2025 Annual Report

Written By Dave Pierson

2025 In Review

A Message from Our Interim Director

“Christ’s love compels us” - 2 Corinthians 5:14

Greetings from Alongside Ministries!

We are indeed compelled by Christ’s love to go and make disciples and to proclaim his salvation to the world. That calling has taken shape through forging meaningful partnerships between North America and Europe.

A Year of Growth and Transition

In July, I stepped into the role of Interim Executive Director, following the faithful leadership and years of service of Dave Pierson. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to continue helping steward Alongside into its next season.

Strengthening Our Team

We began 2025 by welcoming two new board members, Trish Tracy and Kim Cordes, followed last month by the addition of two more: Katherine Jones and Jon Holland. Each brings valuable wisdom, experience, and a shared commitment to our mission.

This year also brought growth within our staff. In September, we welcomed Leah Chapple as the Operations and Communications Coordinator and Kari Leggett as the Financial Administrator.

Milestones Worth Celebrating

May: We welcomed our newest Alongsider, Scott Johnson, who arrived in Prague and immediately began the work of language learning, cultural integration, and ministry partnership with the Czech Evangelical Alliance.

September: Many of our Alongsiders and board members gathered for our Geneva Summit. It proved to be an important time together to pray and discern about the coming season.

November: We established a new partnership with Bucha Baptist Church in Ukraine and with Pastor Fyodor Raychynets. In a society deeply impacted by war, this partnership allows us to help meet their urgent needs and care for the vulnerable.

Looking Ahead

As we look to the coming year, we’re encouraged by what lies ahead. In particular our Alongside Gathering, which will be held at the Black Forest Academy in Germany this coming July - bringing together our workers, board members, partners, and supporters for fellowship, encouragement, and shared vision.

We Are So Grateful!

Thank you for your prayers, your generosity, and your partnership. Alongside is, at its core, about connection—connecting workers to churches, supporters to ministry, and people to opportunities to serve, whether for a season or a lifetime. We do this because Christ’s love compels us.

- Matt Randles

Interim Executive Director

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The Year at a Glance in the Places We Serve

Albania

  • Arjan and Mimoza Larashi serve with Freedom in Christ Ministries, helping people break out of the strongholds that bind them.

  • Doni and Gail Lilo are pastoring in Bilisht. A highlight this fall was the installation of a long-planned a new playground for the community—right across the street from the church.

  • Zach and Besa Oaks lead the youth ministry in Bilisht. They are seeking a youth worker to come partner with them. Interested in serving, or know someone who might be? Connect with us here to learn more!

  • Mark and Melanie Stoscher serve in Erseka with the church, as well as the Torchbearers Bible school and a summer camp ministry.

Czech Republic

  • Micah and Kačka Lembke have been getting more involved in leadership at church as they build relationships in the community since transitioning out of sports ministry. Additionally, Micah working on a counseling degree.

  • Scott Johnson is new to Prague. Learning the language is his current number one priority. He is building relationships with classmates and continues to be involved in summer English camps with the Czech Scripture Union that reaches people for Christ.

Estonia

  • Matt and Lea Edminster serve in Estonia in pastoral ministry as well as teaching. This year, Matt played a pivotal role in bringing about our new partnership in Ukraine.

France

  • Sarah Esau, now Sarah Thuillier, serves with youth in Saint-Nazaire. She was married in October.

  • James and Cheryl Cloyd serve in the Cronenbourg-Cité church in the historic heart of Strasbourg where James is a pastor while Cheryl works with students and is finishing her PhD. 

  • Matt and Katie Riley lead a church in Pontivy. A significant highlight was putting on a Thanksgiving outreach to their community, serving more the 200 people. They also welcomed a new daughter-in-law into their family, as well as a grandchild!

  • Maimona S. leads the House of Hope in Marseille, bringing the love of Christ to people on the margins of society and providing practical help. She and her husband welcomed their third child in October.

  • Doug and Barb Walter served during the fall with Escale, a ministry of prayer and hospitality in the heart of Paris. Doug recently retired, a testament to the fact that even in retirement, God can use people for his kingdom!

Ukraine

  • Fyodor Raychynets and the Bucha church is our newest Alongside partnership. Fyodor is not only a pastor; he teaches at the local seminary and serves as a chaplain to the troops serving on the front lines. We are pleased to partner with the church in their ministry to those who have lost so much due to the war, especially the elderly. (Learn more here.)

Thank you for your support as we joyfully step into 2026 ready to continue serving!

- The Alongside Team

“…if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation…”  

- 2 Corinthians 5:17-18

Dave Pierson