Browncrofters had the opportunity to welcome Kelly Fasoldt as our church’s new outreach director a few weeks ago. Charged with leading Browncroft’s efforts alongside ministry partners locally and abroad, her undertakings will be key to advancing missions work that has been integral to our church’s DNA for more than a century.

With that in mind we thought you would like to get to know a bit more of her story, her heart, and how you can pray for her:

Kelly, tell us where you grew up – are you a Rochesterian?  

I consider myself a Rochesterarian. I lived in the same house a mile from Roberts Wesleyan University from the time I was adopted until I got married. In fact, I’ve lived in this region all but 3 years when my husband and I lived near Washington, DC. We moved there so that my husband could attend Capital Bible Seminary and I could take courses at Washington Bible College. Now after living in the Browncroft neighborhood on Croydon Road for years, we are currently living in the Nineteenth Ward and loving our neighborhood!

Give us a look into your world. What’s your favorite food? 

I enjoy most food, and it’s hard to pick just one. However, I guess at the moment I would say that Korean dishes are at the top — Korean BBQ, bulgogi, japchae, yummm.

Ok, with summer travel season coming we’re curious… have you and your family had any particularly memorable trips or adventures together?

While nearly all our kids were still at home we took a road trip out west. We saw a lot — the Badlands, Yellowstone, Mount Rushmore, Garden of the Gods, and Pike’s Peak. We also stopped and saw a couple of ministries in Colorado Springs, and of the whole trip our kids said their favorite place to visit was Compassion International! I think it was seeing the home setting of a typical child their age in impoverished places.

My husband and I most recently traveled to Greece with our son, Isaiah, his wife, Josie, and their two children, Iggy (Ignatius) and Phoebe, who are 5 and 9. We visited ancient Greek and Christian sites and saw beautiful landscapes and settings. It was spectacular.

But I must say my favorite trip is when my husband joined me for my first return to South Korea. I visited the orphanage that was my home for a year, I met the doctor who took care of me then, and I learned new information about the earliest records of my life. I also visited ministries (The DropBox and Durihana) that rescue newborns and care for refugees from North Korea. My entire family (five adult children and their families) hope to travel to South Korea in 2025.

Wow! Well, tell us, how did you come to know Jesus?

I was blessed to hear the message of Christ early on after being adopted as my family practiced their Christian faith. And when I was around age 8 we started attending a church whose pastor was very evangelistic. Actually, in third grade I was actively evangelizing my classmates, but then I stopped to consider whether I had made an intentional decision to accept Christ personally and give my life to Him. I remember praying alone to the Lord in the church hall, asking Him to save me. My parents and I were baptized later that year.

The local church, Christian camp, and a fellowship of Christians in school all were extremely formative in my youth and my coming to know Jesus more. It makes me so grateful to think about it.

Praise God! So how did you get to Browncroft? Where did your career take you before this?

Most recently, I worked at Roberts Wesleyan University and served in various roles throughout my time there. In 2022 these included the Operations Manager of the School of Arts and Humanities and leading the Academic Exploration Program. I also was the Assistant Girls Director and Staff Shepherd at Camp Hickory Hill. However, I sensed God calling me to make space for ministry after working and going to seminary full time, so I reduced my roles and hours at Roberts and began to adjunct. I also increased my ministry in Camp Hickory Hill and began consulting at Agora Enterprises, a nonprofit ministry, specifically for fundraising and development

I want to be an ambassador of Christ’s great love to my fellow sisters and brothers in Christ, as well as the many who have yet to come to know Him truly. This is the path to joy and greatest success for myself and the community I serve. If I stay on that path, I know that God will do incredible things. 

What energizes you about Browncroft’s work in our local community?

I believe that we as individuals and the church are the Body of Christ. We bear His divine image, the Imago Dei. This means we are called to embody Him and demonstrate His beauty through selfless giving. This giving should be part of all we do — financially, physically, socially, emotionally — and should seek the good of our neighbor in every area of their life. As our Trinitarian God exists in loving, expanding community, so we should reflect and carry this to our neighbors. As He sacrificially gave so that we could be part of His beloved community, so His love should overflow from us sacrificially to bring His love to others.

What are your hopes for our overseas work?

There is still much for me to learn about the wonderful work Browncroft is doing in this arena. The needs are great, but our God is limitless in resources and power! I am praying for His guidance, and I believe our whole team shares the conviction that we must be dependent on God to lead and enable us to be engaged in His amazing works. We already are!

One way I hope to support this outreach work (globally, regionally, and locally) is in its integration into the other areas of ministry in the life of our church. I also want to understand more how our largely post-Christian environment and global trends impact our understanding of our engagement here and abroad. I have ideas, but these are my hopes.

How can Browncrofters pray for you?

I just told my missions team and tell others freely — I am inadequate. Yet, not only does God do the work and cause fruit to be born, He tells us, “we are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus.” The context of that quote interestingly follows the well-known Romans 8 passage in which we are told of God’s incredible love and that nothing can separate us from that.

It is my heart’s desire to abide in that love and embody it to each person I engage with. I want to be an ambassador of Christ’s great love to my fellow sisters and brothers in Christ, as well as the many who have yet to come to know Him truly. This is the path to joy and greatest success for myself and the community I serve. If I stay on that path, I know that God will do incredible things. He already has, for which I owe Him everything.