May 2013 Prayer Letter

Hey all,

I sent this out about a week ago or so but in case you haven't read it, here is my latest prayer letter. It was fun to write this recap of the year and to praise God for what he's done this year. Enjoy!

Chris

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.