August 30, 2010
“The woman was suicidal,” says Guaren Long, administrative director and treasurer for Hillside (Alliance) Community Church in Wrightwood, California. “Honestly, counseling someone with such hopelessness was out of my realm, but I survived cancer 20 years ago and understood what it meant to be at a low point. I was not threatened by Mary’s* words and boldly shared my hope in Jesus.”
Approximately 700 people attend the Alliance church in Wrightwood, a close-knit community nestled in southern California’s San Gabriel Mountains. Two neighboring towns, Phelan and Piñon Hills, create the basis for the church’s original name-Tri-Community Alliance Church, established in 1982 and pastored by Terry Morrow since 1995. Mary, a Phelan resident, is one of many people who are finding Jesus through Hillside’s inclusive outreaches.
Through Christmas events, sports camps, and ministries to women, children, and homeless people, Hillside is making a Kingdom impact in the tri-community. “Some of our outreaches are spontaneous,” Guaren says. “When we see a need in the community, we try to fill it. Mary was here because her daughter had been invited by a friend to a mid-week kids’ program. Instead of driving back and forth to pick up her daughter, Mary decided to wait. The other mothers participated in a Bible study, but Mary was hesitant to join them.
“‘Do I have to stay here?’ she asked me. She looked like she’d had a pretty rough life, and I saw this as an opportunity to share Christ. When I invited her to talk with me in another room, Mary opened up about her desire to end her life. We talked for an hour. She began coming to church, accepted Jesus as her Savior, and I’m still discipling her. It’s been a long, hard road, but Mary has seen God work in her life.”
Lighting the Way
With church growth came the need for expansion, and the Alliance Development Fund (ADF) is playing a key role in Hillside’s building project. With a loan from ADF, a new sanctuary is under construction. Currently, there are two services in the church, with a “chapel/coffeehouse” that broadcasts the service into another room to about 50 people. “It’s a safe place for visitors who aren’t so sure they are ready for the whole church thing,” says Guaren. “But they get the same music and message. It’s a good spot for people to check us out; some just prefer a more casual environment.”
The building campaign also includes a soccer/baseball field that “will be open to the community,” Guaren says, “using it as an opportunity to draw more families. We also open the church to groups, such as Alcoholics Anonymous, Alanon, and Weight Watchers, providing a place to meet free of charge.
“As Hillside Community Church grows into a multi-ministry center, it will be a shining light in the community, bringing the hope of Jesus to lost and hurting people.”
*name changed
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