An Interview with
James and Tracy Foster
by Dan Schultz, Director of CommArts

I recently had the privilege of sitting down with a few members of the A.C.T.S. leadership team. Everyone around the table had an obvious passion for reaching out to our city, but one person in particular really stood out. When Tracy, the Volunteer Coordinator, talked about what was on the horizon for A.C.T.S., she came alive and couldn’t help but smile. Within minutes, I realized that I had been working with her husband, James, for months as he’s helped to develop the online A.C.T.S. community. I immediately knew that we had to find out more about this dynamic duo ... and why they do what they do.

Dan Schultz (DS): How did you first get involved with the A.C.T.S. Ministry?

James and Tracy (J&T): Our first service project was at an A.C.T.S. Saturday. We had only been attending WVC for a month and wanted to serve, but we weren’t ready to make a large commitment yet. A.C.T.S. Saturday was a perfect fit for us because it made it easy for us to serve in the community, meet new people, and it was a one-time commitment. Besides having a great time serving, everyone was so nice and cared about getting to know us and we immediately felt like we were part of the A.C.T.S. Team.

DS: What got you "hooked" on serving?

T: We love serving others and I don’t think we realized that until we started serving with the A.C.T.S. Ministry. I think that all believers are wired to serve because that is exactly what Christ did while he was on earth. We are told in Ephesians 2: 10 that “we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” So when we serve, I think it’s only natural that we become “hooked” because we are being obedient to God’s call in our lives.

DS: What are your current roles in A.C.T.S. (how are you serving)?

J: We enjoy serving wherever we are needed and most of the time for me, that is with the A.C.T.S. website and enabling volunteers to register online to serve as well as setting it up so people can request help from our Home Repair Team. 

T: I also love to help wherever I am needed and I enjoy helping organize Congregational Care Day as well as our Gift of Love Christmas Trees. I also serve as the A.C.T.S. Volunteer Coordinator because I am passionate about our new volunteers feeling connected and knowing that they are valued within the A.C.T.S. Ministry. I am also passionate about our volunteers serving where they are gifted and where they feel called to serve. I try my best to connect the right people with the right ministry area within A.C.T.S. so that an amazing transformation takes place in their life because they are using their God-given talents to serve others and the Kingdom.

DS: What’s are some of your most memorable experiences?

J&T: One of our most memorable experiences was serving at the Springs Rescue Mission for their Back to School “Backpack Giveaway.” As we drove toward the Springs Rescue Mission that morning, we could see a single file line of over a 1,000 people that wrapped around the entire block. We parked and walked to our stations; it was a humbling experience to be serving these families who waited in line, some for several hours, to receive a school backpack for their child. That morning we made more snow cones than we could count and painted everything from a dragon to a butterfly on the children’s faces. It was such a blessing to be a part of such a special day for so many families in our city.

T: One of my other most memorable experiences is a result of what the A.C.T.S. Ministry means to our family. In our daughter’s first grade class, each child gets the chance to be the “Star Student” one day during the year and they get to bring in 3 items that are special to them and share them with the class. Grace was the “Star Student” on her birthday and one of the three items she chose to bring in and share with her class was her “A.C.T.S. Kids Who Serve” button that she wears when she serves. She could have brought in countless toys or games, but she chose to bring her button and tell her classmates about serving with A.C.T.S. I love knowing that she too is passionate about loving and serving others.

DS: What dreams do you have for the future of the A.C.T.S. Ministry?

J&T: That more people would come to know Christ because of the A.C.T.S. Ministry and its volunteers. Chris Tomlin says it perfectly in the lyrics to his song, “You’re the God of this City” and we know that God is in control of the great plans He has for our city. We pray that our family, along with all the A.C.T.S. volunteers, would be used by God to reach others for His Kingdom and that we would be willing servants and answer the call wherever God asks us to go.

DS: Why do you love serving with the A.C.T.S. Ministry?

J&T: We love that we can serve together as a family and we love for our girls to serve with us and experience what it means to serve others. Serving together has provided us so many opportunities to share with our girls about why we serve, what it means to serve, and then to model that for them.

We also love that A.C.T.S has a place for everyone to serve – no matter what you enjoy doing or what your gifts and talents are. There are so many different A.C.T.S. Ministry teams that you can be a part of whether you enjoy raking leaves, hanging dry wall, taking someone’s blood pressure, cooking food for the masses, or encouraging a military family.  

We also love being surrounded by people who are also just as passionate about serving the community as we are. The A.C.T.S .Ministry is focused on showing Christ’s love to others and we cannot honestly think of a better place to be, than with a group of people who want to do just that.

DS: What would you say to someone who’s thinking about serving with A.C.T.S. but hasn’t jumped in yet?

T: Just do it! I guarantee that your heart will be transformed as you serve others in Christ’s name. The A.C.T.S. Ministry has so many different types of serving opportunities depending on your schedule, your gifts and talents, and whether you want a one-time or long-term commitment. Because we encourage families to serve together, there are always opportunities for children to serve as well.

James and Tracy live in Colorado Springs and have been attending WVC for 2½ years. They have been married for 8 years and have two daughters, Grace, 6, and Faith, 2. Before moving to Colorado Springs 4½ years ago, James and Tracy were both in the Air Force and stationed in Japan and England.