It's Been a Year!!

Yesterday marked the official 1 year anniversary of our church. Wow, what a year!

All of our classes on church planting talked about how church planting is one of the most amazing things you could do, but also the toughest. They were totally right. We have worked harder this year than I have ever worked in my life. (And that is saying a lot consider I am Greek and we have a very strong work ethic)

Last weekend we heard from 2 different people who have been part of our church, but relocated due to job/school. One is a single guy and he just called to check in with Chris and let us know how things were going for him. I appreciated the phone call so much and realized how much he really did connect with God and our community this past year.

The other was from a family that came to our church last summer, while we were still doing our informal services. At that point we didn't have childcare and we were meeting in a small hotel room as a group just to figure out how to do our public services and work out logistics. They came and for some reason stuck around. They moved a few weeks ago and before they left we had them over for dinner. They shared some rather profound ways that our church impacted their lives and marriage this past year and I was so encouraged. Sometimes you are just doing what you do and you have no idea what a difference it is making in someone else.

Now, we start a brand new year. We have an engaged couple who talked to us yesterday about pre-marital counseling. I was thinking about the privilege it is to walk with a couple in that season of life and help them build a strong foundation for their future marriage. We have new faces; we have our committed friends who relocated to a new state to help us start this church; we have people branching out this fall to lead classes and help with groups and worship.

Our church is vibrant and growing and is FUN. I can't wait to go to church on Sunday and see our little community gathered. I feel like a mom in some ways- I am proud of the people in my church, I love them, I want to see God do good things in their lives, I get concerned for them, and I carry them in my heart.

I am so thankful for this past year. It has been a great journey and I wouldn't have traded it for anything!