05/27/2026
"While in college, I was introduced to the Christian Community Development Association (CCDA) by my mentor, Laura Hoy. The approach to life, ministry, and community that Dr. John Perkins articulated deeply shaped me. It gave language to what I was experiencing and helped me imagine how individuals, organizations, and churches could live into a vision of flourishing for all, one marked by presence and proximity.
Dr. Perkins’ legacy continues to be lived out across the nation—including here in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. As we began Wellington Heights Community Church, we spent time going through the CCDA Immerse Bible study, praying, and dreaming about how the principles of CCDA and Dr. Perkins’ vision of the holistic gospel could take root in our neighborhood.
The photos are from 2016, as the Eastern Iowa CCDA network hosted Dr. Perkins in Waterloo. Our local network gathered a wide variety of people from across Eastern Iowa to learn about and apply the key components of Christian Community Development and hear directly from Dr. Perkins.
Dr. Perkins’ life is one of divine reverberations, shaping generations of leaders to pursue justice, reconciliation, and the flourishing of neighborhoods. His vision of the whole gospel lived out in community continues to inspire and guide many of us as we seek to join in God’s work right where we are.
May we continue to live into the “quiet revolution” of God’s justice and reconciliation—right here, right now." - Stephanie Carter
📷️: Diversity Today Media
