About Outreach

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Who We Are

We are a team of staff and volunteers dedicated to serving the most vulnerable around us in our community and around the world.

Alan MacDonald

Washington Pastor of Global Engagement. Alan came on staff in January 2007 after spending 32 years with Wycliffe Bible Translators and SIL International in government relations, international public affairs and program administration. Alan received an M.A. from the University of Southern California School of Journalism and is an adjunct professor of Intercultural Studies at Houghton College in New York. Alan has lived in Mexico, the Phillipines, and Hong Kong where he served for eight years as director of the China Program. Prior to coming on staff he served as the Director of International Relations for Wycliffe and SIL in D.C.
alanmacdonald@fairfax.cc

Karen Kellogg

Pastor of Local Engagement & Events. Karen started at Fairfax.cc in 2003 after working as an administrator and instructor in higher education for ten years. She earned her PhD in Higher & Adult Education from the University of Missouri–Columbia in 1996.  After having several different roles on staff, Karen is excited about focusing her energy on making an impact for Christ in the local community.
karenkellogg@fairfax.cc

Sara Rodewald

Director of Outreach. Sara joined FCC staff in 2009 after almost five years in the federal government. She graduated from Texas A&M University in 2001 with a Bachelor’s in Psychology and in 2004 with a Master’s in Public Service and Administration. She has a strong passion for service and volunteerism both at home and abroad.
sararodewald@fairfax.cc

What We Do - Our Ethos

Among the things that characterize our outreach are:

  1. We are committed to humbly living out the principles of Matthew 22: 36-40: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law? Jesus replied: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
  2. We say a big “yes” to a few things rather than a lot of little yeses. We seek to be intentional and strategic about our outreach partnerships and those we send out from Fairfax Community Church.
  3. We seek to go “long” and “deep.” When we commit our desire is to be committed for the “long haul.” We recognize that there is a link between impact and sustained involvement. We continually look for ways to deepen and strengthen our ability to serve.
  4. We allow programs to flow out of relationships. We are committed to investing the time needed to build meaningful relationships with potential partners. Out of these relationships comes an understanding of the part that we as a church can play in support of a shared vision.
  5. Where our money goes is where our people go. We are committed to financial support of our missionaries and partnering organizations. However, we don’t just send money. We want to have the members of our church involved in meaningful and sustained ways in our shared mission efforts.
  6. We are committed to partnership. We don’t approach our local and global outreach efforts from the starting point of “our” plans and programs. We are committed to listening to, learning from and serving our partner ministries. We seek to mobilize the skills, experience and passions of our congregation that are appropriate in responding to the expressed needs of our partners.

GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT

The Vision for Global Engagement

There are four components which guide us as we make decisions about how and where we believe God is calling us to be involved:

  1. We seek to care for the most vulnerable in our world by providing access to nutrition, healthcare, education, justice, sustainable income and the transforming message of the Gospel.
  2. We partner with new and emerging congregations within our church movement in the great and strategic cities of the world.
  3. We work to help create evangelistic momentum in regions of the world where the evangelical church is weak or restricted.
  4. We are committed to providing education and training for the next generation of church leaders.

The Essential Elements of our Global Partnerships

There are elements in ministry that we look for as we develop key partnerships worldwide. These include:

  1. Partnership. We place a high value on ministries that are committed to working in partnership.
  2. Sustainability. Wherever possible, we seek to work with partners involved in programs that reflect a commitment to a sustained approach to ministry.
  3. Transformation. Our desire is to do what we can to support and strengthen ministries that have transformational impact.
  4. Servanthood. We are drawn to ministries that model Christ’s example of service.
  5. Empowerment. Very simply, “They must increase, we must decrease.” We want our efforts to strengthen our partners and follow their leadership. Rather than control and direct, we want to support and serve.
  6. Local Leadership. We seek to partner with ministries who are lead by people from the countries and communities where the ministry is be carried out.

LOCAL ENGAGEMENT

The Vision for Local Engagement

The vision of Local Engagement at Fairfax Community Church is to strategically partner with ministries and organizations that care for the most vulnerable in our community.

Our Strategy

Our strategy is to expand the number of partners we are serving and form Local Impact Teams around each of these partners to serve them on an ongoing basis.

We listen to, learn from and serve our partner ministries. We seek to mobilize the skills, experiences and passions of our congregation that are appropriate in responding to the expressed needs of our partners. We believe that if people feel part of a team and are serving using their skills, talents and passions, then they will make local service a priority in their lives and make the necessary time commitment.

Criteria for a Partner Organization

  1. A leader with vision and drive to help the people they serve.
  2. An organizational structure that allows the visionary leader to lead.
  3. A track record of success (they do what they do very well and can show results).
  4. Opportunities for our congregation to serve.

ENGAGE!

We believe that God has placed each of us in areas of influence in our workplaces, our community and in our world to live lives of great kingdom impact – whether that is in a ministry we do together as a church (the 10%), or as something that is done apart from an official Fairfax Community ministry (the 90%).

Here are some ways you can begin to engage our community and the world:

GO LOCAL

GO GLOBAL

GLOBAL PRAYER GATHERINGS

STAY CONNECTED