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For Pastor Stephen Morefield and Christ Covenant EPC, the landscape of Leoti, KS is rapidly changing. While still an agrarian-driven community, there is an increasing need for adaptation and community building as the cultural landscape begins to shift with a sharp growth in the Hispanic community that has now become a vital part of the American farming scene.

For Pastor Morefield, this means helping a once anglo-congregation start to embrace and connect in new ways with many of their new neighbors. Pastor Morefield shares his hope and vision,

Our small community is just beginning to realize that it needs to provide culture-appropriate sports opportunities to our youth who are increasingly Hispanic.

One of the ways that Pastor Morefield hopes to accomplish this is through the common language of the sport of soccer; fútbol, as it is known in Spanish – the game that the world plays. Since coming to Leoti about a year ago, Pastor Morefield has joined a local Hispanic father, Hector, who has been serving the community for a number of years by trying to grow different soccer programs within the community. Pastor Morefield, with his background as a college soccer player, saw Hector’s work and soccer as a way for he and Christ Covenant EPC church to build relationships  and create a new sense of togetherness within the community.

The hard work and determination of one Hispanic fathers has led to the creation of our county-wide youth soccer program…Our resources are minimal and while this is a community run project, I use coaching in this program as my main form of personal outreach with the full support of the church.

The town of Leoti boasts about 1,500 people and because the community can hardly field a team in any other sport it severely lacks positive opportunities for youth. The local soccer program has minimally four teams for each age bracket in Kindergarten through 6th grade. According to Pastor Morefield, it is easily the most popular and participated youth program in the county, especially amongst the rising Hispanic population which now comprises over 30% of the town and local area population.

If you would like to make a contribution to help the changing landscape of Leoti please note (Timothy Project: Leoti) in your online donation. Please use the Donate Now link to make a secure PayPal donation. Your financial gift will helps to secure equipment and help Pastor Morefield and Christ Covenant EPC reach out to their local community.

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