Today is the first day of August! It was five years ago today that I started as the new Senior Pastor here at Grace Church in Lititz, PA. Where has the 5 years gone? Five years ago my daughter was entering 9th grade and my son entering 7th. Today, my daughter is heading into her sophomore year of college and my son is ready to begin the milestone of his senior year of High School. But as the time has flown by, God has done some wonderful and amazing things here at Grace Ministries. Would you allow me to reflect on just a few of what I see as the greatest accomplishments we have seen together over the last 5 years?
GROWTH: Five years ago our fiscal year average Sunday morning attendance was 711 which included the timeframe from July 1, 2003 through June 30, 2004. Over the past fiscal year that just ended June 30, 2009, we averaged 1,426 on Sunday mornings. That means that we have grown over 100% in the past 5 years or an average of more than 20% per year.
STAFFING: One of my most pressing goals when I started five years ago was to put together a “dream team” of sorts when it came to staffing. There have been a lot of changes in faces over the last 5 years. In fact, we only have one ministry staff member who is still in the same position today that they were in five years ago when I started. But I am thrilled with the team God has brought us to serve him and each other here at Grace.
ONENESS: I’m not sure how much it was noticed outside of the employees, but 5 years ago we were really three ministries (a church, a school and a daycare) that shared one building but frankly, didn’t always get along real well. That has changed. Today we are one ministry that includes a church, a school and a daycare, all going the same direction.
PURPOSE: Over the past five years we reinvented our purpose as a church and it has become our driving force. I think just about anyone who attends Grace for any length of time can tell you why we exist or at least get out the two key words…“meeting” and ”moving”. What is Grace all about? We are all about meeting people where they are at and moving people to where God wants them to be.
VISION: We have been able to crystallize our 5-year vision plan as a church and focus our priorities on five areas…Multiple Weekend Services; Satellite Campuses; Small Groups; Children’s, Youth & Educational Ministries; and Missions. And now we have specific plans, goals and directions for each of these 5 areas that we are moving toward.
ELEVATE: We were able to re-invent our Children’s Ministry over the last five years to give us an up to date and exciting program called Elevate that is making a huge impact.
CONNECTION: We have made major strides to become a church of small groups with the goal to see everyone who attends Grace becoming an active part of an effective small group where they will become connected as they grow spiritually, are discipled, are cared for, and have the opportunity do this thing called the Christian life together.
GROWTH: Five years ago our fiscal year average Sunday morning attendance was 711 which included the timeframe from July 1, 2003 through June 30, 2004. Over the past fiscal year that just ended June 30, 2009, we averaged 1,426 on Sunday mornings. That means that we have grown over 100% in the past 5 years or an average of more than 20% per year.
STAFFING: One of my most pressing goals when I started five years ago was to put together a “dream team” of sorts when it came to staffing. There have been a lot of changes in faces over the last 5 years. In fact, we only have one ministry staff member who is still in the same position today that they were in five years ago when I started. But I am thrilled with the team God has brought us to serve him and each other here at Grace.
ONENESS: I’m not sure how much it was noticed outside of the employees, but 5 years ago we were really three ministries (a church, a school and a daycare) that shared one building but frankly, didn’t always get along real well. That has changed. Today we are one ministry that includes a church, a school and a daycare, all going the same direction.
PURPOSE: Over the past five years we reinvented our purpose as a church and it has become our driving force. I think just about anyone who attends Grace for any length of time can tell you why we exist or at least get out the two key words…“meeting” and ”moving”. What is Grace all about? We are all about meeting people where they are at and moving people to where God wants them to be.
VISION: We have been able to crystallize our 5-year vision plan as a church and focus our priorities on five areas…Multiple Weekend Services; Satellite Campuses; Small Groups; Children’s, Youth & Educational Ministries; and Missions. And now we have specific plans, goals and directions for each of these 5 areas that we are moving toward.
ELEVATE: We were able to re-invent our Children’s Ministry over the last five years to give us an up to date and exciting program called Elevate that is making a huge impact.
CONNECTION: We have made major strides to become a church of small groups with the goal to see everyone who attends Grace becoming an active part of an effective small group where they will become connected as they grow spiritually, are discipled, are cared for, and have the opportunity do this thing called the Christian life together.
2 comments:
Everytime that I'm concerned about
my family's walk with God, I repeat our church's mantra-meeting them where they are and moving them to where God wants them to be and I pray a lot too and just try to meet them where they're at. Thanks so much for this past series on the book of Esther about God being at work behind the scenes it has been tremendously helpful to me. Thanks so much for your passion-it's very
encouraging. I'm always praying for protection for you and your family. Have a great week.
Hi Anonymous! Thanks so much for your very encoruaging comment. It means a lot! Blessings to you and your family!
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