The Alliance Christian Ministerial Alliance (ACMA) is composed of leaders from local churches who meet monthly during the school year to support one another, dialogue, pray, and organize projects they can accomplish together. On one level, their fellowship is grounded in a common faith based on an adherence to the Spirit of the Apostle’s Creed. On another, they are unified in service to those in our community with the lived experience of poverty. While they lead a faith community through various benevolent efforts, fellowship events, shared worship, and other avenues, they also join together in the mission of reaching out to our neighbors in need.
ACMA’s efforts at responding to these neighbors includes relationships with all sorts of agencies and organizations, including Community Table, Northwest Community Action Partnership (NWCAP), United Way, RSVP, Family Focus Coalition, Doves, KAB, Alliance Public Schools, City of Alliance, Box Butte General Hospital, Highland Park, YoungLife, Celebrate Recovery, GriefShare, and local businesses.
Several years ago the Task Force on Poverty originated out of the ACMA’s concern for awareness and strategies for responding to poverty. Among other places of progress, this group began the Community Table’s system of offering daily meals Monday through Friday. The ACMA and the Task Force on Poverty are working to expand the community’s base of understanding and help, including organizing the Bridges Out of Poverty conference. This event is scheduled for June 11, but may be rescheduled in light of COVID-19.
As ACMA is able, they provide help with vouchers for groceries, gasoline (current drivers license, registration, and insurance must be provided), utilities, and lodging—for those who qualify for assistance according to their guidelines. Monthly financial grants are received to ACMA through Alliance Mission Store’s generous benevolence; also through the generosity of parishes, congregations, and individuals in the community.
Throughout the year the ACMA hosts annual events that nurture fellowship, unity, worship, and prayer. Each January they host a Christian Unity service. During Lent they host Lenten Lunches, with speakers and meals provided by and located at various churches. They organize the National Day of Prayer in May that includes the prayers of various citizens and clergy in our area. In May they sponsor a Baccalaureate worship for our graduating seniors and their families. In November they host a Thanksgiving worship. Finally, in December congregations provide the volunteers to ring bells for the Salvation Army (with funds allocated locally through NWCAP) and provide Christmas Baskets through the coordination of United Way.
Every church and parish conducts ministry to our members and our neighbors near and far. These programs are developed and equipped by each congregation, sometimes in partnerships of a few churches together.
Recently, the ACMA agreed on a motto from the historic 1627 saying attributed to Rupert Meldinius: “In essentials— unity; in non-essentials— liberty; in all things—charity.” It would be fair to say that the ACMA is a mission group who, among other faith alliances, is a growing partnership that strives to be a Good Samaritan to our neighbors in need.