Testimonies
What People are Saying About Serve the City
“……..Serve The City brings together people from the body of Christ whom I would otherwise be missing in my ministry in the Cedar Rapids area. Having relationships with others who love Jesus brings me inspiration and motivation to labor together in the kingdom! I’m excited when our evangelical congregations come together to care for our community in acts of service and reach out with the name of our Lord Jesus……” Rev. Perry Fruhling, Coordinator of Pastoral Ministry, Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (LCMC)
“Serve the City is a unifying and uniting force in the Cedar Rapids area. While there are many things that are divisive, Serve the City helps to bring people together to see our city won for Christ. God put us here to serve our city! Jeremiah 29:7 says to seek the welfare of the city and that is exactly what Serve the City does…….” Betty Criddle, Community Leader and Volunteer
“Those times of collaborative sharing with STC have been a win-win. The opportunity to share what we do and for whom, and then have churches participate and partner with us have certainly had eternal rewards…..” Kimberly Junge, Volunteer and Spiritual Care Coordinator, His Hands Free Clinic
“When I moved here 16 ½ years ago, I was welcomed to this community by a number of Serve the City pastors. They prayed for me and affirmed me. It was an easy decision to join the Serve the City team. I was convinced that when we pray, serve, and evangelize together, we can change the world. I still do!…..” Dave King, Lead Pastor, Oakland Church of the Nazarene
“Serve the City has had an incredible impact on my life. That is why I have been involved for over 16 years. Some of the best relationships in my life have been forged through Serve the City and I really do believe that we are better together in honoring Christ and seeking the good of our city…………….…..” Carl Gonder, Executive Director, Serve the City
“Serve the City is where ministry leaders can see humility at work. It’s humbling to see the unique gifts in others that serve our community, and it’s humbling to realize that it takes all of us working together to reach our community…..” Daniel Winn, Pastor, New City Church
“……The Bible-believing Church in Eastern Iowa simply cannot function without churches loving other churches, and this love requires inter-church relationships in order to flourish. Serve the City fulfills a unique role in creating and giving life to these relationships between Christians who know Jesus and trust their Bibles, yet worship in diverse ways or come from different denominational backgrounds…..”
Marcus Bratsch, Pastor, River of Life Church
“Prayer gives God great doors of opportunity to do His will. Joining forces with Serve the City and inviting God into our situation moves me closer to God. May we always be led by His heart and be a mouthpiece for our Lord….” Carol Nus, Community Prayer Leader and Volunteer
“……Serve the City is a great way to receive encouragement and training. I always look forward to connecting with other ministry leaders……” Dawn Brouwers, Executive Director, His Hands Free Clinic
“I believe in the potential of Serve the City in our community! I believe in the power of those unified in Christ, to do his work in love and grace. I believe we are better together; learning, growing and supporting one another. Serve the City has such a great opportunity to uplift, influence, and share the love of Christ with the people of Cedar Rapids in a way that’s unique. I pray that I can be helpful in this rebirth of Serve the City in Cedar Rapids…..” Chelsey McDill, Executive Director, Bridgehaven Pregnancy Support Center
“……I love being a part of Serve the City because our mission is to pursue unity and health in Christ that leads to collaborative efforts of prayer, care, and share to win our city for Christ. When God sees His children, working together in unity and sharing the good news of the gospel with others, it brings a smile to His face. My involvement with Serve the City has also helped me develop some wonderful friendships with other brothers and sisters in Christ….” Robin Tyner, Pastor, Stonebridge Church
“…Serve the City is where Christian leaders remember that God’s kingdom is bigger than one local church. Serve the City is where Christian leaders find encouragement and friendship beyond their church doors…..” Matt Proctor, Pastor, Cornerstone Church
“…..When I moved here with my family in 2004 from the east coast, my heart has always been about the church community within whatever city we have lived. We are a military family and therefore, meeting others of strong faith has always been a priority. Serve the City has been a monthly gathering of the people of faith, including lay ministers and pastors, where we can intentionally get to know one another, sharing a good meal together, and hearing from different ones in our midst share what they are about of the Lord’s work assigned to them. Jesus prayed in John 17 that we become ONE as He is One with the Father, and the Holy Spirit is the mind of Christ we need to uphold in this hour moving forward. To God be all the Glory!…..” Teresa Steele Lydon, Community Prayer Leader and Volunteer
“……Serve the City is the only ministry in the greater Cedar Rapids area which provides a large enough platform for every evangelical church and ministry to stand on in unity. I have the joy knowing and working with brothers and sisters in Christ who are from different ecclesiastical and theological backgrounds. I know such an experience would not have happened without Serve the City. This unity forms the basis for loving our community through events like Convoy of Hope, Eight Days of Hope, 2008 flood relief, and 2020 derecho relief. We started a new ministry called Hope Community Development following the flood to help re-build the communities impacted by it. We did neighborhood picnics following the 2008 flood culminating in the Healing the Heartland Festival. One person, after the flood, called us “Save the City.” Praise God for such unity that demonstrates that we truly are Christ’s disciples….” Bob Westfall, Longtime local pastor/Interim Pastor Ministries