About International Outreach Church Community Garden (IOCCG)

Mission

To strengthen community relations through creating and sustaining an organic garden thus promoting stewardship, beautification and personal belonging.

Goals

• Promote unity among various ethnic populations
• Provide opportunity for those without means to produce their own food
• Encourage the use of the garden as a central gathering and meeting place for the community
• Encourage multi-generational age groups to interact and experience gardening
• Give from our heart to those in need

Values

• Stewardship
• Respect
• Service
• Unity

On a shadowy wintry day in December of 2008, Tom Kackman dreamed of a garden in the middle of 31/2 acres in the heart of a Burnsville neighborhood. We began to imagine this garden; the people who would come, the children who would laugh and play, the harvest which would yield nutritious produce and the community it would change. With the consent and blessings of Pastor Charles and Lindsey Karuku, IOC, a non-profit, non-denominational, multicultural church, founded this community garden in April 2009.

One acre was tilled into 56 plots and by May 1, 2009 every registered gardener was digging in fresh virgin soil. Within a month a beautiful arbor was built, paths were filled with wood chips and a butterfly garden planted. By August IOCCG initiated an on-site compost project with Valley Natural Foods, built partnerships with local business leaders and received recognition from Elizabeth Kautz, Burnsville City Mayor, through Community Garden Day proclamation! This was just the beginning.

In 2010 we expanded to 99 garden plots, began a Kenyan Women’s Community Sustainable Farm Project, built another arbor, planted 6 trees and received recognition from Dakota County Public Health through a Public Health Achievement Award! Community leader Beth Krehbiel, President of Fairview Ridges Hospital, endorsed IOCCG as previously done in 2009. Professional graphic designers developed and produced our logo and web-site which furthers our capacity to impact individual lives and the greater community.

Our passion is to bridge ethnic and socio-economic divides within a multiple-dwelling residential neighborhood with hopes of overflowing into the heart of the Burnsville community. Every individual has value and a need for relationships. IOCCG creates a peaceful place of belonging and beautification. As you browse the pages, quietly listen and sense the heart of the people who share their stories. One by one, individual lives and families are impacted by IOCCG thus transforming a community which can change a nation.

International Outreach Church (IOC)

A church with an atmosphere for healing. Interracial, Intergenerational, International.

Message from Pastor Charles & Lindsey
Welcome to IOC, the home of IOC Community Gardens. IOC is a church with an atmosphere for healing! It is our prayer that your experience here at IOC is not only life-changing but also motivates you to consider making this your church home. We are a family with a Men’s Group that aims at developing men after God’s heart. We deal with the issues unique to men as fathers, husbands, priests and heads of households. The Women’s Ministry is geared to nurturing balanced women of destiny. The BreakLoose Youth Group emphasizes character development through music, dance, and drama. The Children’s Church is the place where the foundation starts as we mold the hearts of little children to raise them in the ways of God. IOC has something for every member of your family.

My wife and I welcome you to join us this week and experience one of our life changing services. We know you will love IOC because we will make you feel right at home. 

Yours Truly,
Pastor Charles & Lindsey Karuku

About Pastor Charles & Lindsey

Pastor Charles and Lindsey are the founding pastors of IOC in Burnsville, a multi-racial church with a mandate to build an atmosphere for healing. They have been married 9 years and are blessed with 3 beautiful children: Miriam (6), Israel (4) and Jehu (1). They reside and minister in Burnsville, Minnesota.