Annual Report – Special Edition
The dominant metaphor for salvation in the New Testament is “the family of God.” St. Paul writes, “You are no longer strangers . . . but members of God’s family. Together, we are his house, built on the . . . cornerstone of Christ Jesus himself” (Ephesians 2:19-20).
This family is not defined by human blood lines, but by the blood of Jesus. It’s a diverse family made up of young and old, rich and poor, male and female, black and white. Christ’s sacrificial love for us on the cross shapes our relationships and transcends our differences. Because we experienced God’s mercy, we are able to live patiently and mercifully with each other.
This sort of community is not an ideal we have to attain by our own efforts. It is a gift from God in which we are called to participate. In spite of our messed up lives, we hold on to each other in love because Jesus showed us that God never gives up on any of His adopted sons and daughters.
As Pastor of Care, I get to witness many examples of this togetherness and mutual care. As we experience the tragedies of illness and death, I see you comforting one another. When disagreements arise, I see you finding a way to live at peace. When troubles overtake us, I see you bearing each other’s burdens. When we hurt each other, or feel broken down by the cares of life, I see you forgiving and encouraging each other.
This kind of community is costly. It requires dying to self and making room for God’s unconditional love to reign in our hearts. But denying ourselves is also part of the gift that only Jesus can give us! And through these sacrificial “one another’s,” shaped by Jesus’ love on Calvary, we experience the healing presence of Jesus in each other, the gift of salvation.
Alan Crandall
Pastor of Care
The months of Fall have seen a few changes in the ministry, most specifically around the formal programming of this ministry. We’ve began a twice-a-month programming, affectionately call Family Adventure. The meetings are broken into two specific parts. The first part is an activity for the entire family (Either the 2nd Wed or Sat of each month), designed to allow families to share a fun and memorable experience together. The second part is an up-tempo experience (The last Sunday of the month) that focuses on unpacking the monthly theme and how it ties into enhancing family discipleship. Each theme this year has been centralized around the life and ministry of Jesus, studying Scriptures of how he lived out that particular characteristic. So far, we have covered, how Jesus was…missional and brave. For the month of November, we will be covering thankful and in December the theme will be loving. Our ultimate hope for this particular programming, is to afford families more time and encourage intentionality towards modeling a gospel-centered life.
Kyle French
Leah
In 2019, we are happy to join the church mission in Transforming the Corridor. We will continue to do this through prayer and gospel conversations. Over the next year we are going to focus on how Paul encouraged the local churches to transform their communities by studying the books of Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians.
Jeremy Van Genderen
The comments of Jesus in Mark 8 help me navigate and prepare for change. In this passage, Jesus asks the disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” This question points to the source of our hope in the midst of flux. “Jesus is the same yesterday today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). Jesus is our stability in the middle of flux. As Jesus teaches his followers about true discipleship, he asks them, “What matters most?” (Mark 8:36-37). This question gives us a foundation that defines us no matter what comes.
Following Jesus into the flux with hope,
Come support Boy Scout Troop 85 at their annual Spaghetti Supper and Bake Sale.