that we greet you in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. As the year comes to a close, we would like to take a moment to pause and reflect on the many wonderful blessings which God has bestowed upon this congregation, and celebrate the fact that we are about to embark on a new journey.

Allen has historically stood as a banner for innovation and change within the community. Through our discipleship efforts, we have worked diligently to not only preach the Gospel, but to also serve as a catalyst in educating and empowering people to live

the Gospel. For over 30 years, we have been committed to creating a space where we could provide a forum for our congregation to enter into a dialogue to address some of the critical issues of today like, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C, depression, domestic violence, and economic development. In doing so, we have pioneered development of new programs that address these issues, while simultaneously serving as a ministry and leadership model for faith based organizations across the nation.

We are proud to begin a new chapter within our ministry with the launch of our church magazine. This year we have found ourselves faced with an unprecedented number of conflicts and global challenges, and have seen their ripple effects touch our own community. As a church body, we realize that many of these issues merit our attention; and after much prayer and effort, we introduce our debut issue of “Through

Christ.” The theme of our premier issue is “The Power to Heal.” Through the pages of this publication we will explore various issues within our community while underscoring God’s undeniable ability and power to heal the broken heart.

We pray that as you read through the articles, you will feel empowered to seek additional opportunities where you can serve as a disciple; working to further enrich the ministry and mission of the church with your gifts and talents. May God continue to bless you as we labor together in the ministry.

Sincerely,