First of all, I want to thank Justin Wredberg for preaching God's Word at Freedom River this past Sunday. While I'm sorry that I wasn't there to here him, I'm very grateful for the chance to get away for a weekend with Debbie to celebrate our anniversary. Thanks, Justin.
Hope you had a great holiday weekend. Traditionally, Labor Day signals the end of Summer. Vacations are winding down. Kids are headed back to school.
FRCC won't forget the Summer of 2008. It was difficult saying goodbye to Pastor Scott, Pastor Jamie and their families. But we fully support them as they move on to seeking God's will for their lives. That doesn't mean it hasn't been hard. More than a couple of families have moved on. Attendance has taken a hit. And giving is down even more.
The purpose of this update is not to send anyone on a guilt trip. I want to be honest and transparent about our situation. Freedom River is at a critical time. We have "trimmed our sails" financially. Several tough decisions have been made but we must be good stewards of the resources with which God has blessed us. We're continuing to take a hard look at our expenses.
What can you do?
1-When you get back from vacation, make sure you join us on Sunday mornings. Your attendance means a lot to those around you.
2-Support the work of Christ's kingdom at Freedom River through your tithes and offerings.
3-Pray that God would use FRCC to make a huge impact for Christ in our community.
I'm convinced that the Lord placed us at this particular place at this specific time for a reason. Over and over in the Bible, Almighty God has a habit of doing amazing things when the chips are down.
Parting the Red Sea at just the right time.
Making streams in the desert.
Turning Friday's dead into Sunday's Savior.
He's up to something here at Freedom River. I can't wait to see what it is.
In Christ,
Jay
1 comment:
I'll be praying for God to lift up the work and sovereignly pull in the precise people who ought to be there, whatever stage of spiritual life they're at (planting, weeding, watering).
My wife's folks and sisters live over in Hickory; and we're graduates of CIU. I've served our small EFCA congregation north of Lexington KY since 2001. I know how discouraging small numbers can be, especially when a pastor moves on. You struggle against the temptation to covet when you see several mega-churches all around you that pull in huge numbers (1) because absolutely everything is aimed at "lite" inspirational mixed with a heavy emphasis on excitement and social events, (2) the focus of the ministries are driven by Maslow's hierarachy and on how to use God to make yourself a happier person, and (3) the extreme denominational brand-loyalty of the Mid-South.
But these can be overcome, if we can be content to be a high-quality grace + discipleship church that might only ever hover between 100-120 people. Better to be a beautiful sweet blueberry than a massive tasteless mushroom, right?
Post a Comment