University News
Hope’s Church Ministry Department Opens ‘Hall of Fame.’
The Church Ministry Department of Pacific Christian College celebrated the lifelong accomplishments of four graduates this past spring with the opening of the “Church Ministry Hall of Fame”. With plans of inducting at least one graduate per year, the Church Ministry Department reviewed a long list of successful Church Ministry graduates to decide on four people to highlight in this “Grand Opening” year. The four inaugural inductees are Leah Moshier, Gayla Congdon, Arty VanGeloof, and Tommy Nixon.
Leah Moshier (MA ’58) (and Dolly Chitwood) are honored for their work in establishing the fruitful “Kulpahar Kids Home and School” in Kulpahar, India. Since the early 1950’s, KKHS has ministered to thousands of poor and orphaned children. Today, some 200 children live in the home, and nearly 400 attend the school; the medical clinic serves many patients each year who would not otherwise have access to healthcare.
Gayla Congdon (MA ’89) and Amor Ministries have mobilized thousands of volunteer teams from churches to build homes for the desperately poor and needy of Mexico. Together with her husband, Scott, she has not only supervised the building of free homes for Mexican families, but she has also built a national ministry that now trains and equips other ministries and churches to do the same. Amor Ministries has over 50 employees (many of them Hope graduates) who are now launching into ministry to the poor in Africa as well.
Arty VanGeloof (BA ’82) is recognized for his work as a Family Pastor at Eastside Christian Church. His title only hints at the scope of his influence for God’s Kingdom. He has been instrumental in beginning formal ministry efforts to the poor in Placentia and Fullerton, as well as significant missions work in Kenya, Africa and Rosarito, Mexico. VanGeloof’s tireless work to assist in the day-to-day physical and spiritual needs of the people in and around Fullerton, the digging of “sand point” water wells for the Turkana tribe in Kenya, or the building of a new orphanage facility in Rosarito reflect his passion to physically show God’s love to every nation.
Tommy Nixon (BA ’01) and Solidarity are known by the city of Fullerton as a successful team of community service specialists. Nixon, along with seven other Hope students, responded to the “Great Commission” by deciding to tell others about God and loving them. They moved into a local community just a few blocks from the university and began to “live Christ.” Today, this powerful ministry called Solidarity operates a city-owned community center and an after-school program. The city of Fullerton has awarded their efforts and has invited them to do the same work in other communities as well. They are also beginning the development of a similar ministry effort in Brazil.
The “Church Ministry Hall of Fame” is located on the third floor of the Nutwood building of the HIU Fullerton campus. Each recipient is highlighted by a framed shadow box that displays pictures, items reflecting the ministry, a brief story of the person’s work, and a digitally-recorded audio challenge from each honoree.