ACE Ministry=

Avondale Presbyterian Church

& Alliance Center for Education

working together partnership

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A vision and partnership

We invite you to join us at Avondale, as our congregation and the team at Alliance Center for Education work to build bridges to reduce inequities by breaking down barriers and enriching the lives of children.

 

There are various opportunities to build relationships with the children and families involved with ACE. This ministry continues to unfold and grow. We hope you will join us in working to make a difference in Charlotte and beyond. 

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Early days

Avondale's vision of a ministry serving our neighbors and reducing inequities took shape in 2015. A task force explored ways to serve and partner in the community. ACE, formerly the Bethlehem Center of Charlotte, emerged as a partner in 2016. The mission of the Bethlehem Center of Charlotte was/is to provide educational opportunities for low-income children and families to improve the quality of their lives. The Bethlehem Center was founded in Charlotte in 1940 to serve the neighborhoods of Southside, Brookhill, and Wilmore, providing programs and activities for school age children and other quality family enrichment services.

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Out-of-School Time program 

An early step in our new partnership was a two-year pilot collaborative to host the teen “Out-of-School Time Enrichment Program” on our campus, freeing up valuable space at their facility in the Southside Homes/ Brookhill community.

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Education & Outreach

With our emerging partnership, the ABC Ministry* knew an educational component was essential. As part of this initiative, the Church Leadership did an intense study with "Bridges out of Poverty" by Philip E. DeVol, Ruby K. Payne, and Terie Dreussi Smith. 

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Another, larger, component of the initiative was called "Come to the Table." Launched in late 2016/early 2017, public educational offerings were held with the intention to promote discussion, challenge assumptions, and provide a forum for listening and thinking. All were welcome at “The Table”, from east, west, north and south....and every place in between. See Come to the Table here.

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Summer Camp

In June 2017, the Out-of-School Time program metamorphosed into  a full day summer camp. That first summer at Avondale, registration was full with 26 teens participating. Today, the Teen Leadership Summer Camp is held at Avondale and off-site locations and runs Monday through Friday, full days during the summer. A few activities of past summers included: 
- College tours
- Volunteer work
- Guest Speakers from non-profit organizations
- Weekly projects based on session themes
- Partnership with Junior Achievement and Microsoft

- 4H projects and more
- Camping Trips 
- Daily topics for thought, discussion and inspiration

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Get involved and volunteer!

There are many opportunities for volunteers to work with the ACE ministry kids. Some volunteer positions required completing a volunteer form, background check, and a program specific training. Speak with ACE Ministry leaders for information.

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About this Service Ministry
God calls us to be His hands and feet, to share the message of His son by serving others. At Avondale, we are growing and stretching to build a new mission and way of serving others. We pray for God’s guidance and a clear vision to connect to neighbors and build bridges.
 

*This ministry, originally called our ABC Ministry (Avondale+ Bethlehem Center) changed to ACE in the fall of 2020 when the Bethlehem Center of Charlotte changed their name to Alliance Center for Education.