Refuge Church Missional Partners

The Timothy Initiative exists to advance Christ’s Kingdom by multiplying disciples and disciple making churches around the world. In obedience to Jesus and through Kingdom partnerships, The Timothy Initiative’s vision is to see multiplying, disciple making churches in every place and people group. Because of the sensitive nature of their work, the best way to pray for TTI is by receiving emails directly from them. The prayer link will take you to where you can do this.
Learn More about TTI

This Missional Partner is working in ministry to people groups too sensitive to publish on this page.  When you click the prayer link, please use the password you have been provided, or click below the button to request the password.

Hope Pregnancy Center of Willmar educates, supports and empowers women & men facing pregnancy decisions. They are supported by individuals, churches, and the local community, so they are able to provide their services free of charge.
Regular updates from Denise Wittman, Executive Director of HPC and one of Refuge Church's own, come as emails that are archived online.  The prayer link will connect you to the “Email Campaign Archive” which has links for each email starting with the most recent.
Learn More about HPC

What began as a seven-week summer short-term experience in Japan in 1991, has become 25+ years of teaching eighth-grade international students at Christian Academy in Japan (CAJ). Her main responsibility is to teach Bible 8, English 8 and social studies 8. She also guides students in service projects, both at school and within the community. However, teenagers are often filled with uncertainty and questions, especially spiritual questions. Interwoven with teaching are daily opportunities/privileges to encourage her students to become Christians and to disciple those who are. Jane’s updates are very sporadic, but the latest will be posted as it is received.
Learn More about Jane

Ever heard of Schmoll Corn here locally? Luke was the driving force behind this very successful enterprise during his high school years and beyond.  He and his wife Kristina have now given their time, talents and entrepreneurial energy to Cru at the national level.  Luke coordinates many of the operations details for some of Cru's biggest events and outreaches in the USA. Through all of the details, processes and minutia he deals with, however, Luke and Kristina maintain an amazing focus on ministry and God's heart for people.  
Learn more about Cru

The Willmar Salvation Army believes in faith put into action and making life better for others. Our services meet physical, emotional and spiritual needs to rebuild lives and create lasting change. Help is given freely and without discrimination, while preserving the individual's dignity. We're here to change lives, one at a time.

The Salvation Army is led by officers — ordained ministers — who supervise the many programs and services provided in your area. They also serve as administrators, counselors and youth leaders. At the Willmar Salvation Army, Auxiliary Captain Ron Felt is your primary point of contact for questions, comments or requests for assistance.
While we support our local Salvation Army regularly, we do not receive direct prayer requests from them. The prayer link will take you to their website where you can pray for their current and upcoming ministry programs.

We walk alongside individuals who are seeking to move beyond life controlling issues such as emotional hurts, marriage problems, family problems, addictions, financial problems, depression, and loneliness. Located in Willmar, MN, ATLAS of West Central Minnesota is a Christ-centered, non-denominational mentoring ministry committed to helping individuals find healing and support.
We help people Attain Truth, Love, And Self-control in their relationships with God and with other people. ATLAS strives to make a person who cares available to anyone in need. We connect caring, Christ-following mentors into one-on-one mentoring relationships with anyone who is hurting, lonely, depressed or just seeking someone to walk alongside them on the road of life.
ATLAS of West Central MN is directed by Corie Haverly.  Quarterly newsletters are accessible via the prayer link.
Click here to receive prayer requests updates via email from Corey.
Learn more about ATLAS

Matthew 25:35 records Jesus saying, "for I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink." Our regular support of our community's food shelf is just a piece of the playing out of our desire to be the hands and feet of Jesus to our neighbors around us. Click on the Prayer Link to access their website and discern ways you can be in prayer for the Lord's work through this organization.

The Well is a five bed, Christ centered transitional program, for women. They are committed to helping women who are coming out of difficult circumstances such as addiction, treatment, jails or prisons, homelessness, and more.  At The Well, women will be introduced to the saving grace and power that comes from knowing Jesus Christ. They teach and give tools to live a life fully surrendered to His prompting and  teaching.  They believe that when we fully know whose we are, we can live under that new identity that He gives us!
The prayer link currently connects you to the website of this ministry so you can pray for their work in an informed fashion while we work on ways to deliver specific prayer needs.

(Use Google Chrome to translate site to English)

Since 1999, Refuge Church has partnered with the Evangelical Baptist Church of Ukraine.  The EBC Union is Ukraine's largest protestant denomination in Ukraine, and Converge churches in American began sister partnerships with Ukrainian fellowships soon after the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990's.  Initially paired with Calvary Baptist partnering with the church in Zolotonosha, Ukraine, Refuge Church took on the vision of helping plant a church in the neighboring town of Drabiv.  In 2004, the church was officially planted with Leonid (and Svetlana) Fedoryuk and his family leaving the Zolotonosha church to start and pastor a congregation.  The congregation struggles with the dynamics of a difficult Ukrainian economy, an ongoing war with Russia, and a diminishing town population as economic opportunity becomes more scarce in small villages and war only accelerates this exodus, but as a result of these struggles, the congregation size is growing rapidly! Refuge Church continues to partner with the Drabiv church leadership with annual youth and children's camps (when possible), and financial and spiritual support and encouragement. We are working on the best way to communicate ongoing prayer needs.
Learn more about the EBC Union  (site is in Ukrainian use Google Chrome to translate)

Francis is one of our own from Refuge Church! Growing up in the diversity of Willmar, Minnesota, he developed interest in both international missions and linguistics at a relatively early age. He will be serving in Papua New Guinea, helping to facilitate Wycliffe’s partnerships with other Bible translation organizations. The church in PNG has expressed a desire to lead the way in translation for many of the language communities that still need it, so the projects Francis will be working with are responding to this using innovative translation methods.

Dave and Joscey live and work in Chicago, IL.  With his years of experience working with urban youth through youth centers and church planting, Dave is now working with One Collective to help mobilize resources for churches, schools, and non-profits, and provide mentorship and mentor coaching to help grow opportunities and hope for urban young people. Dave grew up attending Refuge Church.  His parents are George and Betty Brecheisen, and his brother Paul and wife Natasha are Refuge Church Missional Partners working with The Navigators.
Learn more about One Collective

Mallory and her husband Geofrey are working with Cru in Trujillo, Peru to reach university students for Christ and help connect them with the local church. Mallory was raised in Willmar, and the Lord used her college years to forge a spiritual transformation in her life growing a huge heart for the lost.  Geofrey is a native of Trujillo. They are infectious evangelists, and the Refuge Church Missions Board has been delighted to have them as Missional Partners. Their newsletters are posted through the Prayer Link with the most recent one at the top.
Learn more about Mallory & Geofrey and Cru

Doug and Mona are Refuge Church members and our longest standing Missional Partners! They work through Avant Ministries as an agency in Quebec, Canada where they work in grass-roots ministry and evangelism among the French-speaking population of the area.  Working among the rural farm population, they attend many fairs where they do one-on-one evangelism. Doug also ministers to ex-convicts at two half-way houses that he visits regularly. Wedel updates are sporadic, and the latest one will be uploaded to the prayer link.
Learn more about Avant Ministries

Under the direction of Kelsey Vosika, Family Promise is partnered with 13 local congregations (and 13 support churches) to provide shelter, meals and hospitality to homeless families within the Willmar/Kandiyohi County area.  Their goal is to do whatever they can to assist homeless families gain emergency shelter, daily meals, and partner with local agencies to equip families with the skills they need overcome homelessness. They believe that families need a “hand up,” not just a “hand out.”
Learn more about Family Promise of Kandiyohi County

Sam Pirrotta is a dynamic young man with his grandpa's (the late Dave Peterman) fervor and love for people. Sam began ministry in 2017 with Cru and is now in his fifth year with Ambassadors for Christ International-USA, serving as an itinerant preacher and evangelist. He has been featured as a speaker and discipleship trainer at multiple conferences in Ethiopia and Egypt. Recently, Sam moved to Kansas City to work on his Ph.D. in Systematic Theology at Midwestern Seminary. He continues his evangelistic ministry at KU in Lawrence and downtown Kansas City and spends his summers doing short-term international mission work. Sam's grandmother Judy Peterman is a long-time member of our fellowship.

Sam is affiliated with AFCI but has his own ministry website linked below.
Learn more about AFCI
Visit Sam's Website

Paul and Natasha spent many years working with the Navigators fellowship in Omsk, Siberia helping to further the Gospel.  Due to outside circumstances, they have relocated to Apple Valley, MN where they continue to resource and encourage their national partners in the Navigators on the other side of the world by video conference and periodic visits.  Paul grew up in the fellowship of Refuge Church and is the son of former long-time Refuge Church members George & Betty.  Paul's younger brother David and David's wife Joscey are also Missional Partners of Refuge Church working in post-trauma resourcing of under-served people in urban Chicago.  Due to the sensitive nature of Paul & Natasha's work, you will need a password to access their prayer/interview links.
Learn more about the Navigators

Reuben and Susan run the Berean Christian Academy (BCA) on the island of Grenada with an enrollment of 130 students.  They work diligently to teach and disciple children for a Christ-centered present and future. Launched in 1981, they are some of our longest standing Missional Partners at Refuge Church!  Susan's parents were members at Refuge Church decades ago before leaving for the missions field themselves to work in Grenada and subsequently Dominica. Updates are sent regularly over email.  The most recent one will be posted to the prayer link.

Learn more about BCA on Facebook

Sara is one of Refuge Church's longest standing Missional Partners.  Originally a worker with Converge, she is based in Eastern Europe.  Sara has been involved in a variety of ministries over the years, including leading small groups, teaching, country surveys, project management, and most recently helping with the launch an agricultural project that has the long-term goal of providing employment and training for Roma believers. Sara is also a vital member of global research on missions.
Learn more about her sending agency

Our churches come together around something greater than a compelling mission. What brings us together is Christ’s completed work on the cross. Because of the cross, we have forgiveness from our past, power for our present and hope for our future. As a result, we converge around the cross to take what Christ has done for us and make it known to others. Our goal is to give every person the opportunity to hear the gospel, say “yes” to Jesus, grow in faith, be equipped to serve and be sent out. We want every person to experience a life-changing, personal relationship with Jesus.

Refuge Church is a Converge church, and we are part of the Converge North Central division of the association. We also support our conference's main center of learning in Minnesota - Bethel University & Bethel Seminary. Pray for students to have spiritually formative experiences in very impressionable years of their lives, along with the staff that teach them every day. The prayer link will take you great updates and news stories to inform your prayer for Converge.
Learn more about Converge

Nett Lake Baptist Church is a spiritual home to Native American Christ followers living on the Nett Lake Reservation.  It has a long legacy of connection with Converge North Central . Steve and his wife Alice took up the mantle of leadership in 2020 and have brought new life and momentum to the church. Steve & Alice send monthly prayer letters the latest of which will be posted via the prayer link.

Yura Fedoryuk, son of our sister church pastor Leonid in Drabiv, Ukraine, has planted his own church in Zolotosha with the vision of growing a body of worshipers, many of whom are new to the faith. As the recent Program Director of nearby Camp Maximum, Yura has a desire to help ground new believers from the camp in their faith. In this season of war, the church is reaching out to the growing population of refugees from the east and their own citizens who are economically affected by the war. The prayer link is not active yet. We are currently working on the best way to communicate prayer needs.
Learn more about Open Heart

Pasha pastors an Evangelical Baptist Church in Uman (connected with our long legacy in Drabiv and Zolotonosha) and serves as the Ukrainian head of church planting for Josiah Venture using the highly effective M4 Europe church planting model out of Norway.
Pasha is a dynamic leader and a fantastic communicator, posting constant video and text content in a private channel on the social media app Telegram.  Prayer link is for his regular updates through Josiah Venture. Here are some other helpful links:
Follow Pasha's Telegram Channel
Learn More about M4 Europe
Learn More about Pasha and Josiah Venture

West Central YFC is under the direction of Shawn Levesque.  Pray for their work among the young people of our area, particularly the Campus Life outreach that takes place with Middle Schoolers most Mondays after school here in the Refuge Church youth center (pictured).
Joppa, a young adult ministry under the wing of West Central YFC, and one of its leaders, Refuge Church's Caryn van Dijk, is supported through Missional Partnership with Refuge Church as well. Though we support these local ministries regularly, we do not receive regular prayer updates. The prayer link will take you to the West Central YFC online presence to help you stay better informed in your prayer for them.

John & Lori DeCleene have 20+ years of experience helping start a Christian radio station in the Philippines and engaging Filipinos in Bible study and fellowship.  Having successfully handed off leadership of the radio station to local indigenous leaders, they now use their life experience with Converge's MPD (Ministry Partner Development) to help train and matriculate missionaries into the field for our denomination. John & Lori's updates are sporadic and can be accessed (along with past editions) via the prayer link.
Learn more about MPD @ Converge

Started in 2017, Camp Maximum grew out of the vision of the Shepherd's Foundation who have been partners in the long history of sister churches between Minnesota and the Cherkasy region of Ukraine. Modeled after Trout Lake Camp in Minnesota, Camp Maximum is a full overnight camp with cafeteria, outdoor chapel, extreme sports, and solid Biblical teaching. Refuge Church has been one of the key USA partners, sending multiple teams and resources to help this burgeoning enterprise in central Ukraine.
Since the war began in February of 2022, God has used Camp Maximum to evacuate refugees from war-torn towns, to feed and house them before they move on out of the country, and to transport large volumes of food and medicine into war zones.
The prayer link will take you to the best way to stay informed in your prayer for Camp Maximum, their Facebook page. Make sure you can read the posts in English translation (a Facebook setting). The link below is for the camp website which will also need to be translated.
Learn more about Camp Maximum

Under the direction of Jeff Schmitz, United Campus Ministry exists to serve the staff and students of the Willmar Ridgewater College campus.   Students are invited to free meals on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.  they have a place to hang out, and they are connected with churches and young adult ministries in the area such as Joppa and Encounter events.
Jeff's regular updates will be posted to the prayer link.
Learn more about UCM

In 2022 we began a partnership with Arrive Ministries working specifically here in the Willmar community.  Join us in prayer as we work to build bridges with the amazing immigrant community that the Lord has brought to our area.

This Missional Partner is working in ministry to people groups too sensitive to publish on this page.  When you click the prayer link, please use the password you have been provided, or click below the button to request the password.

"It is our values that guide and direct our decision making at Trout.   Therefore, as a Christian camping organization, we look to what we value as a road map of how to do ministry because our values were shaped from Biblical principles.  Out of our love for Jesus we passionately desire, as observed through decades of faithful ministry, to accomplish our mission by living out these values day in and day out."
While we support Trout Lake Camps regularly, we do not receive direct prayer requests from them. The prayer link will take you to the news page of their extensive website where you can be informed in your prayer for this great ministry.

On months with a 31st day, we would ask you to lift up the Refuge Church Missions Board in prayer.  Pray for wisdom, discernment, decision making, and passion for God's Great Commission to reach the ends of the earth with His saving love through the spread of the Gospel.