Kids and Invitation

Kids

This morning the church will be blessed with 170 kids leading us at the 10:30 worship experience. To the adults who have made this possible—we are so grateful for you. As a pastor and the parent of a first grade student—I am thankful for all the men and women who invest in our children on Sunday mornings and during the week. Each of you is a blessing to our children, our families, our church, and our city.

Compared to November of last year, our Frog Pond has grown from 129 kids per week to 170 children per week—an increase of 31%. This doesn’t include 100 middle and high school students who gather on Wednesday evenings at the ministry center and in small groups throughout the city to grow and connect. One of the four reasons The Water’s Edge exists is to partner with parents in raising children and to radically invest in the next generation. One of the priorities for our staff in 2014 is to create environments where families can thrive.

 

• My dream is that parents will be equipped by God and supported by others. 
• My dream is that children grow in their love for God and their love for people as together we spiritually, emotionally, and relationally prepare them for life. 
• My dream is that all of us experience community and fun in the process. 

I hope The Water’s Edge has been a big blessing for you and your family in 2013. I pray The Water’s Edge is an even bigger blessing to you and your family in the years to come. 

Invite 

Our Sunday night worship experience reminds me of our early days at Russell Middle School. There were about 60 to 75 of us around on Sunday mornings. We had four small groups and two of them were pretty small! It has been a joy to see so many people added to our church family over the past six years. Every new person makes our family better and more diverse and more like the Kingdom of Heaven: sinner and saints; seekers and skeptics; devotees and disciples; supporters and servants. 

Most of our church family started attending because somebody invited you. We are not an easy church to find. We have met at five locations and don’t have a permanent facility yet. We invite because we believe the Gospel changes lives: grace, power, hospitality, community, children, forgiveness, service, hope, generosity, fun, and eternal life. 

The single time to invite is Christmas Eve. We have three identical Christmas Eve worship experiences in the auditorium at Millard West this year: Sunday, December 22nd at 6:00 and Tuesday, December 24th at 4:00 and 5:30. One invitation can change a life! I look forward to celebrating the birth of Jesus with you next week. 

The best is yet to come… 

Craig