Dear Church Family,
I am grateful for your faithfulness and generosity this past year. Your consistent giving demonstrates that we are participating together in the advancement of the gospel.
Paul wrote to the Philippian church, "I thank my God every time I remember you... because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now" (Philippians 1:3-5). Like those believers, your giving represents your active participation in gospel ministry.
Celebrating God's Faithfulness
We have seen several baptisms recently as new people have joined our church. These remind us that God is actively at work, changing lives and adding to our church family.
Steps of Faith from This Past Year
Last year, we stepped out in faith together in four significant ways:
- First, we hired Dr. Hall as principal for our school. Dr. Hall has already made a significant impact on our school's direction and culture. His leadership and commitment to both excellence and spiritual formation have been a tremendous blessing to our families and staff.
- Second, we hired Stephen as our youth director. Stephen has provided the continuity and connection our teenagers needed, building solid relationships and helping them grow in their faith during these critical years.
- Third, we added Rhonda Wengerd as our financial administrator. Rhonda has brought necessary depth to our business office, allowing Donna to transition to the part-time role she desired while maintaining excellence in our financial operations.
- Fourth, we purchased a bus. This practical investment provides safe, reliable transportation for church and school activities, allowing us to serve our families well and expand our ministry capabilities.
The Biblical Pattern of Gospel Partnership
Scripture provides clear examples of God's people participating in ministry through giving. The Macedonian churches gave generously despite poverty (2 Corinthians 8:2-3). The widow gave sacrificially, trusting God's provision (Luke 21:1-4). Proverbs instructs us to "honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops" (Proverbs 3:9-10).Scripture offers compelling instances of God's people engaging in ministry through giving, illustrating that such faithfulness is met with blessings. The Macedonian churches, despite their poverty, gave generously, and God provided for them (2 Corinthians 8:2-3). Similarly, the widow's sacrificial giving, rooted in trust of God's provision, was honored (Luke 21:1-4). Proverbs further encourages us to "honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops" (Proverbs 3:9-10), with the promise of overflowing barns and vats.
Your faithful giving enables us to pass faith from one generation to the next. This is the direct result of your partnership in ministry.
Stewarding Well for the Future
Our stewardship team has been working diligently to ensure we operate efficiently and intentionally. We have reviewed expenses, made strategic cuts where needed, and adjusted budgets to maintain financial health. I am grateful for their commitment to wise stewardship.
Every season of ministry includes steps of faith that require obedience and trust. Our responsibility is to walk faithfully and steward wisely.
Updates
We will be transitioning our giving software from Subsplash to Planning Center, a lower-cost platform we already use for other aspects of ministry. This will streamline subscriptions and reduce expenses. While we will no longer have our current apps, Planning Center offers a free Church Center app that provides easy access to online giving and church information.
Instructions for downloading the Church Center app and transitioning your online giving are included below.
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