Redeeming Grace Church, we believe the church is not a building, it’s people serving together to glorify God. We regularly highlight volunteers and staff members who serve with RGC because they make everything we do possible!
Today we want to introduce you to Phil & Shelly Cochrane!
Here is what two ministry leaders had to say about them:
"Phil has been such a blessing to serve with in the College Ministry. He has been joyfully doing anything that needed to happen, from washing dishes to chatting with the students. He brings a healthy dose of humor to our lives and takes time to know our students deeply."
~ Abby Krafsig, RGC College Ministry
"Shelly is an absolute joy to work with! She truly embodies Colossians 3:23, "Whatever you do, work heartily, so for the Lord and not for men." You can see it in how she prepares for her lessons, in how she interacts and cares for her students, in how she prays, and how she jumps in to help wherever is needed. She brings an enthusiasm and genuine heart in everything she does and we love serving with her!"
~ Danny Wegerbauer, For the Nations
What volunteer roles are you involved in?
We serve in a few different areas. We usher on the first Sunday of every month. This fall, we began helping with the College Ministry. We love helping to make and serve the food at the monthly lunches. Clean-up is fun, too! Shelly also teaches English with For the Nations.
How did God lead you to be involved in those areas?
We moved to northern Virginia last December, which was the first year both of our girls were off to college. As new empty nesters and new to the area, we recognized that one of the best ways to meet people in our new church family was to serve.
Being that both of our girls are in college, Taylor University and Liberty University, our hearts love college-age kids! As our daughters left home, we prayed for the Lord to lead them to a church, and we are so thankful for the churches that are a part of their college lives. Our daughter Jessica said that her church serves lunch to about 100 college students each month! How fitting for us to serve college students HERE while others are serving our daughters elsewhere! Plus, Phil needed someone to tell his Dad jokes to!
Regarding For the Nations, Shelly loves being in the classroom. She was an academic aid for Language Arts classes before moving to Virginia. Years ago, she helped teach English as a second language while living in Ecuador. When a family member sent her a link to For the Nation’s website, she started to pray about serving, even before the moving boxes were unpacked. Shelly is so thankful the Lord led her to serve with For the Nations. While she so enjoys teaching English, she is finding more joy in meeting people from around the world, building relationships with and praying for them.
How did God lead you to be involved in those areas?
We moved to northern Virginia last December, which was the first year both of our girls were off to college. As new empty nesters and new to the area, we recognized that one of the best ways to meet people in our new church family was to serve.
Being that both of our girls are in college, Taylor University and Liberty University, our hearts love college-age kids! As our daughters left home, we prayed for the Lord to lead them to a church, and we are so thankful for the churches that are a part of their college lives. Our daughter Jessica said that her church serves lunch to about 100 college students each month! How fitting for us to serve college students HERE while others are serving our daughters elsewhere! Plus, Phil needed someone to tell his Dad jokes to!
Regarding For the Nations, Shelly loves being in the classroom. She was an academic aid for Language Arts classes before moving to Virginia. Years ago, she helped teach English as a second language while living in Ecuador. When a family member sent her a link to For the Nation’s website, she started to pray about serving, even before the moving boxes were unpacked. Shelly is so thankful the Lord led her to serve with For the Nations. While she so enjoys teaching English, she is finding more joy in meeting people from around the world, building relationships with and praying for them.
How have you seen God at work in our church community?
At this time last year, we were about to move to Burke and were praying for the Lord to guide us to a new church family. He so kindly answered our prayers by guiding us to Redeeming Grace Church not long after our move.
When we first visited RGC, we were greeted by a friendly congregation, and we also saw that this body of believers is led by humble, godly pastors who esteem the Word of God and the leading of the Lord.
Now that we are a part of the church, we are blessed by the careful teaching of the Word, the worship, and by hearing about the many ways RGC fellowships together and ministers to others. RGC is intentional in serving and teaching this body of believers while also reaching outside the walls of the church to those who need the Savior. We specifically have seen how the church is being used to reach internationals through For the Nations. God is truly at work!!
Could you tell us some interesting facts about you?
We met in Quito, Ecuador, and have lived in four different states and in the province of Alberta, Canada. We moved here from Chicago, IL, but prior to that, we lived in Alaska for ten years. A big piece of their hearts remains there in the great northwest! Our family loves mountains, hiking, fresh air, a lack of traffic, and SNOW. We actually weren't super excited about moving to a warmer climate, but we are liking Virginia just fine.
We have two daughters in college. Jessica is a senior elementary education major at Taylor University in Indiana. While in college, she has earned money by making and selling cakes, jewelry, and greeting cards, and has also worked as a seamstress in a bridal shop! She plans to look for a job here in northern Virginia upon graduation. Ellen is a sophomore pre-med major at Liberty University and believes God has called her to the mission field. She is prayerfully seeking the Lord’s guidance on the path to medical missions. Ellen is also an accomplished equestrian! She rode horses for seven years and made the university equestrian team as a freshman.
Phil works for BP in government affairs. When he’s not traveling for work, he loves to cook, fish, and spend time outdoors.
Shelly’s favorite “extra-curricular” activity is praying with other women. She has been involved in Moms in Prayer, including being in leadership, for over ten years. The first thing she did upon moving here was find a Moms in Prayer group in the area. She also enjoys scrapbooking, walking/hiking, going out for coffee… LOTS of coffee!, and cooking the fish that Phil catches.
Could you tell us some interesting facts about you?
We met in Quito, Ecuador, and have lived in four different states and in the province of Alberta, Canada. We moved here from Chicago, IL, but prior to that, we lived in Alaska for ten years. A big piece of their hearts remains there in the great northwest! Our family loves mountains, hiking, fresh air, a lack of traffic, and SNOW. We actually weren't super excited about moving to a warmer climate, but we are liking Virginia just fine.
We have two daughters in college. Jessica is a senior elementary education major at Taylor University in Indiana. While in college, she has earned money by making and selling cakes, jewelry, and greeting cards, and has also worked as a seamstress in a bridal shop! She plans to look for a job here in northern Virginia upon graduation. Ellen is a sophomore pre-med major at Liberty University and believes God has called her to the mission field. She is prayerfully seeking the Lord’s guidance on the path to medical missions. Ellen is also an accomplished equestrian! She rode horses for seven years and made the university equestrian team as a freshman.
Phil works for BP in government affairs. When he’s not traveling for work, he loves to cook, fish, and spend time outdoors.
Shelly’s favorite “extra-curricular” activity is praying with other women. She has been involved in Moms in Prayer, including being in leadership, for over ten years. The first thing she did upon moving here was find a Moms in Prayer group in the area. She also enjoys scrapbooking, walking/hiking, going out for coffee… LOTS of coffee!, and cooking the fish that Phil catches.