Metro Baptist Church New York City
I currently serve as the Ministry Resident for Metro Baptist Church and Rauschenbusch Metro Ministries in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of New York City. After graduating from McAfee, I moved to New York to spend one year with these two great ministries. Not surprisingly, the move from Atlanta to New York City was quite a transition. But with only a few short months under my belt, I already feel at home with Metro and RMM. As the Ministry Resident to both Metro and RMM my time and responsibilities are divided. At Metro my weeks are filled with meetings, worship preparation, administrative work, creative projects, assisting with teams and volunteers, and meeting any number of other needs. I even get to preach occasionally. At RMM, I work in their food pantry. Each Saturday, RMM provides food assistance to 75-100 families in the Hell’s Kitchen community by way of a ‘client choice’ food pantry. With the help of 20 volunteers, we are able to setup a grocery store style shopping experience, providing families a chance to ‘shop’ for their goods rather than receive pre-bagged selections. The food pantry is one of RMM’s longest running programs, beginning in 1995, and each month we are able to provide food for 600-700 individuals. It is a joy and blessing to be a part of such a significant ministry. McAfee played a significant role in my coming to work with MBC and RMM. During my first year I was introduced to a CBF program called Student.Go. I learned Student.Go sends students to Metro during the summer months to help with their CLUE Camp program. After numerous conversations with professors and Student.Go staff, I found myself interviewing with Metro and RMM about a yearlong ministry opportunity. McAfee, without a doubt, equipped me to work in this urban ministry setting. Thanks to my education as well as McAfee’s extensive ministry network, I feel empowered and equipped to be doing the type of ministry I feel called to and love. Here in Hell’s Kitchen, I’m experiencing God in exciting new ways. Thanks be to God for McAfee and Student.Go for helping me discern and unfold this calling, for I am most grateful. _Ryan Wilson (‘12)