July 10/11 Highlights

First weekend with three services! I have never attended a church with three services, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. Here’s the recap:

Saturday night was really fun! Everyone was awake, energetic, and a little bit fiesty. We had a good turnout and I look forward to growing that service along with our other two.

Our Sunday morning went great as well! We shifted some people to Saturday nights and made room in the 10:30 service, which was part of our strategy. Now, let’s fill it back up!

Mark and I are WIPED out! I don’t think it was the schedule change, I think it was the emotional side of it all. Starting a service in July in pretty risky from a leadership viewpoint. It’s not the time that most churches aim to grow, but we’ve always seen summer as a great opportunity for guests to come. It’s relaxed and people have more free time. You just have to work around vacations!

I really feel challenged to focus on God’s heart right now in my life. It’s easy to focus on the details of this all, the numbers, and if everyone is happy. But through it all, I hear God’s whisper just to focus on Him. All of the rest will work itself out. It’s easier said than done, but it’s the only way to live.

For the next two months every week will be very important for us. It’s like a newborn…the first couple of months require a lot of extra TLC. You can help us by simply showing up. Having people in the building gives more energy and more enthusiasm. Support comes in many forms, but right now the best support is your presence!

Mike Lundervold and Carl Wilson stood around the coffee pot discussing the show “So You Think You Can Dance”. That was a pretty funny moment for me…

We have the world’s greatest volunteer base! I feel really blessed to work along side such loving, devoted, faithful, and talented people. From our worship team to our greeters, it’s so fun being a part of it all!

Our teenagers taught the Great Adventurer’s kids class yesterday! They are leaving for a missions trip today and needed a practice run through. They did a great job and learned A LOT about leadership.

Very much looking forward to our teenagers going on their missions trip. They are headed to the rural farm town of Arlington, Oregon. They will be leading worship, preaching, leading kid’s classes, and working in the community from morning until night. My hope for them: is that they realize what Arlington has to offer them rather than what they have to offer Arlington. Ministry is very much about learning from other people rather than just giving to them.

Thanks to everyone who went above and beyond the call of duty this weekend! Let’s do it again next weekend!