I had the opportunity to sit down and answer a few questions for our Church (Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale) Staff Website, the Intranet.  I thought I’d share what’s going on with the awesome ministry I’m part of 🙂

Name: Alessandra (Ally) Velsor

Position: Grill Assistant Manager

Hometown: Miami Beach, FL

Years on staff with Calvary: 4

Life verse : “He must increase, but I must decrease.” John 3:30 (ESV)

3-5 fun facts about you.

• “I’m Italian-Puerto Rican.
• I love cats —I currently have two, Jack Bauer and Chuck Norris.
• Aside from reading my Bible, I find inspiration in music.  My favorite band is Switchfoot!
• My mom had a rare skin disease called Stevens-Johnson syndrome right before she was pregnant with me. Doctors told her abortion would be the best option, but she trusted God and here I am!  She calls me her “miracle child.”
• I grew up in the restaurant business, not wanting to be part of it after I was done with school.  I wanted to be a meteorologist.  Oddly enough, I married a chef and I’m still working in a restaurant. God has a sense of humor!

What inspired you to pursue a position serving at Calvary Chapel?

After graduating, I started pursuing a career in the TV industry, but every door kept shutting. After rededicating my life to Christ in 2009, I decided to apply at The Grill as a server because I just loved being in church and wanted to be around Christians. That same week, I interviewed and I was hired.  I always thought of The Grill as a temporary position, but God had different plans.

What are some of your responsibilities?

Making sure our standards are being met and guests have an excellent experience with us. I’m also running our social media —if you haven’t already, follow us: @TheCCGrill on Instagram and Twitter and facebook.com/TheCCGrill.  Most importantly, I’m here to love and support our amazing staff and help them fulfill their full potential as workers and disciples of Christ!

How has God equipped you for this call?

I’ve always felt my spiritual gift is to encourage, but not so much leadership. However, God has been working on me as a leader over the past year. I recently went through a dry season that God used to teach me to genuinely love people. Working in a church, we tend to have such high expectations about others. I found when my standards weren’t met, I would get disappointed and bitter. I focused on the flaws of others while all along, God was trying to change ME.  I’ve learned to be responsible for my own actions and reactions to circumstances. The Grill is a ministry to those who dine with us daily, but it has served as a place of discipleship for the staff and for me. 

What do you love most about your position?

I love serving our fellow staff and seeing a familiar face, but I also love serving people who have never been here! New guests are typically in awe of what we do.  Before The Grill, I had never heard of a full service restaurant in a church. I’m honored to be part of this family and feel so blessed to be able to witness the great things being accomplished here for the kingdom!

Tell us a little bit about the most recent project you have been a part of.

Along with Jenn Repaci, we try our best to inform the staff about The Grill’s daily specials.  As a server, I always noticed that the staff benefits from knowing what our specials were ahead of time. I’ve been a big fan of the Intranet, as it connects all of our ministries, and, with the support of my fellow managers, we’ve been able to pass that information on to everyone!  I’m also learning to grow our social media so that we can connect with all of our guests and keep them informed as to what’s going on. 

How does The Grill practically help us fulfill our mission to Make Disciples?

One thing I’ve learned to love about this ministry is the people involved. We have a staff that is constantly being challenged to grow in God’s wisdom. The Grill can be a seasonal job for many, but God has used this time to teach us to not only be servers, cooks, or baristas, but also to acquire a servant’s heart. It’s all about serving our fellow brothers and sisters with excellence. 

What are a few things you’d like our staff to know about your area they may not be aware of?

Our garden is in season, so check out our daily specials, as we will be using our home grown herbs and produce in them!  We are also going to start releasing some recipes in a section called, “A Taste of Calvary,” through the Intranet . . . so stay tuned!