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When Al Collins was 3 years old she recited her first scripture and sang a song in front of the congregation. Her mother watched, knowing that Al was destined to do something very special in life. Al was born in Washington, DC, baptized in Louisa, Virginia and grew up in Arlington, Virginia. Although brought up in the church, she went in a different direction than the one her mother had envisioned for her, but through it all, she has come back to serve the Lord as a minister of the gospel.
Facing life’s challenges that many would call adversities; Al chooses to call them God’s stepping stones. She says, “For each challenge I have endured, I have a testimony; for each trial, I’ve been given an opportunity to give glory to God.”
Al’s firsthand experience with domestic violence has given her the passion and drive to educate and support others. She has joined forces with The Next Step, a non-profit organization focusing on domestic violence education and support. She is also a member of L.O.V.E. (Leave Out Violence Everyday – Sisters4Sisters, Inc. God also uses Al’s experience as a single parent to have her minister to the women of Mom’s Night Out, an organization based in Washington, DC. As a cancer survivor, she is co-leader of More than Conquerors, a CPBBC ministry that supports and educates cancer conquerors and their families. She also serves as an usher and is a Deaconess.
Al joined Cornerstone in 1997. She lives in Cheltenham with her husband of 16 years, Michael. They have a blended family of 6 adult children, 16 grand children and 2 great grandchildren.
Al’s not sure when she was called to the ministry. She says “It’s probably been there since I was a child. I just didn’t know what it was.” Her foundational scripture is James 1:2 -3; Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
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