GCM 2012 Annual Ministry Report

We have lots of exciting things to share in this year's Annual Ministry Report. Current financial supporters will be receiving a copy in the mail very soon. For now, here is a great interactive version online.

Seniors Dinner 2013

We catered in some Buckingham's BBQ for our annual Seniors Dinner last night. Each year we celebrate one final meal with our seniors.

This year, we are graduating 35 seniors between now and December.

When I was released back to field staff from full time support raising back in the Fall of 2009, you may have guessed it, these kids were all freshmen. It's the first class I've seen from start to finish, and Aimee and I have had our share of emotional goodbyes. Between talks on long drives, auditioning and worshiping with those on the music team, serving with in my own small group or just getting some time here and there, I've gotten to know several of these students. We are going to miss them but we were glad to be a part of this final send-off for them all.

John's tradition of reading "Oh the Places You'll Go" Indeed. 

Our prayer of course is that they go make disciples of all nations. Please join me in praying that God carries our seniors along through their next journey in life.

End-of-the-Year Barbecue

 The boys calling their mothers. 

It's tough saying goodbye to our students, whether it's the seniors who are moving to different cities for good or the rest, who are just going away for three months. It's tough after spending so much of the past nine months with them! We waited until after our last service of the semester to say goodbye. I just bought a new grill and what better way to break it in than grilling for 25 hungry students?

"Bring a side or dessert!" We are swimming in left-over chips now.

Honey's best friend, Erica.

Our awesome group of leaders.

Passing the torch. Our new upcoming core leaders.

Spring Baptisms 2013

 Thursday night, we celebrated two of the church's ordinances : communion and baptisms. Our Communion service was great - we had a student share about trusting the Lord through his leading her to be the final member of our church plant team, we worshiped the Lord through song and took Communion for the last time this semester as a church. The highlight of the evening, though, was afterward, when 100 or so of our students ventured over to our pastor's driveway for baptisms.

We had 13 baptisms that night.

I got to be a part of four of them, including my sister's!

The staff call these our true pay days. With the six we had at our Fall Retreat, that brings us to 19 baptisms for the year. When we get to see new life and these public declarations of faith, we truly get to see some fruit of our labor. It's exhilarating, uplifting and helps you to know that God is here.

Join us in praying for these new believers and for some old friends who have decided to be faithful to what God has called them to. Pray that we as a church build them up and train them to be disciple makers as well.

Last Equipper Dinner

Last weekend we had our final meeting with the student leaders in our small group. We were brought to tears with laughter, reminisced and enjoyed one another's company one last time before the team changes for next year. We're sending two of our seniors (the guys in the back) off to Austin, TX and Springfield, MO and we're bringing up four younger students to help lead the team next year. Aimee and I are transitioning into coaching the group as Joe in Erica (in front) will be the new leaders.

It's been such a joy for Aimee and I to lead with these guys and girls. They have all grown a ton in their faith and are learning to be disciple-makers themselves. We've had a trying couple of year together but through all that, we've grown closer than any other student leadership team I've seen. So proud of these students!

Rock Appreciation Dinner 2013

Each Spring we take a night to celebrate our student leaders. This year we honored our 36 students who provide leadership in our Canvas Groups and our Worship Services with a "High School Awards Assembly" themed Rock Appreciation Dinner. Each group of students came dressed as a high school click. Aimee and my group came as the Jocks.

We had a ton of fun serving and honoring them. Each student was given an award and trophy as well being treated to The Rome, a fantastic Italian place in town.

Here are some shots from the night taken by fellow staffer, Mazvita Lewton. Check out more here.

First, a link to our staff's Harlem Shake Thank You Video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tleCPGNlII

Aimee dressed as a basketball player and me as Vice Principal

My Canvas Group and their epic entrance.

Getting photo bombed by Andrew and Matt

The students watching our Thank You video.

Andrew and I hosting. We had a ton of fun!

Honduras Spring Break Trip Video

One of our students very beautifully documented our team's trip to Choluteca, Honduras over Spring Break. Take four minutes out of your day to watch something beautiful.

Canvas Group Seniors 2013

Last night, we had our last Canvas Group meeting of the year. We spent the time reflecting on how the early church encouraged one another and then spent some time writing letters to one another, imitating what we saw. Finally, at the end of the night, we prayed over the six seniors in our group.

This group is special to me because they were all freshmen the year I came back as a campus missionary with The Rock. I've spent a lot of hours with these young men and they have become pillars of our group. We will miss them all dearly.

Please pray for Travis, Matt, Tyler, Mallory, Josh and Sean as they graduate and begin their next journey.