by Jennifer Svetlik
Gary Alloway began serving on staff for Mosaic Conference in September 2024 as a Leadership Minister for four congregations (Alpha (NJ), Fairfield (PA), Spring Mount (PA), and Refuge (online), and providing accompaniment to Summit Street (Beatrice, NE; a Western District congregation). He has been licensed with Mosaic since 2022 and is the founding pastor of Redemption Church of Bristol, PA, a ministry partner of Mosaic Conference.
Redemption Church is a neighborhood church and mission in Bristol Borough which Alloway and his wife Susan founded in 2009. Since its founding, Redemption has taken part in the revitalization of Bristol, helping found a street festival, coffee shop, and a nonprofit organization. However, the larger goal is simply to help people love God, love their neighbor, and smell like Jesus wherever they go. Alloway’s role there involves everything from teaching on Sundays to helping Bristol have healthy trees.
As the number of Mosaic congregations and partners continues to grow, and with two leadership ministers retired, Alloway was asked to consider becoming a Leadership Minister. Leadership Ministers provide leadership accompaniment and counsel to congregations and credentialed leaders within the conference.
“I’ve been a part of Mosaic Conference for three years and I want to help it live up to its name – a place where each part is beautiful on its own, yet also part of a greater whole!” Alloway shares, reflecting on what led him to say yes to serving Mosaic in this way.
“My greatest joy is seeing people find their worth and their calling in Christ, helping them unlock the ‘Jesus-version’ of themselves,” Alloway shares. “When people and organizations find that and live into that, they come alive. I look forward to helping leaders and congregations to do so.” Alloway added, “I’m just getting started. The first task is just to hear where God has already been at work in these contexts.”
Alloway is originally from Paoli, PA. He loves crossword puzzles and often winds down with the New York Times Sunday crossword at the end of the day.
He loves spending time with his family, going on adventures, discussing Philadelphia sports, and reading long historical novels.
Jennifer Svetlik
Jennifer is Editor & Development Coordinator for Mosaic. She grew up near Houston, TX and spent a decade living in intentional community in Washington DC, before moving to Lansdale, PA with her spouse, Sheldon Good. She is a graduate of the University of Texas and Washington Theological Seminary. She serves as Children’s Faith Formation Director at Salford Mennonite (Harleysville, PA). Jenn has two elementary-school-aged children and loves biking, camping, gardening, and vermicomposting with her family.
The opinions expressed in articles posted on Mosaic’s website are those of the author and may not reflect the official policy of Mosaic Conference. Mosaic is a large conference, crossing ethnicities, geographies, generations, theologies, and politics. Each person can only speak for themselves; no one can represent “the conference.” May God give us the grace to hear what the Spirit is speaking to us through people with whom we disagree and the humility and courage to love one another even when those disagreements can’t be bridged.