Dear Friends,

I’m writing to you today. First of all, Thankful.

I’m thankful for a church that is responsive to the word of God. We are preaching a series through Romans, and I appreciate the diligence of our congregation, who encourage me. May our love for Him increase. We are experiencing blessings as a church that have become four years of growth, that has continued and even increased. After pruning came greater growth.

We enjoy increasing congregations in all our services with tremendous strength in our family groups, with Wednesday nights remaining a powerful feature. In the most recent six weeks, year on year, the North Campus is growing 14% and the South Campus 30%. We’ve had a couple of Sundays that have gone over 2000 already, and we are rarely below 1400 in family groups on campus, and sometimes more. If we have another year like this, we will hit a place that we’ve never experienced before. We give God the glory, but also tremble as well!

I also write with thankfulness about our giving. You heeded the call to finish 2023 well, and with our Jumpstart, teaching, and praying, we have seen a 35% increase in our giving! If that is sustained as even a 20 or 25% increase, it would be extraordinary. If you are part of that increase either by beginning or maintaining your tithe faithfully, making a significant start, or just regulating your giving, …thank you! Please know that you are apart of a considerable movement and momentum. I’m thankful for our church, each of you, from “small and great alike.” (Acts 26:22)

Secondly, I am writing to you Needful.

No one likes to be needy, but this is the correct posture for a believer, and certainly a Christian leader, that we must be desperate for God. While there is blessing, we want to stay close to him and not hinder it. While there is blessing, we also know that there is plenty to challenge us. What a desperate world we live in right now! Perhaps you feel the pain right now of various things.

We must keep coming to God in prayer: alone, with 2 or 3, in family groups, at our monthly prayer gathering, or at our men's and ladies' prayer times.

Of course, there are always needs in the church. Here are some examples:

• To staff our volunteers that serve our children and youth on 52 Sundays and 40 Wednesdays plus extra events, especially during a week when a number are not well or on vacation.
• To invite people who may not understand the Bible or church into a relationship with Jesus.
• To teach and train each member to know their passion and gift to serve in the body of Christ.
• To ensure that our campuses are places of ministry and environments that enhance the ministry in the 21st century.
• To live holy lives in an unholy world.

So yes, there are always loads of needs. And so, I also write to you Hopeful.

Though the darkness seems to press on us around and about, we thank God for his marvelous light. We are New Hope. And so, we have a faith-based optimism. I’m hopeful that our growth will continue, a sign of the dynamic of the gospel and the church, and that people can come to Christ and be baptized.

I’m hopeful for the upcoming DNOW event, Easter Services, and the Marriage Knot Conference.
I’m hopeful for each service.
I’m hopeful for each family group.
I’m hopeful for our mission trips and serving in the community.
I’m hopeful for our members.
I’m hopeful for our staff and our deacons.

Now, let’s consider some practical needs that we can link in our mind right now to increased generosity.

Wouldn’t it be great to have new and refreshed parking lots on both campuses? Let me hear an Amen! Have you noticed at the South Campus how parking has become a premium? We also aim to invest this year in developing our master plan at the South Campus for the dramatic growth we’re experiencing. We’ve waited a long time to be able to think in these terms.

We have recently invested in a new heating system for our North Campus gym. It’s been a successful Upward season with a brand-new family group starting as a result of it with families joining the church.

Our technology often operates a few years behind where it needs to be. I’m hopeful that we can get ahead of the game. It will be wonderful to share our message around the community, nation, and world more effectively through our media. At times, in the last 30 years, the church has used a small technology fund where we invested in new technology and upgraded as needed. Well, if anything, the technological need is greater than before.

You can probably see yourself in some areas of need on our campuses, as well as opportunities to serve in our community.

I’m thankful and needful, and I’m hopeful, and I praise God for you. To God be the glory.

In Him,

Rhys