Groundbreaking News

There's some groundbreaking good news to share with you!

Would you like to get a snapshot what God is doing? (Please read to the end.)

First, as an answer to prayers that started about twelve years ago, Sunday after the 10:30 morning service, we are going to break ground for a new building on campus! (Hotdogs and hamburgers will be available, and several friends who serve our community in public office are planning to come.)

What is the building? The new building will be a family life and education building, and the first phase will include a gymnasium, lockerrooms, and a few classrooms.

Why now? Nearly three years ago, our Academy had 100 students enrolled for the upcoming year. God had expanded our vision and led us to make some changes, and He started bringing more students our way. We were not concerned too much about growing early on because we had the space. And then God kept bringing more families to look into private Christian education via our Academy and Childcare Center. At the Academy specifically, we have more than doubled to 236 students.

Pastor Ben Blackburn ("Mr. Blackburn" to many), staff and faculty have been doing a fantastic job leading and pivoting to make changes where needed, so we can effectively minister to more young people and their families.It's an unbelievable opportunity to have a hand in making a difference in our community by educating students according to God's truth!

It's also a challenging opportunity. Knowing we are edging close to waiting lists for full classrooms, we are seeking additional space to make a difference in more lives. We are grateful that several sponsors have given toward making this new space a reality for hundreds of kids--kids from our local neighborhoods God will use to fill our shoes one day.

Please pray with us because to make a difference into the future there is a need for more investors, so we can complete phase one and move on to phases two and three that will add additional spaces for educating, cooking and dining, experimenting, investigating, creating, playing, and administrating (and hopefully jogging/running on an indoor track, too).

Overall, the new building sets in motion an expanded "coast" of Gospel opportunities (see 1 Chronicles 4:10) we are praying about in future plans.

This brings me to a second groundbreaking piece of news that makes the first one so worth it all!

Sunday at 10:30am, we will examine a life-changing truth that has the ability to move us from being debtors to God due to our sin to being set free from our sin. When Jesus was dying on the cross, one of the things He said was, "It is finished." What Jesus was saying was finished was the complete payment He made for our sin.

I have a hard time fathoming with my shallow, finite mind the weight Christ bore by taking on Himself the hellish eternity I deserve, let alone the weight of the world's!

Sunday will be a great time to reevaluate this important truth sealed by the cross, suffering, and blood of Christ.

Sunday's service will also set the stage for us to hear the last words of Jesus on the cross and to hear the first words of Jesus after He died on the cross when we worship together, respectively, on Good Friday, 4/15, at 7pm and on Easter Sunday, 4/17, at 10:30am.I hope you are making plans to come!

Thank you for reading. I am excited about these groundbreaking events and hope to see you Sunday!

In Christ,
Pastor Dennis Schaffer

Upcoming Calendar:

• 4/10: 9:30am, Sunday school (all ages) | Groundbreaking for the Family Life Building/Gymnasium following the Sunday morning 10:30 Worship Service
  
• 4/13: No midweek service (plan to come Friday and on Easter Sunday)
  
• 4/15: 7pm, Good Friday Service
  
• 4/17: 9:30am, Sunday school (all ages) | 10:30am, Easter Service (egg race for children following the service, weather permitting)
  
• 4/19: 10am or 7pm, 4-week Ladies' Bible studies continue
  
• 4/20: 7pm, Midweek Bible studies and services for all ages

Would you like to know how you can know God? Is an eternity of time worth minutes to learn how?