November starts our stewardship campaign. It is time as a congregation that we take note of what God has given us and what we want to give toward in the future. I think this year is an incredibly important stewardship campaign because we just finished deciding our vision and our mission for the next 5 years. We are giving toward that mission and the vision that we have for the church.

Starting this quarter, we have refocused our Care-Share groups. We now have three Family Ministers, each headed by two of our church Elders. These family ministries will meet quarterly to create solid relationships and connections within each family. They will care for you and you will care for them, just as you care for your relatives now. You will support one another in good and bad times with cards, meals, and whatever else is needed. Our families will make sure that every member of Hurstbourne feels loved and supported.

Additionally, on January 1st, we will begin to examine how each one of our projects, events, and activities align with our new vision. Every event will be reimagined with our new vision and mission in mind. This will make every segment of our church aligned with our greater goals. We will continue to grow our Christian education program, expand our service to the community, and become a welcoming place for all.

This year, 2022, showed the resilience of our church. It was our first full year without a COVID-19 shutdown and it reminded us how good it feels to be back in church. It also shows us the possibilities of the future.

2023 will be a year of great and amazing changes to our church: changes as we continue to grow in membership and become a welcoming place for all God’s children changes as we continue to grow in discipleship, and changes as we seek new and unique ways to serve the community of which we are part.

So, as we start our stewardship campaign, let us remember what it is we are thankful for and what it is we are giving toward.