Vision and Commitment Sunday

Next Sunday, we will be making our yearly financial pledge to support what God is doing through the local church. Giving from the Christian worldview has very little to do with financial resources. It is a matter of priorities, stewardship, and discipleship. As Christians in the United Methodist tradition we promise to give God and the local church our prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness.

We have had a great last 12 months.

• Compared to last year at this time our Frog Pond has grown 48%.
• Compared to last year at this time our adult worship participation has grown about 25%.
• We have over 250 volunteers that make our Sunday morning worship and kid’s teams. That is a dramatic increase from the previous year.
• We have added three staff people—a kid’s team leader (Nancy Christensen); an assimilation, small groups, and connection’s team leader (Jill Schumacher); and an administrator (Staci Campbell). These new positions will help us connect people to The Water’s Edge, to each other, and to God.
• We will be adding a new worship experience at 9:00 starting in September. This move will give us room to grow and allow us to reach new people. It also provides people new opportunities to serve, grow, and connect.
• We have supported relief efforts in Haiti, missionaries in Africa, and hungry people in Omaha.

When people I meet ask me what I do, I tell them I am a pastor. When asked what church I serve, I am so proud to tell them I am affiliated with you!

Weekly, I hear stories of how God is changing people’s lives, healing hurts, and giving hope. God is doing something special at The Water’s Edge, in the lives of the people at The Water’s Edge, and in the lives of outsiders because of the ministries of The Water’s Edge. As you read this, I hope and I pray that you feel more connected to God and more connected to others because of our ministry. I hope and pray that you are both giving your prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness and that you are receiving the grace, love, and power of God and community with others. I pray that God is both blessing you and using you as a blessing.

I am excited about what God is going to do next year in the life of our church as we surrendered to God and love God and others. The next year will not be about us, but about Jesus as we will be transfixed by God’s story and God’s heart for our city. We will plant seeds, peddle hope, take risks, dream dreams, and give grace. We will strengthen the weak, embrace the outcast, empower the poor. We will partner with God and with each other in seeking, serving, and saving the lost.

Our mission field is big and our vision is even bigger. I encourage you to pray this coming week about how you are going to help resource what God is doing with us and among us.

In Christ,

Craig