, we need to have a culture that values training and equipping young leaders for work in church ministry. They are the future—but to send them into the future with everything they need, the Church of today needs to get behind them, support them, and mentor them so they can lead us into tomorrow. The CCC Church Residency is a huge step in that direction. Thanks for taking that step with us!

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GET TO KNOW THE 2020–2022 COHORT:

MARY CLAIRE JOHNSON

AGE: 22
HOMETOWNS: Lincoln, NE and Dallas, TX
COLLEGE/DEGREE: University of Nebraska–Lincoln; Leadership
CALL TO MINISTRY: I was a nursing student feeling unsatisfied with my future career. I knew I had a passion to care for others and it was through varying mentorship/discipleship opportunities in college that I recognized my passion of long-term development and healing in both myself and others! 
FAVORITE FOOD: Chick-fil-A!!!
STARBUCKS DRINK: Decaf White Mocha

MATT CLURAGHTY

AGE: 24
HOMETOWN: Milaca, MN
COLLEGE/DEGREE: Moody Bible Institute; Bachelor of Science in Ministry with Leadership Emphasis
CALL TO MINISTRY: Since God brought me into relationship with himself my senior year of high school, he has placed a deep passion in my heart for the lost. God proved that he would equip me for whatever he would call me for, and in my case that was full-time ministry. My passion is to be used by God to draw people close to Jesus.
FAVORITE FOOD: A rare steak
FAVORITE STARBUCKS DRINK: Hot White Mocha

ISAIAH LACKEY

AGE: 24
HOMETOWN: Roanoke, Virginia
COLLEGE/DEGREE: Toccoa Falls College; Cross-Cultural Studies & Bible and Theology.
CALL TO MINISTRY: My call to ministry has been a journey of going through doors the Lord opens for me and to using the gifts of the Spirit that he has given to me. The Lord has given me a heart and a passion for serving others in any capacity, especially those of different cultural backgrounds.
FAVORITE FOOD: Any kind of Asian food, or Chick-fil-A. 
FAVORITE STARBUCKS DRINK: Mocha, Caramel Macchiato, or just a plain black cup of coffee.

CAITLIN FETTIG

AGE: 23
HOMETOWN: Portland, OR
COLLEGE/DEGREE: Social Work; George Fox University
CALL TO MINISTRY: My call to ministry stems from my desire to leave people better than I found them by being the hands and feet of Christ to everyone I meet.
FAVORITE FOOD: Cereal… just any and ALL of the cereal.
FAVORITE STARBUCKS DRINK: Matcha Latte

LOTTIE ELLIS

AGE: 22
HOMETOWN: Columbia Falls, MT
COLLEGE/DEGREE: Crown College; Youth & Family Ministry and Christian Studies
CALL TO MINISTRY: God is continually revealing to me the beauty of himself, and the beauty in those around me. I feel called to empower people, through the love of Jesus, to share their stories and pursue him with their whole lives. 
FAVORITE FOOD: Fried Chicken
FAVORITE STARBUCKS DRINK: The caffeinated kind

MATT JOHNSON

AGE: 22
HOMETOWN: Lutz, Florida
COLLEGE/DEGREE: Florida Southern College; BA in Religion
CALL TO MINISTRY: My call to ministry has been more of a fall to ministry. God has faithfully ruined all of my plans that did not align with his, and with my future freed of obligations, God made it clear that I was to build up the Church with the gifts I have been given.
FAVORITE FOOD: Meatloaf or Tuna Casserole
FAVORITE STARBUCKS DRINK: Salted Caramel Crunch Frappuccino

SETH RENICKS

AGE: 22
HOMETOWN: Grove City, PA
COLLEGE/DEGREE: Toccoa Falls College; B.S. in Ministry and Leadership
CALL TO MINISTRY: Right now I’m called to be in the Residency program and learn as much as I can to be ready for where the Lord has me next!
FAVORITE FOOD: Steak 🥩
FAVORITE STARBUCKS DRINK: Pineapple Matcha Latte

Answering God's Call

The Perrotto family (photo provided by Teri Perrotto)

Matt & Teri Perrotto: Serving God and Neighbor During the COVID-19 Pandemic

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“It’s been all glory to God. He’s given us the wisdom we’ve asked for, and he’s provided the means to help.” 
– Matt Perrotto, site coordinator, Envision Miami; member, Christ Community Church

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A recent food drive during the COVID-19 crisis run by Envision Miami (photo provided by Teri Perrotto)

Like almost all other aspects of life, the coronavirus pandemic has dramatically impacted Matt and Teri Perrotto’s mission work in Miami. Their prime focus, right now, is food—collecting it and passing it out to neighbors in need. The Perrottos and their team held their first food distribution event on April 18.

“That day, when we showed up, there was a line of cars already. It was eye-opening for us to see the need,” Matt says. “After that, we decided we’re going to hold as many food distribution events as we can. We started calling around, asking food distributors, food suppliers, grocery stores—anyone we could think of—for donations.”

And things started to happen. One supplier donated 900 dozen (10,800) eggs, another donated three pallets of canned fruits and vegetables. Christ Community Church’s Carlos Ramirez (resident who graduated in 2020) connected Matt and Teri with his father, a food broker, who introduced the Perrottos to a professional peer in their area. That resulted in an astounding donation of 8,000 pounds—four tons—of fresh produce each week. The Perrottos and their team have begun distributing food to local partner schools and a partner church. They’ve held three more community food distribution events in May alone.

“We usually have over 1,000 people come through in about 200 cars,” Matt says. “God has provided in some really cool ways. Not only has that enabled us to give food away, but it’s increased our faith. It helps us to realize that asking God for big things—things that will impact his kingdom—is something we should be doing on a regular basis.”

“We need to be bold in our prayers,” Teri says.

As the pandemic was beginning to unfold and the Perrottos were unsure how to proceed, that’s exactly where they started, with prayer.

“Every day, our whole team sets a timer on our phones at 1:28, and we pray according to James 1:2–8, which talks about counting it all joy when you encounter various trials. The second part involves asking for wisdom. That’s made all the difference,” Matt says. 

Matt and Teri believe their pandemic outreach will have a lasting impact as they continue working to “transform lives and increase the Kingdom of Heaven through the power of the gospel.”

“Just the fact that we’re still here, that we’re still trying to do whatever we can to help, I think that’s going to go a long way,” Matt says. “As we continue to reach out to the community, we’re going to have some relationships and some credibility that we didn’t have before.”

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A CCC team ministering to high school students during a short-term mission trip to Miami (Photo by Austin Asay)

Matt & Teri Perrotto: Answering God’s Call to Combat Spiritual Darkness and Spread the Light of Christ

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“This is where we need to be no matter how hard it is.”

– Matt Perrotto

Christ Community Church’s Matt and Teri Perrotto know what it’s like. They’ve experienced uncertainty and reluctance like Jonah,

But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish (Jonah 1:3, New International Version [NIV]).

the fear of failure like Moses, 

What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, “The LORD did not appear to you?” (Exodus 4:1, NIV).

and Gideon’s feelings of inadequacy: 

“Pardon me, my Lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family” (Judges 6:15, NIV).

And like Gideon, Jonah, and Moses, Matt and Teri came to answer God’s call anyway. 

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“God can use anyone, and it’s not based on our qualifications,” Matt says. “The power that is within us is the same power that raised Jesus from the dead and that’s endless. If you trust God, he can do anything through you.”

For the last four years, the Perrottos have served as site coordinators for Envision Miami, a ministry of the Christian and Missionary Alliance (C&MA). Envision Miami exists to collaborate with Miami-area churches, schools, homeless shelters, and other organizations to “transform lives and increase the Kingdom of Heaven through the power of the gospel.” 

A team working on a project during a short-term mission trip to Miami (Photo by Austin Asay)

“We started an ESL (English as a Second Language) program to reach more of the people near us,” Matt says. “Our goal this year is to do prayer walks for 1,000 hours. We believe prayer is our first work that we should be doing.”

The Perrottos say Miami might seem an odd mission field—it’s not Haiti, Kenya, or Tanzania—but the need for Christian outreach and spiritual transformation is stark.

“Miami is a different place, a challenging place,” Matt says. “There is a spiritual darkness that we see, and we’ve experienced a lot of spiritual battle. I feel like every step forward we take in our ministry center is met with resistance.”

That includes efforts to rehab the ministry center building, a structure in dire need of upkeep and renovation. The Perrottos have run into steady opposition from the county.

“We have been trying, since we’ve been here, to get basic permits passed, and they stop every single one of them. Our contractors said they have never seen anything like this. They can’t believe how hard this has been,” Teri says. “Honestly, it’s felt like more of a spiritual battle.”

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Moses returned to the LORD and said, “Why, Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people?” (Exodus 5:22, NIV).

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Matt says the work is going to get done eventually, but he tries to not put a timeline on it. 

“Even with the state the building is in—we have doors falling off their hinges—God has been moving and working in people’s lives. We see people coming alive in their faith. It shows us it’s not about the building. It’s in his presence where life change happens,” Matt says.

The Perrottos have also had to build bridges with a diverse group of neighbors, including a primarily Haitian congregation that shares their campus. 

“When we first started there, you could feel tension. We felt like we were not wanted at this campus and it was very uncomfortable.  We knew we had to earn their trust,” Teri says. “Now, it’s changed so drastically. That relationship has grown. The pastor will call now and check in, ‘How are you guys doing? I haven’t seen you for a little bit.’”

Personal struggles have added to the complexity of their ministry as well. The kids (ages 9–19) had a tough time adjusting, though, Matt says, Miami feels like home now. Members of their extended family still question why they do what they do. And they’ve had to wrestle with loss. Teri’s mother died in February, and her father’s health is failing. 

“It’s been kind of a spiral since December, but we have still seen God’s hand through it all,” Teri says.  

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Matt speaking to a CCC team during a short-term mission trip to Miami (Photo by Austin Asay)

Balancing out the challenges—all of the victories so far.

“We’ve had a lot of encounters with our neighbors where we’ve been able to share the gospel,” Matt says. “They’re excited about the outreach we’re doing in that neighborhood. We’ve had people get saved. The mission teams that come down and stay here—we’ve seen so many people be transformed, just being in the presence of God and being on a mission with God.”

Matt and Teri’s own experience with mission work began with short-term service trips during college. After joining Christ Community Church (CCC) in 2010, they became involved with youth and children’s ministry and community outreach. In 2012, Teri served on a pivotal mission trip to China. While interacting with Chinese college students, she was profoundly struck by the way they worshipped.

“It was a true relationship with God,” Teri says. “When I came back, it hit me really hard because I wanted our kids to have that relationship and not just a ‘Sunday God.’ That’s when Matt and I started talking seriously like, ‘I think God is calling us to more.’”

At the time, Matt had an “excellent job,” working as an electronics engineer. Teri was raising the kids full-time after transitioning out of her social work career. While they pressed on with life, God continued to press on their hearts the idea of long-term mission work. The Perrottos started praying about it and asked members of their Journey Group to pray for them as well.

“It just didn’t seem like we were qualified. It didn’t seem like it made sense for us to move from Omaha where we both grew up,” Matt says. “When we did pray, we asked God to make it really clear because it was still this crazy idea.”

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Gideon replied, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, give me a sign that it is really you talking to me” (Judges 6:17, NIV).

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CCC International Worker Dan working on a project in Miami (photo by Austin Asay)

“After praying, we had to decide, are we going to continue following what we thought God was directing us to do or just drop it?” Matt says. “We decided, let’s take a step and see what God does.”

That step, in early 2013, involved talking to Craig Walter, CCC’s director of missions. 

“We wanted him to close the door because we weren’t sure we could actually do it,” Matt says.

He didn’t. 

“He was 110 percent all for it,” Matt says. “That was one of the first signs that we thought, ‘Okay, maybe this is what God wants.’”

In 2014, the Perrottos left everything and moved to the Dominican Republic to serve with Envision. Toward the end of that two-year assignment, they received a phone call from the director of Envision asking if they would be interested in starting a site in Miami.

“We started praying about it. We really were not sure,” Teri says. “During a site visit, when we met the pastors and we heard their hearts, our hearts broke and we knew God wanted us here.” 

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Jonah obeyed the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh (Jonah 3:3, NIV).

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Teri recalls a time when one of their five children—daughter Madelyn—asked flat-out, “Why are we in Miami?” 

“As we walked around the neighborhood, I asked her, ‘How many of these people do you think are going to heaven? How many do you think believe in God?’ It was like a lightbulb went on and she said, ‘We have to get all these people to believe.’”

Matt adds, “When people come down, their lives are impacted and they sense the presence of God. This is where we need to be no matter how hard it is. If you’re committed to obeying God, the only reason you stop is if God tells you to—and if he doesn’t tell you to, you keep going.” 

The Perrottos are asking members of CCC to pray for them, their family, and their work, and if they are so inclined, to support them financially. (Right now, they are about 85 percent funded.) They also encourage others to discern how they can join God in the Great Commission. 

“We can all get involved in our own way, and that doesn’t necessarily mean going to the mission field,” Matt says.

His and Teri’s work is inspiring their children in that direction. Their oldest, Alec, is already leading mission teams. Son Marcus and oldest daughter Ellah are talking about moving to the Dominican Republic and Tennessee, respectively, to do ministry. Even nine-year-old Isaac has started sharing the gospel with peers.

“When we first started, Matt and I weren’t sure why we were doing this, but we both felt that we had to obey,” Teri says. “To see our kids following that path is so amazing.” 

Matt adds, “Seeing people come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ through different activities and ministries that we do, that’s a game changer for all eternity. It’s a privilege to be a part of it.”

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Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today” (Exodus 14:13, NIV).

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Dan McCann is a freelance writer whose work appears in the Omaha World Herald. 

Volunteer Spotlight | Nancy Hanson

Photos by Marie Dufour

The Christ Community Church Volunteer Spotlight is a chance to get to know a volunteer you might see around the church building. From time to time, we'll feature a volunteer, share a little bit about their life, how they got to CCC, and something you may not know about them. This post features Nancy Hanson, who serves in CCC’s Renewal Ministries.

FAMILY: Widowed, six children, and ten grandchildren

ORIGINS: Born and raised in Scottsbluff, Nebraska; spent thirty years in California before returning to Nebraska. 

ENJOYS: Spending time with my grandkids (three are here in Omaha), games, music, gardening, reading, and ministry.

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WHAT AREA DO YOU SERVE?

I serve as a Renewal Group leader for a group called Hope After Betrayal.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN SERVING? 

About eight years. 

HOW DID YOU GET TO CCC? 

When I moved to Omaha in 2011, I began coming with my daughter and her family who were already attending CCC.

WHY DID YOU BEGIN SERVING AT CCC? 

I first served in Kid’s Ministry after a request for help in that area was mentioned. After about 1.5 years, I heard a sermon from Pastor Wendell Nelson. God spoke to me during that sermon and said he wanted me to serve in Adult Ministries. After prayer and talking with Pastors Nelson and Marc Montanye, I started the Renewal Group.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT SERVING?

This is a hard question as there are so many benefits to serving! I would say the blessing of coming alongside another who may be struggling/hurting and just letting them know they are not alone, and also being part of a community of women who love and support each other.

IF YOU COULD ENCOURAGE SOMEONE TO SERVE, WHAT WOULD YOU TELL THEM? 

It’s much more blessing than effort. If someone is not sure where God wants them to serve, try a lot of different serving opportunities. God will confirm the right one with joy in being there and a peaceful sense of belonging.

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Freed, Forgiven, Loved.

Photos by Marie Dufour

Face down on the floor of a prison cell, emotions welling in his chest, Brent Springer was officially done. There was not a lot more that he could lose in that moment. He was done—done living for himself and following his rules, done pursuing his selfish desires, done with the addiction that led to him to prison. He was done. This was not the doneness of the man one month prior, the suicidal intentions that led to him injuring another person, but the doneness that ended in surrender.

Surrender. His ways of living, surrendered to God’s ways. His wants and needs, surrendered to God’s greater plan for his life. This is Brent’s story.

Brent was adopted as a baby by Norm and Joyce Springer. He was raised in a loving, supportive family and was pretty happy growing up. But as he entered his teens, Brent began to experience some deep, negative emotions. At age 13, he was diagnosed with depression and was subsequently put on antidepressants. He discovered that alcohol helped numb the pain and provided escape from what he was feeling. Physical fights with other students in high school was a frequent occurrence for Brent. Hoping that a change in environment would help, Brent’s parents enrolled him in a private Christian school in Omaha during his freshman year. However, an external change wasn’t enough to keep him from returning to his old habits and friends. After two semesters there, he switched to a different school, once again hoping that this time it would be different. He finished high school at Lewis Central and made plans to attend a small Christian college in rural Iowa. After starting his freshman year at the college, he quickly determined the school wasn’t a good fit and returned to Council Bluffs. He started attending Iowa Western and studied criminal justice, but just felt lost and purposeless. Something was missing in his life.

At nineteen, Brent met a recruiter for the United States Marine Corps (USMC). After talking with the recruiter for several weeks, Brent decided to enlist. He spent his twentieth birthday at boot camp in San Diego, was transferred to South Carolina, and then spent two years in Okinawa, Japan. Though he had left the situations that he felt pulled him down, addiction followed him wherever he went. Brent eventually got married while serving in the USMC. After five years of military service, he was honorably discharged, and he and his wife moved to Omaha. Neither Brent nor his wife were really trying in their marriage, and one evening after a particularly bad fight, she packed her things and left. Brent turned to his familiar comfort and began drinking. Two of his friends showed up and drank with him in solidarity. 

Brent found himself in a situation he had never envisioned—behind bars.

In that moment, life shifted. Angry and hurting, Brent reached for his gun, ready to end his life. The weight of depression, alcoholism, and his marriage falling apart was too much to carry. In a valiant attempt to save Brent’s life, his friends attempted to take the gun from him. In the struggle, Brent shot and injured his coworker and shot at the other man who was unharmed. Brent found himself in a situation he had never envisioned—being arrested and placed behind bars. 

His family was heartbroken. His sister called CCC and asked that Lead Minister Mark Ashton to visit Brent in jail. Mark visited Brent and then shared his story with CCC’s Director of Counseling, Marc Montanye, who began to visit Brent regularly.

Brent returned to his roots and requested a Bible, which he began to read voraciously. During the month of September, he realized the weight of his sin and his desperate need for God’s forgiveness. He lay prostrate in his cell, crying out to God for the forgiveness of his sins. “Lord, I’ve seen where my way leads me, and I don’t wanna be here. I want you to change me. I’m going to do it your way now.” His heartfelt prayer on the prison cell floor led to a soul transformation. When others said offensive things to him, it no longer bothered him. Things that would have led to a physical fight in previous years didn’t affect him. He recognized that his identity was not based in what others thought of him, whether good or bad, but was based in Jesus Christ. A deep love of Scripture was planted in his heart and he read through the Bible three times within several months. Montanye began discipling Brent and a friendship flourished between them. As his faith continued to grow, Brent shared his love for the Bible by leading Bible studies for other men in prison. As his heart was transformed, he desired to ask the man he injured for forgiveness. Brent and Marc began praying that forgiveness would happen one day.

At his sentencing in 2015, Brent received ten to twenty years to be served in the Nebraska State Penitentiary. He would be eligible for parole in five years. Though the weight of the sentencing was heavy, Brent did not despair. God continued to mold Brent as a disciple through mentoring relationships and an educational program through the Christian and Missionary Alliance. Brent started the Ministerial Study Program through the C&MA’s Church Leadership Academy. While prison is not an ideal place to complete a degree, Brent persevered in his studies. Every night before he went to sleep, he asked God to wake him up at 3 AM so that he could complete his homework without disturbing other people in his cell block. 

Nearing the end of the five years, in March 2019, Brent was transferred to the Community Corrections Center in Omaha, which allowed him to begin attending Christ Community Church. He was paroled on August 28, 2019, and was able to begin working. The profound healing that Brent has experienced has led him to helping others heal from their traumas. He helps lead a CCC Renewal Group for those who deal with drug and alcohol addictions. He has nearly completed his undergraduate degree and looks forward to beginning a master’s degree in counseling, which he hopes to use to use in the future.

Brent is overwhelmingly grateful for what he’s been through. Though it has been a difficult road, one that he never expected, he wouldn’t change anything because it has led him to knowing God truly. Relationships with family and mentors have been essential to his continued spiritual growth. Studying Scripture and sharing what he believes with others have been key to remaining faithful to God. 

Editor’s note: As my interview with Brent came to a close, something unexpected happened. The man Brent shot and injured happened to be at Christ Community Church attending a small group, not knowing that Brent was part of the same group or even that Brent attended CCC. There was a momentary awkwardness as they recognized each other. The man walked up to Brent, hugged him, and told Brent that he was forgiven. It was an overwhelming picture of God’s grace and mercy poured out on Brent’s life. A man sentenced to prison has been redeemed so that he can pour out his life for others. A life that was far from God has been drawn close.

Rachel Bebee is the Project Coordinator for the Communications Team at Christ Community Church.

Seeking Community, Finding Family

Photo by Marie Dufour.

“I never understood what family was and what it meant because I was so used to being alone. I became the best at hide and seek with God. I would run and push God away as much as I could. I would always ask, ‘Why does it have to be like this?’” On September 29, 2019, Mike Atkins shared these words with the Christ Community Church congregation. Mike’s wife Katie and CCC staff member Jim Ratte were with him on stage. “Son,” Jim asked, “Do you believe that Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior and do you commit to following him all your days?” Mike affirmed that he did. Buried with his sins, Mike came out of the water raised to new life.

Mike’s early life was difficult. His parents met while his dad was serving in the military in Korea, and then his mom joined her husband in the US. Their marriage was physically and verbally abusive and ended shortly after Mike as born. After the divorce, Mike lived with his mom. He attended church with his mom, but didn't feel connected there. The deep pain from broken family relationships led him to put up walls that kept God and people out. It felt easier to hide the deep losses, the sadness, and the anger than to deal with the pain. His relationship with his dad, which was severely strained after the divorce, affected how he viewed God, yet God was not through with Mike yet. Mike became close friends with another student in elementary school. His friend's family invited Mike into their daily life. He would stay with them for days at a time. Through his “adopted” white family, he began to experience unconditional love in his life. 

Knowing Jesus has brought peace into their lives that they never expected.

Growing up on her family’s farm near Tecumseh, Nebraska, Katie's early life was different. She learned about Jesus through the Lutheran church her family attended and accepted him as Savior when she was in junior high. A self-described “comfortable” Christian, Katie didn’t understand how to have a thriving relationship with Jesus. She joined Campus Crusade for Christ for several years in college. After moving to Omaha for pharmacy school, a friend invited her to CCC and began to get connected. She tried another church, but ended up returning to CCC. 

Katie and Mike’s stories intersected on a Wednesday in January 2015 at a local bar. Mike was playing wingman for his friend who was interested in Katie’s best friend. Though neither was interested at first, they saw each other later that week at the same place. Mike’s friend encouraged him to ask Katie on a date. Katie said yes and the two started dating, but their early relationship was difficult. Both had been wounded in past relationships. Although Mike wasn’t yet a Christian, Katie made it clear that he would need to attend church with her if he wanted to date her. She hoped that her faith would help Mike accept Jesus as Savior. Despite his initial reluctance about going to church, Mike knew he needed to start attending church again. They slowly started to get connected. 

Life wasn't easy for Mike and Katie during this time. Rotations for pharmacy school sent Katie away for a year. Serious fights ended in frustration with each other. Finally, Mike’s dad passed away. Though his relationship with his dad was distant, Mike still felt the loss. He was angry with God, but tried to keep his emotions under wraps.  

Mike and Katie continued dating and kept coming to CCC. They got engaged and participated in CCC’s marriage class. They were married in October 2017. Though he had not yet surrendered his life to Jesus, Katie felt like a change was coming in Mike's life. After moving into their first house, Mike noticed that one of his coworkers lived in the neighborhood. Upon investigating, he found out that it was Glen Farmer and his wife Susan, who were members at CCC. The Farmers invited them to a BBQ their Journey Group was holding. Mike and Katie had been considering joining a Journey Group for young adults, but the intergenerational group welcomed them warmly. Immediately the group felt like family. Finding a community where questions and doubts were okay was the turning point for Mike. One night, he asked a question of the group. Jim Ratte asked him a question in return. Something inside Mike broke. The childhood pain that he had stuffed finally spilled out. In that moment, he found acceptance and grace as the group prayed for him. 

This past fall, Mike and Katie joined Foundations, CCC’s membership class. During discussion one morning, Mike realized that he hadn’t made the decision to follow Jesus. He didn’t want to be the ruler of his life anymore—he wanted to follow Jesus. So on September 29, 2019, Mike was baptized at CCC! He publicly declared that Jesus was king of his life. The celebration was extra special because Katie was also baptized the same day. 

Since trusting Jesus and joining a community, Mike and Katie have experienced profound transformation. Their marriage is growing stronger. Knowing Jesus has brought peace into their lives that they never expected. Mike shared, “I think the thing that’s crazy about all of this, for a non-believer to get baptized and to start believing, looking back at your life and you see all the things that’s happened—it’s crazy to say this—but God has always been by my side. Having a family, my white ‘adopted’ family, putting us in our neighborhood with Glen and Susan...it’s crazy how it all intersects.” No matter what Mike and Katie face in the future, they rest assured that God is working in their lives for their good and his glory.

Rachel Bebee is the Project Coordinator for the Communications Team at Christ Community Church.

The Power of Prayer

Photo by Peeter Viisimaa (iStockphoto.com)

Witness and celebrate the power of prayer: transforming lives and communities in West Africa

Photo by Riccardo Lennart Niels Mayer (iStockphoto.com)

Her name was Fatou*, and the grittiness of her reality is something few of us can fathom: abducted off a busy West African street at the age of 15—the victim of a “bride kidnapping”—scurried to the groom’s village, raped, and forced to accept an afflicted marriage. Weeks into the ordeal, Fatou fled her abusive husband but not the darkness of her situation. Pregnant now and desperate to the extreme, she tried on multiple occasions to kill her unborn child and later bought rope at the local market with designs on hanging herself. 

The teenager’s emotional wounds were deep and festering. What could possibly begin to heal them?

For the last seventeen years, Becky and her husband, Shawn, have been serving as Alliance missionaries in West Africa. They met as missionary kids (MKs), attending boarding school together in the Ivory Coast. They returned to do an apprenticeship in Gold Kingdom in 2004 and ended up staying there for thirteen years.

“We’ve been living out a calling to walk with the poor,” Becky says. “Everywhere we work, it’s really in the context of ‘Okay Lord, where are the marginalized? Where are the vulnerable? Where are the people who need to encounter you where they’re at?ʼ”

Shawn’s work in Gold Kingdom included the launching of a sustainable fish farm in S-Town to combat food security issues and providing economic stability. Becky channeled her gifting for mercy, compassion, and justice into the plight of West Africa’s female child laborers. 

Through those endeavors, and more recently through their missionary work in a slum in Senegal, Shawn & Becky have not only witnessed and joined the struggle of the marginalized and vulnerable, they have witnessed the astounding power of prayer.

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After escaping from her abusive husband, Fatou made her way back to the Gold Kingdom capital where a Christian family hired her to assist in their home, a common happening in West Africa where amenities are few and hard manual labor is part of daily life. But the nightmare of Fatou’s past left her traumatized. She spent much of her day crying, hardly able to perform her duties.

Fatou’s employer, a member of a local Alliance church, knew the girl needed intensive help and reached out to the staff of a program she’d heard about at church. The outreach was called Hands of Honor, and one of its founders was Becky, an International Worker.

“We began a preventative, church-based program,” Becky says. “It’s a safe place in our city.” 

She and her Alliance CAMA (Compassion & Mercy Associates) Services team started Hands of Honor in 2014 in partnership with a local Alliance church. What started with eight girls in one location now has sixty-eight girls enrolled in three locations. The program provides life-skills training, health and hygiene education, and literacy education. 

“The literacy rate for women in Gold Kingdom is thirty-three percent,” Becky says. “We’re teaching them to read and write.”

The girls, ages fifteen to nineteen years old, pray and study God’s word together. Some receive vocational training. All have advocates in the Hands of Honor staff, adults who will speak up for them in situations where they are being mistreated.

Hands of Honor staff connected urgently with Fatou and got her the resources and help she needed. But more than that, they began to pray for her, and then with her. 

What could possibly begin to heal this teenager’s deep and festering emotional wounds? The power of prayer.

“We saw Jesus begin to heal her deep wounds,” Becky says. 

It was a joyous day, a few months later, when Fatou put her trust in Jesus. Right away, she asked to take a new name, Elizabeth. 

“Jesus had healed her and given her freedom from the past. She wanted a name to express that she was now following Jesus,” Becky said.

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Photo by Peeter Viisimaa (iStockphoto.com)

Dramatic and ultimately joyful, Fatou’s rescue is just one example of the power of prayer the couple has witnessed. 

Hands of Honor Prayer Cards

In an effort to get people to pray specifically for the girls served by Hands of Honor, Becky and the staff came up with the idea of individual prayer cards. They began distributing the cards at Alliance women’s events, and things started happening.

“From when those cards started being distributed, we saw God answering,” Becky said. “All these girls we’d been walking with, who were so close to making a decision to follow Christ, finally made that decision.” 

That includes one underage teen, a former Muslim, who decided to “follow the Jesus road” and get baptized, but first, she had to call her father for permission. 

“She was trying to convert her dad on the phone, saying, ‘Dad, remember how I was such an unhappy child and I’ve always been really bitter? She said, ‘I’m so happy now and I’m at peace for the first time in my life.’ He allowed her to be baptized.”

Praying for Open Eyes

Becky cites another example of powerful and answered prayer in the very behavior and attitudes of Hands of Honor staff. 

“Most of our staff are lay women or pastor’s wives, and, culturally, they didn’t see anything wrong with the idea of child labor or the way that these young girls were treated. My teammate and I realized that we need to pray that our staff would understand the context of injustice and see a biblical perspective of who these girls are in Christ’s eyes because in culture’s eyes, they are called slave girls… We prayed, ‘Lord, open their eyes, help them to see these girls through your eyes.’ We prayed this for years,” and sure enough, attitudes changed. 

Becky says the staff has “become these mama bears, and they are protective of the girls in their groups… It’s exciting to see how the Lord has answered our prayers and how our staff is now looking at our girls through a biblical lens, through Christ’s eyes, instead of through culture’s eyes.”

Photo by Thomas Brissiaud (iStockphoto.com)

“It’s Just God’s Hand”: Shawn’s Experience at the Fish Farm

Shawn believes he’s witnessed the power of prayer at work in the story of Adama, a former Muslim who came to the Lord, was persecuted for his belief, and cast away by his family. 

“When I was looking at launching a sustainable AG fish project, I needed a farm hand. A fellow missionary said, ‘What about Adama?’ When I look back, it’s just God’s hand. Adama is an awesome guy, very teachable and smart, super engaged… God transformed him from this really shy person to someone on fire for the Lord—to the point that he was actually invited to come back to the village to share these stories. That’s largely due to prayer and the Spirit’s work in Adama’s life.”

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It’s only through the power of prayer that people’s hearts are going to be transformed and eyes are going to be opened.

From Hands of Honor and the fish farm to the work the couple have been overseeing in the Badalo slum, they say the power of prayer is needed more than ever, another way the congregation at Christ Community Church can continue to support the important work of all CAMA missionaries financed through Alliance Missions (attendees who give to CCC automatically contribute financially to Alliance Missions).

“When we look at prayer—even in the context of praying for laborers or praying for unity among believers—those are the things that are going to help us complete the Great Commission successfully, praying that we can fearlessly make known the gospel,” Becky said. “It’s only through the power of prayer that people’s hearts are going to be transformed and eyes are going to be opened. That’s what we’ve seen, from our staff to our girls.”

Shawn adds, “Right thinking leads to right doing, and I firmly believe that prayer puts us into that posture of having right thinking.”

Beyond praying for their work—and for CCC’s Gilbert family who is now serving in Senegal—the couple wants the congregation to dream with them for what’s next and celebrate what’s been accomplished, to “celebrate the impact our partnership in seeing lives and communities transformed.”

Becky says, “The reason Hands of Honor exists today is because of Christ Community Church. From day one, you all have been so incredibly supportive financially, by praying, by coming and sending teams. You can claim Hands of Honor as your own through your partnership and encouragement.”

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Her name was Fatou, a child abducted and abused. It is now Elizabeth, and this is the reality of her redemption: Elizabeth delivered a healthy baby boy, and today, a local Christian family is in the process of adopting him. Witness and celebrate the power of prayer.

*For the safety of those involved, the woman pictured is not related to Fatou or Hands of Honor in any way. Fatou's name has also been changed for her protection.

Dan McCann is a freelance writer whose work appears in the Omaha World Herald.

A Place to Belong

Photos by Marie Dufour.

After spending nearly a lifetime searching for a faith community, what Haley and Collin Reeder have found in CCC’s Deaf Ministry feels exceptionally precious. Though they grew up in different parts of the country, their stories are painfully similar and echo what many in their circumstances encounter daily—the struggle to find a place to belong. Collin moved numerous times growing up, and though he loved his family deeply, he often felt alone. There simply weren’t many people who understood what it was like to live in a silent world. Then Collin attended a high school for the Deaf and Blind in Florida. Suddenly he was surrounded by those with whom he could relate to in an academic environment he could readily understand. His world expanded considerably. After high school he went to college. Upon graduation, he immersed himself into the local Deaf community, taking on numerous different roles in an attempt to find his fit. 

Collin experienced depression and his faith slowly starved. He went to church with his parents, but without an interpreter, the sermons had no effect. Hungry for God, he tried a different church. This one had an interpreter, but no Deaf individuals, so it offered no real sense of community. It felt as if there wasn’t a place for him in the evangelical world.

Not only was Collin struggling spiritually, he also was having a difficult time finding employment. This only added to his feelings of isolation and depression. “I started talking with my sister about moving to Omaha [where she lived],” he said. “And she kept telling me to pray about [moving here].” So he did. Then one day, she texted him with good news. “She said she’d met a lady through vocational rehab,” a service that helps those with various disabilities or injuries find work, “who could help me look [for a job] if I came to Omaha.” 

After talking with his parents, Collin made a scouting trip to the Midwest, during which he learned about the Deaf community at Christ Community Church. Anxious to find the faith community he’d been longing for, he went and felt blessed by what he encountered. “I could understand what the pastor was saying!” he said. Not only that, but he found his people, those who understood him on an emotional and spiritual level. Through this experience, God ignited a two-part passion within him. Collin became excited to grow in his faith and experience Christ on an ever-deepening level, and he longed to give others in the Deaf community the same opportunity. 

CCC is representative of so many languages and cultures—African, Spanish, Chinese, and the Deaf.

“We’re an unreached people group,” he said. “Christ Community Church is representative of so many languages—African, Spanish, Chinese, and the Deaf.” 

Now, Collin knows that he belongs both to God and to CCC. This brings him great joy!

In bringing him to Omaha, God did so much more. Two years ago, he led Collin’s heart to his forever love, Haley Reeder, a woman to not only do life with, but to serve with as well.

Like Collin, Haley had experienced significant loneliness. Though surrounded by support and love, her soul hadn’t yet connected to Christ or his family. She first learned about God in college, where she joined a campus ministry. Once she graduated and began searching for a career, she found herself disconnected once again. She moved out of state and away from family to pursue her dreams, but this became a major struggle that led to days of sadness, hurt, and low self-esteem. “I was depressed and crying all the time,” she said. “Plus, work was really stressful. I had no community whatsoever.”

During this time, she happened to go to a Deaf event where she met Collin. “He told me about the Deaf ministry at Christ Community Church and invited me to come.” She did, and her experience mirrored his. She was surrounded by the interconnected community for which she’d been longing. 

Collin and Haley are both growing in their faith and leadership within CCC’s Deaf Ministry. They help with events and outreach.  Collin teaches the group. Both advocate for the Deaf community, something they feel is very important. The more involved they become and the more they use their gifts to serve, the more they come alive. 

They’re amazed with all God has done in and through the Deaf Ministry in the past thirty-three years. “It started with one woman named Mary Kay,” Collin said. “God touched her heart to bring one Deaf kid, and this is what it’s grown to.”  Today, the ministry has fifteen to twenty leaders who serve fifty to sixty individuals. Collin and Haley are committed to seeing the growth of the community. 

When asked what their experience has shown them about God, Haley replied, “His love. When we’re in community, our love for one another grows, and we can see God’s love in one another. It’s all about reaching one more.”

Jennifer Slattery is a published author and a member at Christ Community Church.

Serving the Nations: Q&A with Carey

Photo by Jeff Sharp

An Update on the Hospital in Gold Kingdom
Interview with Carey by Craig Walter

In 2004, Christ Community Church and our denomination, the Christian & Missionary Alliance (C&MA), embarked on a faith-filled risk to build a hospital focused on women and children in the West African country we call Gold Kingdom, one of the poorest countries in the world. At that time, the numbers were staggering. One in seven children died in childbirth, one in ten women died during childbirth, and one in four children died before the age of five from preventable sickness. Since Gold Kingdom is over ninety-percent Muslim, building a Christian hospital was a huge risk. However, we saw this Holy-Spirit-inspired endeavor as a chance to let the love of Jesus shine bright by caring for the needy and the sick.

When the hospital opened, CCC sent one of our own, a missionary nurse named Carey (last name omitted for security reasons). She has served at the hospital for most of the last thirteen years. I recently spoke with Carey to get an update on the hospital and the effect it has had on the people of Gold Kingdom.

Carey, thank you for carving out a few minutes in your busy schedule to share an update. We probably have many people at CCC who know almost nothing about this hospital in Gold Kingdom. Why did we open this hospital and what is its main focus?

The hospital was started as a partnership with the C&MA National Church and the Mission, which is made up of missionaries like me, as a way to help women and children in the local region. Gold Kingdom is always ranked as one of the poorest countries in the world and health care is minimal, especially among women and children. In 2002–2003, missionary nurses here witnessed several women in the area die from the inability to have a safe C-section. The initial vision was to build a referral center where women could receive a blood transfusion and a C-section, but it turned into a huge project to build a full-blown hospital. The hospital has grown to provide many services, but continues to focus on providing quality care to women and children.

Photo by Jeff Sharp

So everyone has an idea of the size, how many people are employed at the hospital and how many are international workers like you?

We currently have six missionary nurses and three missionary doctors working at the hospital. The national staff (made up of the people from Gold Kingdom) includes seven doctors and over 200 nurses and nurses’ aides. There are also other staff positions like housekeepers, guardians, administrative staff, pharmacy and lab workers, x-ray technicians, and more. Our citywide celebration on February 25 will be groundbreaking. Thousands of people from the Within Reach churches will gather to pray and worship together. These people will be commissioned as lights in the darkness, missionaries to our city to be Jesus to those who do not yet know him. This worship service is symbolic of the unusual unity that God has brought between churches around the mission he is calling us into.

The hospital has come a long way since it opened in 2006. Can you give us a sense of some of the statistics—like how many babies born, surgeries performed, and whatever else would be good for us to know?

We currently deliver about 3,000 babies a year. We are approaching 30,000 babies since the beginning of the hospital. We did around 2,000 surgeries last year, but I don’t have statistics on surgeries since the beginning. We have about 150,000 prenatal visits a year as well. We have other services such as pediatric surgery, cancer care, wound care, general surgery for men and women, care for premature babies, HIV care, and a dental clinic.

All of that is really amazing. How are things different today than when the hospital opened?

The hospital has grown tremendously since it opened in 2006. It opened as a small hospital that delivered babies and did C-sections and now we are a major referral center offering many services. The national nurses do most of the direct patient care, while missionary nurses work on training, administrative tasks, and support roles. All of the administrative positions like the job of medical director, director of administration, financial director, accountant, and human resources are all held by nationals. In the past, these positions were held by missionaries.

This photo and the thumbnail image by B-Twien Clicks Photography

CCC frequently sends the hospital food for the malnourished, as well as medical equipment and supplies. What kind of impact do those donations have?

Thank you for your generous giving of medical supplies and enriched rice packets! The hospital relies on donated supplies and equipment to keep patient fees reasonable. It is a constant tension to keep quality health care accessible to everyone (the poor and the rich) while still meeting the hospital budget in paying staff salaries, paying the electric bill, etc. Donations help make that possible! The nutritional rice is a blessing because while people do have food here, it is often lacking in protein and essential vitamins that help in healing from chronic illnesses, like a chronic wound, cancer, diabetes, or chronic malnutrition. The rice packets provide an immediate dietary supplement while we teach nutrition with local food options.

What kind of spiritual impact has the hospital had on the reputation of Christians and the name of Jesus in this part of Gold Kingdom?

The hospital cares equally for both Christians and those from the majority religion. We aim to provide quality medical care and show the compassion of Jesus Christ. Many people have accepted the Lord because of the compassionate care provided at the hospital. The medical care has opened doors to build relationships with families and many unreached villages.

Gold Kingdom is not an easy place for workers who come from America to serve. What keeps you and the other international workers motivated? What keeps you going?

Ultimately the “call” or the conviction that you are doing what God is asking of you keeps you here. However, relationships with national friends, as well as good team relationships, are indispensable to staying and working here long term.

Any final words of encouragement for CCC as we continue our support of the hospital?

Thank you, CCC, for your love and long-term commitment to supporting the hospital here. The work could not go on without dedicated partners in the US who faithfully give, pray, and come visit us! The people here have a blessing that they give: “May God put much back in the place of what was given.” That is our prayer for you—may God richly bless you as we continue to partner together to meet physical needs and make Christ known in this country.

Craig Walter is the Director of Missions at Christ Community Church.

Hopeless to Hope-Filled

Photo by Stephanie Frenz Photography

Ember stared down at the handful of pills in her hand. She had already taken one handful and was preparing to take the second. Life was just not worth living anymore. Under the crushing weight of depression, Ember just couldn’t take it. She had already lost her parents to alcoholism. Her sister, who also abused drugs and alcohol, had recently died from a drug overdose. The pills waited patiently in her palm. It would be easier to just end it all.

Suddenly, the bedroom door swung open so hard that it hit the wall and bounced off. Ember looked up and saw her fourteen-year-old son standing at the door, pillow and blanket in hand, who told her that he wanted to sleep in her room tonight. Ember realized that if she took the rest of the pills, it was her precious son who would find her in the morning. At that moment, Ember knew that she couldn’t take the second handful of pills. While her suicide might end her pain, it would only pass more pain to others—her husband, her sons, stepson, friends, and coworkers. She went to the bathroom and forced herself to purge the pills she’d already taken. 

Growing up in a chaotic family environment, Ember and her younger sister Maron were not set up to succeed in life. Alcoholism and drug abuse affected both parents, addictions that would pass on to the next generation. The family was part of the Catholic church, but the hard questions that Ember asked the church leaders led to her being kicked out of multiple classes. As a child, she wanted to understand so badly, but no one would take the time to have a conversation about the questions of faith she had. As they got older, Ember became the responsible one, while Maron abused alcohol and later illegal substances. As she watched her sister battle addiction and homelessness, Ember would help as she could. She bought food for the kids. She even went so far as to take in the kids for a period of time. She walked the line between enabling and helping her sister. But she also faced her own challenges. Her oldest son Dathen spent significant time in the neonatal intensive care unit after he was born, and later both of her sons were diagnosed with autism. 

Life was stressful for Ember. While she was aware of a loving God who wanted to be in relationship with her, Ember couldn’t sense his presence. For nearly twenty years she simply didn’t deal with the idea of faith. In her twenties, she had attended Christ Community Church, but she believed her faith was dead. At one point while Dathen was in the hospital, she had prayed that God would work in the situation, but as he got better, she didn’t return to God. She felt that God was distant from her. 

Photo by Stephanie Frenz Photography

In 2018, Ember received a Facebook message from her sister’s account with terrible news. Maron had died. Ember didn’t believe it—surely it was a joke or someone had hacked into her account. She called her former brother-in-law to see what had happened. It was no joke—Maron’s body has been discovered at her home. She had died from a drug overdose, leaving behind her husband and her children. While many might rail at God for allowing their sibling to die, Ember’s first response was anger at her sister. How could she do this—to her sister, to her children, to her husband? How could she be so selfish? The death of her sister descended like a heavy weight on Ember. The depression was crushing. For a week she stayed in bed, only getting out when she absolutely had to work an event for her company. Family relationships were strained with her half siblings who came for Maron’s funeral and the brother-in-law. Words were exchanged which cut Ember to her core. For two months, she questioned everything she thought and said. Ember was utterly broken, trapped in the bottom of an endless pit, with no way to see the light or a way out of her situation. 

Then came a reprieve, a helping hand at just the right time. At an appointment for one of her sons, the doctor noticed that something was wrong. He asked Ember what was going on and she broke down. Through the tears streaming down her face, she managed to choke out what was going on inside of her. She needed help. The doctor, a kind man who attended CCC, sat next to her and talked to her about a group at CCC called Griefshare that had helped him process his grief after his wife had died. Ember took the helping hand and eventually began attending the group. Later she found out about the Stephen Ministry at CCC, a group of caring individuals who walk with others in their time of need, and was assigned to a woman named Lori. Ember also began attending services at CCC. Although not one who typically demonstrated emotions publicly, Ember couldn’t make it through a service without crying. She knew she needed to surrender to God. As she acknowledged to God her sins, her need for him, and her desire to surrender completely to his will, a peace flowed over her. This peace calmed the fears and anxieties and lifted the depression. In that moment, she sensed God tell her that he knew everything about her, all the good and all the bad, and that he still loved and accepted her. Feeling this acceptance and love changed Ember completely. Her emotions, thoughts, and beliefs were replaced with something new and better. She would say that the experience can’t be explained fully.

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Heavenly Father, send your Spirit to flow through me like water, to carry me like the wind, to accomplish your will in your way.

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Photo by Marie Dufour

Ember heard about Baptism on the Green, CCC’s annual celebration of what God is doing in and through people at the church and thought about signing up. She sensed, however, that she needed to wait to be baptized until she figured out what she had experienced. Yet baptism remained in her mind. As she participated in CCC’s Foundations class, she finally felt like she was ready to share her internal change with the world. She signed up to get baptized and asked Lori, her Stephen Minister, to baptize her. On September 29, 2019, Lori and Ember went up on stage. Sharing her faith publicly became real to Ember as she looked out to the all the people in the congregation. Lori shared Ember’s story and included a powerful prayer from the sermon series Spirit Rising: “Heavenly Father, send your Spirit to flow through me like water, to carry me like the wind, to accomplish your will in your way.” Ember was dead in her sins, buried with Christ, and raised to new life. 

By her own admission, Ember is still a young believer. She recognizes that she has so much to learn about God and living a Spirit-filled life, yet she overflows with joy from the Holy Spirit who resides within her. She is excited to share the love of Jesus that she has experienced with others. As she says, this story is not really about her—it’s all about Jesus!

Rachel Bebee is the Project Coordinator for the Communications Team at Christ Community Church.

It's All About Jesus: Irving Malm’s Story

Photo provided by Irving Malm

“It’s all about Jesus, it’s all about Jesus, it’s all about Jesus.” Meet Irving Malm and you’ll likely hear these wise words shared with you. A humble man, Irving does not take credit for the things he has done, but always points people back to the focusing their attention on Jesus.

Christ Community Church’s Lead Minister Mark Ashton often says, “Reverend Irving Malm is our most senior pastor!” Irving is ninety-eight years old and served as the Senior Adults Pastor at CCC for twelve years. In 2018, he was honored for seventy-five years of faithful ministry with the Christian and Missionary Alliance (C&MA). Irving is still active at CCC and leads a worship service at Maple Ridge Retirement Community in Omaha, where he lives. He is a humble, faithful minister of the gospel who loves Jesus with all his heart.

I had such a joy. I was so happy I asked Jesus to come into my life. It’s been a great journey ever since.

God has used the circumstances of Irving’s life to mold him into a devoted disciple of Jesus Christ. Irving was raised in a loving family. His parents loved each other, loved their children, but most importantly, they loved Jesus. When he was about eight years old, Irving attended a Sunday evening service at his church. During the altar call, Irving watched as people went to the front of the room to pray. He sensed the Holy Spirit say to him, “Those people up there, they’re all praying to Jesus. And there’s a bench there, but at the end of the bench, there’s a little room. There’s room for you up at the end of the bench.” Irving went up to the bench. A woman approached him and prayed with him. In that moment, Irving experienced a radical transformation. He shared that after he prayed, “I had such a joy. I was so happy I asked Jesus to come into my life. It’s been a great journey ever since.”

Irving attended St. Paul Bible College (now Crown College) in St. Paul, Minnesota, where he met Maye, the woman who would become his wife. When he first saw her, he thought, “Wow, she’s pretty. Some guy will be taking her out on a date pretty soon.” They became friends, but it took him from the first week of September to Thanksgiving to ask her out on a date. Irving saw that Maye was a woman devoted to Jesus, a woman who obeyed God’s calling on her life. After Irving and Maye married, Irving registered for the draft during World War II. The military gave him a specific classification and asked him to stay in the US to provide spiritually for people on the home front. The C&MA ordained Irving as a pastor in 1943. Over the years, Irving and Maye helped lead a church plant and worked in small churches in several towns in Minnesota.

Photo by Marie Dufour

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Painting by Irving Malm, scan of painting provided by Irving Malm

In the fall of 1965, Irving and Maye attended a C&MA district conference. The district was so large that the district leadership felt it was wise to multiply into two districts, which would require the election of a new district superintendent. The chairman of the nominating committee asked Irving if he was interested in being considered for the district superintendent position. Irving and Maye spent time talking and praying over this decision. They considered that it would mean the ministry they led in Mount Lake, Minnesota, would come to an end, but concluded that surrender to God’s will for their lives was the best option. Irving shared, “It’s hard to put into words how God leads us, but he does lead us.” Irving was elected as the first superintendent of the Rocky Mountain District and then as District Superintendent for the MidAmerica District. Later, he served as the Senior Adults Pastor at a church in Fremont and then at Christ Community Church.

While Irving worked at CCC, he also had opportunities to disciple the next generation. He recounted the story of a young CCC intern who had just received a wound from a person he trusted in ministry. Todd was hurt and confused. Irving reminded Todd that Jesus was the Good Shepherd who cares for his sheep. Years later, Irving received a letter from Todd thanking him for the example of his life and for the words of encouragement he offered during that time. Irving shared that he didn’t really remember the conversation, but that in the flow of the conversation, he had said, “Todd, it’s all about Jesus. It’s all about Jesus.”

Painting by Irving Malm, photo by Marie Dufour

As Irving has followed Christ over the past ninety years, he’s learned valuable lessons about surrendering his life daily to Jesus. He shared that he had to deal with the “tyranny of the urgent.” Charles E. Hummel, author of Tyranny of the Urgent, wrote, “Your greatest danger is letting the urgent things crowd out the important.” Often people bring their to-do lists and their plans to God and then ask him to bless them. Irving shared that spending time with Jesus has impacted his life because it allows him to be led by the Spirit of Jesus (the Holy Spirit). While there are so many good things that can be done, Irving said, “the good can be the detractor or the hindrance of the best.”

In the eyes of men, it seems that Irving has accomplished so much during his time in ministry. But Irving shared that his life is not about making a name for himself. It is about surrendering to Jesus for his life. A paraphrased quote from F. W. Faber taped to his bathroom mirror serves as a daily reminder:

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Look out to Jesus
Love his glory
Despise your self-centeredness
and be simple
And you will shine
without knowing it
or thinking about it
with Christlike splendor
whatever you do
and wherever you go.

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As we learn from a life fully surrendered to Jesus, may we be reminded by his words: “It’s all about Jesus. It’s all about Jesus. It’s all about Jesus.”

Rachel Bebee is the Project Coordinator for the Creative/Communications Team at Christ Community Church.

Photo provided by Irving Malm

Painting by Irving, photo by Marie Dufour

Photo by Marie Dufour

Chosen

Photos by Marie Dufour

Am I known?

If you really knew me, all the good and bad about me, would you still love me?

Am I enough just the way I am?

Will you choose me?

Sitting in the audience at the SoulCare Conference last fall, Audrey Huber, a seventh-grader at the time, didn’t really expect to hear from God. She and her step mom Erin Huber, a counselor at CityCare Counseling, were attending the conference together. Erin knew that Audrey was experiencing some identity issues, fairly common to students in middle school. While Erin hoped that Audrey would have a powerful encounter with God at the conference, Audrey wasn’t so sure about the event. Audrey shared, “I just thought the conference would be just like a sermon, but way longer. My expectations were kind of low. I didn’t really expect it to be life-changing, but I was wrong!” 

That Friday evening, as Erin and Audrey listened to Dr. Terry Wardle share about core identity issues and desires, Erin wasn’t sure if Audrey was connecting with the message. Near the end of the evening, Dr. Wardle asked everyone in the audience to close their eyes. He then encouraged everyone to ask the Holy Spirit to show a picture of what identity in Christ looks like. Audrey asked the Holy Spirit to send her a picture of her identity in Christ, but she didn’t really expect an answer. As she waited, a picture popped into her head, a picture so different from what she was thinking that she knew it wasn’t something she had come up with. Audrey began to cry. 

From the tears, Erin could tell Audrey had experienced something during the quietness. The two left the conference a few minutes early. On the drive home, Erin asked Audrey what she had experienced. 

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“In the vision/picture,” Audrey shared, “a man walked into an adoption center. He wanted to adopt a child. There were many types of kids, athletic ones, artistic ones, smart ones. I was standing alone in the group of children, not wanting to bother the man—he obviously would want one of the other children. But to my great surprise, he pointed at me. ‘I want her,’ the man said.” As she sat in the Worship Center, she didn’t know what to think. A little overwhelmed, a little shocked, the tears slid down her cheeks.  

As Erin and Audrey talked about the vision and what it meant, Audrey began to recognize that the man in the vision was someone special. The man who wanted to adopt a child, who could have picked any of the children in the room but who had specifically picked her, his name was Jesus. The vision she experienced touched her deeply. She said, “I felt loved, like a different kind of loved, to know that God chooses me.”  

Almost a year after the conference, Audrey still thinks back to the vision she experienced. The circumstances of her life haven’t changed. She still experiences the challenges she faced the previous year. Sometimes she feels tension with the relationships in her family. However, when she feels that tension, she thinks back to the vision. She remembers what it felt like to know, to truly know in the depths of her soul, that she was known and loved and chosen by God.

Rachel Bebee is the Project Coordinator for the Creative/Communications Team at Christ Community Church

Life Together: Q&A with the Wyatts

Photo by Barb Kyle; all other photos provided by Kaitlyn Wyatt

Christ Community Church deeply values the importance of community and the impact it has on the body of Christ. One incredible way people can connect in community at CCC is through Journey Groups, which are small groups of people that meet outside of Sunday morning services. In these groups, people can grow in their relationship with God, develop friendships with others, and make an impact for the Kingdom. 

The Wyatt family has been able to experience the power of this community in their Journey Group. Kaitlyn and Greg are parents to two beautiful daughters, Addison and Ashlyn. They have attended CCC for the past four years and have been a part of a Journey Group since. I had the opportunity to ask them about their experience with Journey Groups and how God has used it to grow them. 

When and how did you get connected to your Journey Group?

We stopped by the Next Steps area in the Atrium on a Sunday morning. 

Why did you decide to start attending a group?

We wanted to get plugged in with a great group of people. It was a priority for our family, since we were new to town. 

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What are some of the obstacles that might have kept you from joining?

Since our group is primarily young families, childcare was an issue for our group, which was thankfully resolved. We all pitch in $5 per kid for Haven’s Heavenly Helpers which gives us a break as parents, time to focus on our relationship with our group, and most importantly, Christ. Time also could have easily been a reason, but it would be more of an excuse. We as humans always find time for our priorities, so we first need to determine those priorities. As followers of Christ, we need to be a church that has a strong community, just like the name of our church.

Were there reasons why you might not have taken the step to get involved in a Journey Group?

Since our group is primarily young families, childcare was an issue for our group, which was thankfully resolved. We all pitch in $5 per kid for Haven’s Heavenly Helpers which gives us a break as parents, time to focus on our relationship with our group, and most importantly, Christ. Time also could have easily been a reason, but it would be more of an excuse. We as humans always find time for our priorities, so we first need to determine those priorities. As followers of Christ, we need to be a church that has a strong community, just like the name of our church.

Fear is and was a reality for us, as these people were strangers to us. As common sense kicked in, we realized we were strangers to them as well. We used this common ground to help break through our comfort zone. There is always growth on the other side of your comfort zone!

What has been the most surprising thing about being a part of your Journey Group?

Since our group is primarily young families, childcare was an issue for our group, which was thankfully resolved. We all pitch in $5 per kid for Haven’s Heavenly Helpers which gives us a break as parents, time to focus on our relationship with our group, and most importantly, Christ. Time also could have easily been a reason, but it would be more of an excuse. We as humans always find time for our priorities, so we first need to determine those priorities. As followers of Christ, we need to be a church that has a strong community, just like the name of our church.

Honestly, I think our growth has surprised us spiritually, emotionally, and overall as people. 

What does an average week with your Journey Group look like?

Since our group is primarily young families, childcare was an issue for our group, which was thankfully resolved. We all pitch in $5 per kid for Haven’s Heavenly Helpers which gives us a break as parents, time to focus on our relationship with our group, and most importantly, Christ. Time also could have easily been a reason, but it would be more of an excuse. We as humans always find time for our priorities, so we first need to determine those priorities. As followers of Christ, we need to be a church that has a strong community, just like the name of our church.

We meet every other week, which is helpful since we have a young family. On a typical meeting, we meet at someone’s home and socialize as people trickle in and then we pray and dive into the material. One person normally leads the main conversation, but then it opens for optional discussion. At the end of the night, we take communion as a group, share prayer requests, and pray together.

How have you grown in your faith since being a part of your Journey Group?

Since our group is primarily young families, childcare was an issue for our group, which was thankfully resolved. We all pitch in $5 per kid for Haven’s Heavenly Helpers which gives us a break as parents, time to focus on our relationship with our group, and most importantly, Christ. Time also could have easily been a reason, but it would be more of an excuse. We as humans always find time for our priorities, so we first need to determine those priorities. As followers of Christ, we need to be a church that has a strong community, just like the name of our church.

We have been much more willing to dive into heavy topics and learn and discuss. We have also grown in willingness to be transparent and vulnerable. We have gained better knowledge about ourselves after voicing what our thoughts are. 

How have you grown individually, in your marriage, and as parents as a part of discipleship through a group?

In our marriage, we have learned to give each other the benefit of the doubt. We also pray out loud as husband and wife for each other. It has been a very humbling experience. As parents, we pray over our kids but also encourage spiritual relationships and have fellow believing adults present in their lives. 

When have you been challenged by your Journey Group in your faith or needed to lean on them in a hard time?

I recently had a hysterectomy. I was very nervous and unsure about how the process would go, being so young. My Journey Group not only prayed, texted, and called, but they also brought meals when needed. They were open to late-night conversations helping me calm my nerves. It was a blessing having such a solid group of friends that have become family lift our family. We are eternally grateful for our Journey Group. 

What would you say to someone who is considering joining a Journey Group?

I would say take a leap of faith! You never know who or what God has lined up for you when you say yes to an opportunity to grow closer to him!

Rachel Webb was one of the 2018–2020 residents and now works as the Kids Discipleship Coordinator at Christ Community Church.