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Heather Conley

conley_h.jpg“I learned so much during my time at the Beach Project,” says Heather Conley. “It gave me knowledge for every area of my life that helped me to determine who I am and where I stand in the Kingdom.”

Heather, who graduated from Malone College in 2008, was introduced to the CCO’s ministry at the end of her junior year, when CCO staff member and Malone’s Director of Campus Ministry Linda Leon invited her to participate in the CCO-sponsored Ocean City Beach Project.

“I went to the Beach Project seeking to live in community and learn how to be a more effective kingdom leader,” says Heather. As a commuter student, this was her first opportunity to really live with other college students, and the experience of living and learning with fellow Christian student leaders was transformative.

“I got to spend quite a bit of time with [CCO staff member] Derek Melleby, who talked to us about academic faithfulness and what it means to allow your Christian convictions to overflow into the world of academics. I listened to him talk about a topic that I hadn’t really heard discussed before. It was challenging and further pushed me to pursue my classes with a passionate desire to learn and gain kingdom knowledge.”

Part of Heather’s drive to grow in her faith and her leadership abilities was to be able to more effectively lead the ministry she founded as a first-year student at Malone. Love the Children Ministries was born out of a paper Heather wrote for a freshman English class on the difference between pity and compassion. She concluded that “pity is when you feel sorry for someone, and compassion is when you feel sorry with someone and it compels you to action.” Heather was compelled to action, and in response to what she understood as the needs of the Canton, Ohio community, she hosted what would be the first annual Love the Children Ministries Christmas Celebration.

Today, in addition to her work as a reading teacher at Lexington Elementary School, Heather serves as Executive Director of this inner-city youth mission that she founded as a college student. “Our hope is to transform communities through the radical love of Christ one child at a time,” she says. “In 2008, we are celebrating our fifth year of service in the Canton community. During the first four years, we offered two new Christmas gifts, personal time with Santa, live entertainment, and a catered meal to more than 700 children. We are now in the process of offering our families year-round services, including school supplies, a community library, and a sports ministry program.” Heather is currently running the ministry out of her church home, Crystal Park United Methodist Church, as she awaits 501c3 status.

“One of the things I loved about the Beach Project was the central focus of relational evangelism,” says Heather. “People are seeking community, love, and acceptance. I choose to share my faith by building relationships with those who need Jesus the most, and meeting their physical needs in the hope of meeting their spiritual needs at the same time. I have the greatest gift in the world, and it comes with unlimited supply and free of charge. So I give of myself, hoping that they will accept the gift of Christ by seeing him alive in me.”

As Heather continues to follow her calling to reach out to her community, she is grateful for her time at the Beach Project and the Jubilee conference. “The CCO helped me to support my ministry and grow into a deeper relationship with God that has allowed him to have an even more complete reign in my life. I treasure the time I spent at the beach. It is because of my experiences learning about myself that summer while living in community that I am a constantly growing follower of Christ in all areas of my life.”