Group Leader - Downtown Seattle 2008-14

Gender

Female

Which describes your role at Mars Hill?

Group Leader (any leadership role)

What Mars Hill location(s) did you attend?

Downtown Seattle

What years were you involved / attending?

2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

How did you first hear about Mars Hill?

Online, close to where I was living at the time

What was the circumstance of your first time attending Mars HIll?

A Sunday morning visit

What were your first impressions?

Dave Kraft was preaching, I enjoyed the sermon and liked the non-church building vibe. People were friendly.

Why was Mars Hill your church home?

Loved the people at downtown, and Tim Gaydos the pastor. There was a real focus on loving the community of Belltown whether business owners or the homeless it didn't matter all were welcome and we're attending.

What about your time at Mars Hill has had a positive impact on you?

They invested in me in community group and thru ministries like redemption group. I grew as a leader with amazing training and oversight and served as a deacon and rg women's leader supervisor.

What about your time at Mars Hill has had a negative impact on you?

The extreme negativity surrounding the breakup of the church from other believers that I was in close relationship with.

What would you like to have changed about Mars Hill?

Tough question, I believe God allowed it all to happen as it did. The best time in my memory was at the Belltown campus when we were really practically loving and serving the community around and within.  We got away from that, in my opinion, because we were so focused on growth in numbers.

Which describes you?

I left Mars Hill prior to closure.

Please describe why you left Mars Hill and what that experience was like.

I was engaged to someone (now my husband) and he was a member at another church closer to where we would live. It was a thoughtful decision  with positive input from pastors at both churches.

How would you describe the reason for Mars Hill's closure to an outsider.

Some of it is still a mystery to me! I guess I'd say that while the desire was good (make disciples and plant churches) the methods became more and more growth focused and macro level (exactly like my experience working at big business) and that means individuals were being overlooked and in some cases hurt because it was all about the big picture. Ironically the demise of Mars Hill has lead to more disciples and more churches as they have gone independent and become smaller and more community focused. To me this shows that Jesus will build His church regardless of our sins and mistakes.

What's changed for you since your time at Mars Hill came to an end?

I've become more interested in smaller, slower moving churches that emphasize social justice, grace and that are directly involved in local community. I would never attend a satellite church again.

Please write anything else you'd like to add.

Grateful for this opportunity and for my time at MH. Some of the closest relationships of my life began there. Ultimately I have hope that God will use every experience for His glory and our good as individuals and as His church.