What we're doing to minister
Apostles works to deepen the maturity of the saints while adding to their number and engaging the world as his disciples. God's call on our lives pertains to the far reaches of the world as well as our local community, and he also calls us to love and support each other within the church. Below is a sampling of some of the ways we seek to answer this call at Church of the Apostles.
We seek to give back to Rwanda, since the Anglican church in Rwanda has given so much to us. In 2006 we partnered with a parish in the Rwandan diocese of Kibungo, in a city called Rwamagana. The pastor of the Rwamagana parish is Fr Theophile. Our first capital campaign at Church of the Apostles was to construct a daycare center for Fr Theophile's parish and the city of Rwamagana. Without this building, many children were being unattended and left open to harm while their post-genocide widowed mothers worked jobs during the day. For more information about the Rwamagana parish, read Theophile's brief bio or Theophile's brief description of ministry in Rwamagana, Rwanda. On a simple and practical level, we also sell Rwandan Coffee from Land of a Thousand Hills. Grown in rich volcanic soil, this coffee is quickly becoming America's favorite, and each purchase provides a living wage to coffee-growing families. Thirty percent of each purchase is invested in the Rwandan Economy, and $1 per bag goes directly to widows in Rwanda who are working to restore their lives.
Church of the Apostles has also cultivated a relationship with the rural village of Boma in the Dominican Republic, one of the poorest countries in the western hemisphere. The youth ministry at Apostles organizes an annual summer mission trip to Boma for high-school students, their parents, and any other adults in the parish. Additional opportunities are occasionally available as well. While in Boma, our teams have assisted in numerous endeavors, including rebuilding dirt roads, constructing a building, teaching about the Gospel, and befriending the people with Christ's love. Although our trips to Boma are short-term, our relationship with the people of Boma is a long-term commitment, and we have found this relationship to be mutually encouraging and sharpening.
Church of the Apostles has also committed to being a primary supporter--relationally, financially, and prayerfully--of the Rainsford family, missionaries to rural Muslims in Kenya. Additionally, through Voice of the Martyrs, we provide financial support for several pastors in countries where the church endures strong persecution, and we also support the advance of Gospel translation work through Wycliffe Bible Translators. We support several other world-oriented ministries, including International Christian Concern, Compassion, Samaritan's Purse, and Gospel for Asia. The Missions and Outreach group holds monthly meetings; all are invited to attend and participate.
Thanks for taking the time to learn how Church of the Apostles seeks to minister to the world, to our community and within our own parish. If you are interested in getting involved in or would like any further information about our ministries, please contact any of our clergy.