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Partnering Opportunities
The EFCA mission is to "multiply healthy churches among all peoples." The workers below are involved in that process. Their churches represent beachheads from which we pray that other churches will be planted. Two of our churches below are already in the process of planning for future church plants and the Arabic church has a growing ministry overseas.
Christian & Ximena Aguilar
Sons: Martin & Joaquim
Serving at Iglesia Nueva Vida in Harrisburg, PA
Christian and Ximena (pronounced (he MEN - a) came from Chile in 2003. They are gifted in the areas of worship, drama and youth. They serve at Iglesia Nueva Vida in Harrisburg, PA. This church plant is in partnership with Community EFC in Harrisburg. The leaders at Community saw the demographic shifts coming into their surrounding neighborhoods and wanted to offer a place of bilingual ministry. Christian and Ximena also continue to lead worship at the annual Hispanglo conferences.
Safwat and Nivin Attia
Sons: Meyer and Muller
Pastor of Arabic Evangelical Church in Brooklyn, NY
Pastor Safwat ministers the Word and models servant leadership by helping immigrants and those new to this country by meeting them at the airport, providing them with a place to live, and help in filling out paper work, etc. He also serves at the Arab-American friendship Center where Bridges are being built to immigrants who come from different backgrounds. He is the pastor of the Church in Brooklyn and is developing a core group of believers in Staten Island to plant a church there. He also he leads Bible studies in various locations in the NY Metro area.
Lorenzo and Betsy Meson
Director of Hispanic Mission, Lebanon, PA
Lorenzo came to Christ in Argentina when missionaries shared the gospel with him. His meat business became his first pulpit for sharing the gospel. Betsy's father was one of the missionaries who discipled him. He and Betsy ministered in Argentina for 25 years before moving to the U.S. in 2000.
He was the founding pastor of Iglesia El Faro (The Lighthouse Church) and oversaw its expanding ministries until 2008 when he became the first director of the Eastern District Hispanic Ministries. He has developed relationships with potential church planters and mentored them as they have begun serving in Harrisburg and Reading.
Lorenzo and Betsy have developed relationships with several area churches which have in turn motivated their churches to become active partners with Hispanic church plants. He leads the Hispanic Mission leadership team which oversees church planting, theological education, communication tools and the annual Hispanglo workshop which introduces a blended Hispanic/Anglo worship and workshops to churches around the district.
Marcos and Colleen Solt
Gateway Theological Institute in the EDA and EFCA
Marcos and Colleen have planted many churches in their ministry career. Over the past several years they have ministered in Newark, NJ and Allentown, PA. Many have come to know Christ and been trained to be leaders in their churches.
This passion for training has been elevated to a new level as Marcos has been asked to direct the Hispanic portion of the Gateway Theological Institute in our district and be the Assistant to the National Gateway Director in the EFCA. He will continue to teach Gateway classes in our district and travel around the country to assist other districts as they begin their Gateway classes.
Ron and Julia Tilley
Son: Keegan
UIM Missionary serving in Harrisburg, PA
Ron has been a missionary with the Urban Intercultural Mission since 1994. He has been a bridge builder for the EFCA to the African American community and serves on the task force for Biblical Diversity. He laid the groundwork for our church plant in downtown Baltimore.
For the past several years, Ron has been the executive director for Firm Foundation of PA, Inc. (see our section on Wholistic Minsitries). Firm Foundation focuses on rebuilding lives and thus renewing their community. The statistics of men in prison and men who are absent fathers are staggering. Firm Foundation offers transitional housing for men who are getting their lives together again, Proud Dads to help mentor men in relating to their children, job training programs, and employment services. Please check out the description of Firm Foundation and then check out their website.
Renee Young
UIM Missionary serving in Brooklyn, NY
Renee has served as a missionary with the Urban Intercultural Mission since 1996. She has served churches and community-based ministries in Minneapolis, Denver, Baltimore, Washington, D.C. and now serves in Brooklyn NY. For several years, she was the national coordinator of BUMP (Bridging Urban Missions Project), facilitating week-long urban missions experiences for over 500 students in 8 cities.
In the fall of 2011, Renee transitioned to a focused role in the Eastern District where she will be the Compassion and Justice Advocate in our district. This is a wonderful blend of her passions connecting with the needs around us. She will be directly involved in the Immigrant Hope — Brooklyn NY ministry, assuming administrative tasks and ministry to the poor and indigent who come through our doors. She is also networking with other EFCA — ReachGlobal missionaries who are involved in justice issues such as human trafficking and sex-trafficking. She will be able to connect our district churches toward resources to understand these issues and tangible ways in which they can help.