Southeastern California Conference
UReach Combines Several LLU Church Ministries
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STEVEN NIELSEN
DAVID HUTABARAT
ow in its third year, UReach, the outreach ministry of the Loma Linda University church, encompasses a variety of ministries and community services. UReach was formed at the end of 2011. Its mission is to be “doers of the Word,” according to James 1:23. UReach helps LLUC staff and members accomplish their mission A group of UReach volunteers clean up a plot of ground in Loma Linda. In partnership with the city of Loma Linda by engaging them UReach has reopened a community garden where community and church can grow food and relationships. with their community in tangible ways. LLUC had been looking for a strategic and comprehen- service, known as Re:Live. One thing they kept coming back to was the sive trajectory for its various outreach ministries. Essentially, UReach com- church’s relation to the neighborhoods around it. It seemed clear that bined all of the existing outreach ministries, including EXCELL mentoring Christ spent a lot of time with the people in His community, getting to and tutoring, community case management and Re:Live Thrift. know them and helping those in need. The heart and soul of UReach began with a question: What does it First, the team from Re:Live began to see everything from unemploymean to be a Christian? ment and homelessness to abuse and hunger all within a short distance Some young adult leaders started seriously asking themselves that of the church. What could they do? They were a young, inexperienced question about eight years ago as they were starting LLUC’s young adult group, but they were convinced that sharing Christ with others is less about spreading ideas and words than about living a life. They worked from the belief that building relationships is the key to leading people to Jesus. UReach has classified various efforts as either outposts or relational ministries. For example, Re:Live Thrift is considered an outpost ministry, a place where church members can interact with the local community. Outposts are the first step in meeting new people and creating relationships. For many members of the community, the thrift store is the first place they meet and interact with a Seventh-day Adventist. UReach’s goal is to create relationships that will lead people into a deeper connection with Jesus. Staff members invite individuals to continue collaborating with one another so that they are forming community together. This is not a quick, easy process, but it is essential to The Re:Live Thrift Store sign shows not only shop contact information, but also its mission statement. the continued growth of the body of Christ.
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