From the Kitchen Table

Toward the close of the year I wrote a letter for our congregation after spending some time thinking about all that had happened over the past year. I felt like it was worth sharing with the rest of you all on Facebook, so here it is:

I have been reflecting on all that has happened at The Grove since this time last year. The faithfulness of God and His people in our church has blown me away! Let's be honest, if you are anything like me, it is easier for you to see all the things that you want to do, or that still need to be finished, rather than all that has been accomplished. This is one of the reasons God called the people of Israel to build monuments in the Old Testament, to serve as physical reminders of how God came through in significant ways. Even with those reminders, they would still forget all God had done, and they didn't even have all of the distractions we do! So let me remind you to celebrate what God has been doing here at The Grove this past year.

2017 was marked by multiple changes to our property that have allowed us to use our space more effectively for regular ministry. Many of the physical changes act as reminders of how God has been working here at The Grove. Because of our growth in attendance, we added an additional 60 seats for our worship gatherings by opening the balcony. The downstairs kitchen and restrooms have been completely remodeled and are more inviting and usable than ever. Our children’s ministry area has been reshaped, allowing for a more engaging space for the growing number of Grove Kids. Your spirit and work has helped create a space that is more conducive for building deeper relationships. Additionally, our facility is becoming a place used for more than just Sunday worship. Each change in our facility makes it easier for the church to gather for small group meetings, activities, meals, and celebrations. We have even been able to regularly host multiple groups from outside of The Grove. We celebrate the way in which we are able to use our physical space in more ways than ever this year!

We, as a pastoral team, have sat with many of you over the past year and have heard how you are identifying the faithfulness of God in unique ways, even in dark times. We have listened as you have described your desire for greater intimacy with God and how you are pursuing Jesus in your daily life. One of the greatest joys in pastoral ministry is to not only hear people say they want to follow Jesus, but to actually see them taking steps to follow Jesus in new ways. We celebrate the life change that occurs when pursuing Jesus becomes the primary effort of your lives!

One of the other signs of the spiritual growth we have seen is how your faith is being tangibly expressed in The Grove family and beyond. We have loved hearing how many of you are looking for ways to reach out to your family, your neighbors, and your coworkers. Many of you are taking the steps to allow your faith to not only be a personal experience, but to put your love into action because you believe God has called you to share the good news of Jesus with others. We have watched in awe as so many of you stepped forward to participate in reaching our community through the spring Block Party, summer VBS, and fall Food Packaging event. From the start of The Grove, we believed God called us to be a church with a vision for more than just Sundays. We set out to be a church that helped people experience a deepening relationship with Jesus wherever they were individually, and that seems to be what God is doing here at The Grove. We celebrate how many of you pursue Jesus by living a life on mission every day!

It has been a joy to see the increasing numbers of ministry partners here at The Grove and the increased financial giving. We have also seen growing numbers of children and students, which is fantastic! With that growth, we have seen people willing to serve by providing a safe context to help kids grow in their understanding of God. We have seen more ministry partners step up and help others connect here at The Grove, as well as serving in other organizations in our community. We celebrate how more and more of you are actively participating in the life and movement of The Grove Church as you are pursuing a life centered around Jesus!

Together, let us celebrate that God is at work in the lives of people in our community! We look forward to growing in our faith alongside of you and thanks for being a part of The Grove Church family!