by Emily Buckley, editor-in-chief
Alpine Church is a non-denominational Christian church in northern Utah centered on Jesus Christ and the teachings of the Bible. It was established in 2001 in Ogden. The church’s congregation grew quickly and now has six locations in northern Utah, including one in Logan lead by Pastor Chad Hewitt.
“Our mission is to introduce people to Jesus,” said Chad. “With that focus on Christ we hope to become His hands and feet. We talk about the difference God makes in our lives and use that to reach out and help others. ”
In Logan, Alpine has a congregation of about 500. “Many of our people are looking for ways to get involved and looking for outreach opportunities,” said Chad. “We don’t want to just do things for people who attend our church, but want to also have an outward focus. So, when members of our congregation come to me looking for opportunities to serve I am happy to point them into community to make a difference.”
This outward focus includes individuals volunteering in the community as well as church organized missions.
One of these missions is Feed My Starving Children, a national nonprofit Christian organization committed to feeding God’s children hungry in body and spirit. Alpine Church has partnered with the organization for the last five years in Utah with their first project in Logan in December 2014.
Alpine Church raised $65,000 for the organization between Thanksgiving and New Years. That money was converted to 230,000 specifically formulated meals that children and adults in the community hand packed for malnourished children in impoverished countries.
“Missions like this are tangible opportunities to teach our congregation and children about sacrificed giving,” Chad said. Other missions that Alpine Church has been actively involved in this year include a Purse Project for CAPSA (Citizens Against Physical and Sexual Abuse), an organization that provides safe, caring and confidential shelter, advocacy and support for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in Cache Valley.
The Purse Project involves women from Alpine Church putting together purses to gift to women sheltered at CAPSA. The purses contain a variety of things to promote physical and spiritual healing and peace including sugar scrubs and soaps, necklaces that say, ‘I am Enough,’ Bibles with marked verses encouraging hope, hand-written letters of encouragement and more.
Alpine Church is also involved with an annual Christmas Box drive for Operation Christmas Child (an organization that sends shoe box-sized Christmas gifts to children around the world), the local Loaves and Fishes Community Meal, service missions (including an upcoming Hands Across the Borders mission trip to Mexico involving 25 local teens) and much more.
“We are striving to reach people in our own community as well as globally,” Chad said.
All are welcome to volunteer and become involved with Alpine Church’s service opportunities. Their Facebook page, www.facebook.com/alpinechurch, is a good way to stay apprised of their projects.
Visitors are also welcome to join in their Sunday worship services, held at 395 S. Main in Logan at 9 a.m., 10:30 a.m., Noon and 6 p.m. each week.
