Thankful
date posted: Sep 27, 2007
A month ago, our staff retreated for a couple days and looked ahead with fear and trembling at the rapidly approaching fall schedule. A change of worship times, a change of SS format with KidStuf, Preschool renovation and opening, Fall Wednesday night program, Tony Campolo, Baptism, Gear Up, and four input forums were all to take place between September 9 and 23 (a span of 14 days!!). We planned, we prayed, we organized for an all-hands-on-deck blitz!
Now that those 14 days are over,
I want to give thanks to God and to the many people who worked so hard to help us get ready for the fall.”
- We had 1800 present on Sept 9 with the new Sunday time schedule. Three weeks in, as we had hoped, the early service attendance has increased considerably while the second service has stayed the same.
- Over 270 parents and kids attended the first KidStuf.
- Sept 9 evening, over 400 of our people celebrated as 24 men and women and young people give witness to their faith in Jesus Christ through baptism at Lloyd and Judi Ganton’s home on Lime Lake.
- Between 1800 and 2000 attended our second Gear Up Fall Family Festival on September 16th. It was a beautiful day and we met many new neighbors.
- 565 of our people attended one of four input forums during the week of Sept 16-23 to review the proposed facility master plan and give feedback. We are currently recording the feedback and questions and will organize them into an informational document for our congregation. The next step will be private interviews with 65 of our households, followed by a congregational survey on October 20.
- On the 23rd, our first “normal” Sunday of the fall, we worshiped God with full choir and orchestra in the first service and the new and growing worship choir in the second service. Pastor Adam Davidson is building an excellent worship ministry with a growing group of committed volunteers.
- Our fall discipleship series began the week of September 23rd, with two new electives. I am teaching our new membership orientation, GC1/GC2 (Great Commandment/Great Commission) to a smaller group on Wednesday nights while Pastor Rod Mathews is teaching it Sunday morning to a large group in Rm 210. Craig Hayward and Dave Hamilton started our new elective, Old Testament Story, an overview of the great stories and timeline to a full classroom.
- Kids Hope, under the direction of Angel Kono, is off and running with the placement of every registered child from Warner Elementary with a caring mentor. Angel is training new mentors who will be ready to mentor children who will be added as the year goes on.
- Our youth ministries are in full swing. Pastors Rick Morgan, Kara Riggleman, and Caitlin Hicks, have excellent ministry teams, although they are still needing some men who could invest in 5th—6th grade and middle school boys.
- Our Cherub Preschool, under the direction of Lisa Shaw, has been completely renovated and is open for business! We will have an open house and special dedication service, Sunday night, Sept. 30 at 5:30 p.m.
- Life Recovery is in full swing. Debbie Grainger oversees a growing menu of preventative and restorative groups and classes for people seeking healing in the areas of addiction, loss, relationships, and financial chaos. A new support group for stepfamilies begins Wednesday nights under the direction of Maria Current.
God has laid these opportunities before us. I have not mentioned our Stephen ministries, our upcoming men’s and women’s retreats, our Men’s Fraternity, Woman to Woman, Men of Action, Mother’s Club, Young at Heart, dozens of small groups reconvening after the summer, Bible studies, service ministries, our upcoming VISA team preparing to go to the Dominican Republic, etc.
Saturday, October 27, we will be joined by other churches in Jackson County for a community Weatherization Day. We will weatherize homes
to help at-risk families save on their utility bills. What an
opportunity to bless Jackson County! What an opportunity for the churches to work together with the United Way! Please clear your Saturday morning, Oct. 27 and join Pastor Rod as he leads in this effort. We would like to see over 100 of our people help us wrap up a number of homes.Pastor Rod then turns around and directs our annual “Trunk or Treat”
Family Event, Wednesday night, Oct 31.The Detroit Tigers may be packing it in and going home this fall. We certainly won’t be! Pray for the Spirit’s life transforming power to be present among us in the coming weeks!
Pastor Mark