Rob Lewis writes about entering into the life of a church visitor. Post 1 of 2 Chris first came to our church on a Sunday in mid-November last year, and stood quietly and obtrusively just inside our front door. Our narthex is a small space, an intersection between two flights of stairs where two or […]
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Soldier, Gangster, Pastor
In this post Roy Stiff tells the story of Slava, former soldier and gangster who now serves God in Moldova Slava usually starts his testimony from right before the fall of the Soviet Union. Slava was in the Soviet military, and in his words, a “believer”, not in Jesus, but in communism. He was sent […]
Roy Stiff Reweds in Gdańsk
“When I die, you will need a new wife.” This was one of Gosia Stiff’s parting instructions to her husband Roy shortly before she died in January, 2018. Gosia’s funeral was held at All Souls, which she and Roy made their church home in 2012. Their focus always was on the goodness of God’s grace, […]
Yes, Souls, There Is a Santa Claus
Is the jolly man in the red suit with a long white beard real? Did he first appear in Coca-Cola ads? At department stores? Illustrating the poem, T’was the Night Before Christmas? And more importantly, how does he relate to Souls on Mission? And what do we teach our children about him? The true […]
Good Coffee
The coffee we drink at All Souls helps people reclaim their lives. One of my favorite tasks at All Souls is brewing coffee early Sunday mornings. I do this along with a dedicated team who spend at least two hours every Sunday making sure our Catechesis Hour is well caffeinated. Our coffee draws us in […]
Following the Call to Kenya
Rob Lewis tells us why he’s going to Kinyago Dandora Schools in Kenya. “I am not eager to go to Kenya, but I will out of a sense of duty.” This is what I recently told Ginger Palm, president, CEO of the Kenya Children’s Fund and spiritual mother of the Kinyago-Dandora Schools in Nairobi, Kenya. […]
The Challenges of Church Planting in Moldova
Roy Stiff, a former member of All Souls, posts from Poland, where he is currently the Eastern Europe representative for the Global Church Movements ministry of Cru, which is still known as Campus Crusade for Christ or “New Life” internationally. In June, Roy married Agnieska, a Polish native. Their wedding service, as Roy describes it, […]
Lessons Learned from a Hoarder
Lydia Griffith tells us what a hoarder has taught her about life and beauty. This semester I became a stalker. To tell the story, I’ll use the pseudonym “Beverly.” At Wheaton College, I am part of an organization that works to bring clean water (through the installation of a gravity-fed water system) to a different […]
The Good in Goodbye
Rob Lewis writes about saying goodbye to two of our souls, Angela Webster and Sophie Dickinson, who are currently working and serving in Africa and India. “You’ve got a good one, there. Don’t let her go.” This might be good advice for a person who has somehow managed to secure the love of his […]
Welcoming the Refugee
In this post Becky Stapella discusses her experience at the recent Refugee Highway Partnership Roundtable conference, and reflects on how All Souls might more effectively serve and befriend the refugees who struggle to make a new home in America. On October 24th, Austin and I made our way to Parkview Community Church for the annual […]