So Very Proud

We've got some terrific teams of people at Hope Christian Fellowship, and I'm bursting with pride (the good kind) this week.

Our youth did an awesome job leading worship and sharing their hearts this morning. The music was absolutely incredible, and my heart soared. The skits were hilarious and thought-provoking, and the teens really pulled them off well. I especially enjoyed hearing the students' thoughts regarding Starve-a-thon and the opportunity to share Christ's love in such a practical way. And the place was packed this morning! What a terrific blessing!

I'm also so very grateful and proud of our Elders and Administrative Team. They've put in a lot of hours working on the 2008 budget and thinking through what God might accomplish in our midst in the coming year. Having had different bookkeepers and budgeting styles clash together throughout 2007, it's been a difficult task to really understand the implications in setting next year's budget, but they've pulled it off. They've also been meticulously sifting through a proposal for a complete rewrite of our Constitution and Bylaws that will cut away some of the needless red tape, define our structure better, and empower the church family to embrace whatever challenges God may have in store for us. These have been extremely time-consuming tasks, made even more difficult by the demands of the holiday season. But it's been such a wonderful honor to work alongside wise, dedicated leaders who really understand God's grace and passion.

There are so many other teams invsting time in different ways, from the people arriving extra early to set up the facility to the Hope Kids staff who help our children discover God's love, from Hope Group leaders to weekly greeters, from behind-the-scenes folks putting together special events or refreshments to the worship band (who put in an enormous amount of time each week). It's so exciting to see God's family all pitching in and using the abilities he's given us.

I just love the folks at Hope, and feel deeply honored and humbled and overflowing with joy to be the Pastor here.