Looking Back. Looking Forward.

2010 has been a great year.

• Our children’s ministry is thriving (we have had over 100 kids per week recently).
• We launched a second worship service, our total adult Sunday morning attendance continues to grow, and adult attendance is at an all-time high.
• We have developed a system of guest assimilation.
• We have hired three part-time staff people. Excellent people too!
• We have made great advances in technology.
• We have over 100 people running a marathon or half marathon for kids in Africa.
• Our volunteer base continues to expand.

For a ministry that is only four years old meeting in a temporary facility, 2010 has been a great year!

With that being said, we have opportunities in front of us.

• Our 9:00 worship service has room to grow.
• We are in need of new small group leaders and increased participation in small groups.
• Some of our volunteers are overworked. It is critical we avoid volunteer burnout.

In addition to the very visible opportunities in front of us, we have some other major initiatives in front of us as well.

• We have grown wider (more people) at a faster rate than we have grown deeper (discipleship). I am sensing that God is leading down a path to deeper discipleship.
• As our ministry has grown, our financial responsibilities have grown as well. In 2011 we are going to be challenged to resource God’s vision together.
• In 2011 we are going to start looking for a permanent location.
• We will be challenged to pray at increased levels – both for individual and family needs and for the church. We can’t do God’s activity without God.
• We have many potential leaders in our congregation who are not currently leading at The Water’s Edge. Many are new in the last year or two and are wanting to lead. We will work to intentionally recognize, develop, and deploy new leaders to serve in various ministries leading the way in living out God’s vision for us.

When we started The Water’s Edge a number of years ago, I urged our leaders at the time to “act our age”. Four years later, I want to remind us to “act our age”. God has blessed us in these early years. I have deep faith that much greater things are still to come. As we grow in our history and our size, our responsibility in going to increase. Acting our age today looks a lot different than acting our age four years ago. And that is a good thing. I am looking forward to spending 2011 with you.

The best is yet to come…

Craig