On November 13th we had a family gathering potluck after church. If you were there, you know the food was amazing. You all outdid yourselves! Once we all had some time to eat and visit together, we joined together in prayer. Pastor John and our beloved church treasurer, Deacon Dale, shared a financial update with us. While churches across the country continue to have lower budgets and overall participation post COVID, God has been faithful to us and our financial position remains strong. God has been faithful to us through one another, as we all contribute of our finances, our gifts and our time to be a body and a family pursuing God together. We have so much to be grateful for!
We also got an update regarding community groups, which are thriving. We heard a great story about two groups coming together for increased discipleship opportunity. The Catlins lead a group made up primarily of grandparents. Another group, composed primarily made of young professionals, had been talking and praying about opportunities to interface more with older followers of Jesus who have wisdom to share. When their group leader Kyle Stewart approached the Catlins, they could hardly believe it. They were so excited to let Kyle know that they had been praying about how to get to know the younger folks in the congregation better! The two groups got together to share a meal and fellowship, and this inspired a new idea for “sister community groups,” a new initiative for groups to partner for discipleship and mission!
During our time together the Renewal Team shared what they have been working on over the last 6 months. They unveiled our four new values!
Grounded in Scripture - Enjoying God - Growing Together - Everyday on Mission
Pastor Aaron and the team explained how we hope that these short phrases will each become a sort of catchphrase that reminds of all of some bigger concepts within the culture of our church. For example, when we say that we value “growing together,” we hope it reminds all of us that we believe in knowing others and being known, and that means we seek wise counsel from one another and are willing to offer gentle rebuke when necessary. We encourage one another, spur one another on, and bear one another’s burdens by engaging in real relationships centered on our unity in Christ.
If you want to know more about these values, talk to someone from the renewal team or anyone who was at the family gathering. The hope is that these ideas will be contagious, so asking and talking about them with others in the church is actually a great way to help the renewal team and elder team! Stay tuned for when the renewal team shares the new mission statement we will be implementing soon as well, and thank God for being a God who renews us, gives us vision, and invites us to be on mission with him.