State of the church address

As executive pastor it is my responsibility to compose and present a state of the church address to the members and attenders of Willoughby Hills Friends Church. We keep attendees in the loop each month on the performance of the fellowship but its always good to have an end of the year summary. Permit me to highlight the bullet points from Sunday's presentation and share with you God's leading for my life.

First of all I am pleased to say that WHFC is in a good place as we enter the new year. Three years ago the church suffered a serious split that took 300 people away and several hundreds of thousands of dollars from the annual receipts. Due to the concerted effort of all who remained we have been able to stabilize in just three years and are seeing God do incredible things in our midst!

For the second year in a row since the split we have finished financially in the black. That means we spent less money than we received. In 2009 we not only showed black ink on the bottom line but actually surpassed our approved budget! In addition we significantly exceeded our mission budget last year in giving which really speaks to the heart and vision of the congregation.

In 2009 our attendance leveled out at 1100 and began showing signs of growth. In addition, our benevolent programs exploded with growth. We moved our buses out of the four bay garage and turned it into an outreach center for the community. Also, over this past month our leadership re-affirmed the vision, mission and objectives that were established three years ago and are actively using them as a template for future strategy, staffing and ministry.

These are great days for WHFC! She is spiritually, emotionally, financially and relationally healthy enough to embrace change. At this time our leaders are revisiting and re-visioning job descriptions in preparation for staff recalls and future hires and a search committee is in place to search out a new lead pastor.

Lisa and I sense God leading us into a different type of ministry at this time. We have served in this great church for 12 years but will not be extending our call beyond June. Rather we are moving to Haviland Kansas to assume a position on the President's cabinet of Barclay College and to assist in opening a new mission field for Evangelical Friends in Brazil. We will have more information to share about our involvement in Brazil over the next several months as plans take shape. As far as the position at Barclay College is concerned I will be assuming the position of Provost/Vice President of Academic Services in July.

These are exciting days for WHFC! God is up to something big here. Please pray for the Halverstadts as we transition from Ohio to Kansas over the next several months. Let us all pray from the next team of leaders God has on the hook for WHFC and for His anointing to be over her ministry. Together let's all embrace change for the glory of our Savior-Jesus Christ.

Thanks for stopping by!
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Adrian

Transformation

My friend Marie must have way to much free time on her hands because she constantly surfs the Net and sends out these cute little comics. I love them and I hope you get a chuckle too! This one reminds me of Christ's power to change people's lives.

You have probably heard the expression, "can a leper change its spots?" used in reference to people changing their ways. Well, when a relationship with Jesus Christ is factored into the
equasion the answer is "yes." Genuine change can occur in people's lives.

One of my favorite chapters from the Bible is Leviticus 14 describing the cleaning of the lepers. "And the priest shall go out to the leper camp (v. 3) ... and he shall sprinkle blood on them seven times and they shall be cleaned frpom leprosy" (v. 7). In the Old Testament leprosy is symbolic of sin. The effect of sin on human life is separation from God and the absence of abundant life. Jesus Christ came to earth, "to our camp," and sprinkled His own blood from the cross of Calvary, to reconnect us to God and the life He originally planned for us all.

Like the Old Testmant priest, our Great High Priest, Jesus the Christ, sprinkled us with His own blood seven times. He bled from His mind in the Garden (Luke 22:44), face (Isaiah 50:6), back (Isaiah 53:3; 2 Corinthians 11:23-24; 1 Peter 2:24), head (Matthew 27:29), hands, feet (Matthew 27:35) and side (John 19:34). Today total transformation of life is available to all who will embrace Christ by faith as the only One who can reconcile our lost relationship with our Creator and surrender control of self to Him through the infilling of the Holy Spirit.

What say you? Are you tomented emotionally? Looking for peace and lasting joy? Jesus bled from His mind so your emotions could be whole. Feel ugly and unacceptable to God and others because of your past? Christ's face became marred so your face could be beautiful in the sight of God and self.

Need a healing? Jesus received 39 lashes on His back for you could be healed. One stripe for every category of sickness and disease known to mankind. Will you extend your life and faith to Him today and believe Him for your healing?

Feel as if your life is cursed? Just cannot seem to get ahead in life? When they placed the crown of thorns upon His brow Christ bore your curse. Is there any reason why you should continue to live and feel such condemnation when Christ paid the ultimate price for you?

As you examine your life today do you only see the sum total of your failures? Have your hands and feet lead you astray? Got you in trouble? Jesus bled from His hands and feet on the cross so your's could serve God and others.

Do you want a new life? An exteme makeover that pays eternal dividends? Look to the blood and water that flowed from the side of Christ when the soldiers pierced His side with a spear. When the water breaks the baby is born. Accept the saving work of Jesus, be born anew, and let His power change your spots!

Thanks for stopping by,

Adrian