Happy New Year!

Does life ever come at you in such a way that you feel like you need to stop for a moment to just catch your breath? I feel that way from time to time, though honestly, opportunities for breath-catching can be all too elusive. So instead of having interludes of tranquility, we leap from activity to activity on the adrenaline rush of the latest challenge, or perhaps from fear that we will drop off the pace if our legs cease their incessant churning.

Truthfully, I like the rush of the latest challenge and the anticipation of the next opportunity. Each one affords us the chance for progress and growth. Each one can leave us ahead of where we began. In the year now past, there were many such opportunities. Some of those presented themselves to us as individuals and others as a church. By God’s grace, we sought to make the most of them.

As the year unfolded, we pursued priorities targeted at fulfilling our desire to reach out with the gospel close to home and around the world. We also focused on growing people in their faith and great progress was made among children, youth and adults through Sunday school, small groups, ABF's and more. Then, this past fall, we turned our attention to going deeper as a congregation as hundreds and hundreds of people chose to go All In with the mission of God in their lives and in our fellowship. It was a remarkable time to be a part of Pathway Church and I felt privileged to have a vantage point from which to see lives being transformed. You greatly encouraged me through that time.

I am confident that 2016 will hold equally transformational experiences. They will include cross-cultural mission trips in the beginning of the year, adventures for children and youth in the middle of the year, outreach impact at the end of the year and much, much, much more in-between. I look forward to seeing how the Lord will lead us all along the way. We are committed to finding and following that leading, and our elders are praying together weekly to hear His voice for our church body.

Of course, one of the keys to hearing from God is finding interludes of tranquility to zero in on His sometimes “still small voice.” As this New Year begins, I’m doing just that and invite you to join me. Where is it He wants you to go and what is it He wants you to do? Is it more of the same? I don’t think so. Even following an All In sort of year where our fellowship took leaps forward, there is always room for more growth and progress in the faith. If we’re going to experience it, we’re going to have to start by getting quiet in God’s presence. That’s when we’ll hear Him loud and clear.

A Spirit of Generosity at Pathway

December has arrived! You can tell that’s true around Pathway as the lobby has been filling up with food to feed the hungry, shoeboxes to provide gifts for needy children around the world, and angel ornaments that will soon turn into Christmas presents to bless children whose parents are incarcerated. I love the spirit of giving and generosity that permeates the ministry of our church.

Of course, the spirit of generosity and sacrifice also has been marvelously on display around Pathway Church through the All In initiative. This project, seeking to reach children and adults within our congregation, around our community and throughout the world, has received broad support from the church. The congregation has been open-handed with their resources, committing a total approaching our goal of $2.9 million. I am so thankful for the people of Pathway and their selfless response to the project. As we’ve pointed out before, the job in front of us is not just an opportunity, it is a problem, which if left unaddressed, will seriously threaten to stagnate our future ministry — first among children and then the broader family.  But you have proved your resolve to get this done through your gifts and pledges. 

Though we are nearing our target, we are still in need of some additional people who will step up to get us the rest of the way there. If you have yet to make a financial commitment, or if you sense the Lord prompting you to do something additional to help us close the gap, please do so as soon as possible. You can do so by filling out a commitment card and turning it in to the church office or through the offering, or you can give a gift online and designate it to All In. If you have any questions, please contact the church at 724.843.6381.

Beyond the financial sacrifices being made through All In, what has been at least as exciting are the spiritual sacrifices. Many people are testifying to the Lord working in their hearts in a new way, which is leading them to steps of bold faith. Those decisions are going to impact Pathway long after the more tangible components of this project are accomplished. And those decisions make it clear that God’s Spirit is at work among us, changing lives!

Thank you, Pathway, for being serious about following after the call of Jesus. It’s a privilege to be your pastor!

All in with You!

Pastor Jeff

A Season of Thanksgiving

November is a month set aside for giving thanks, and I want to begin with a word of gratitude for you and the Pathway Church family. There are many things for which I am thankful, including your faith in Jesus, your love for others and your partnership in the gospel. As I consider the progress of the ministry at Pathway, I am mindful of the dedication of hundreds and hundreds of people who make it happen. Thank you for what you do!

I am also deeply grateful for your prayerful participation with All In. I have been so encouraged to hear from several who have indicated they have taken up the challenge to go All In with their lives in ways that go deeper than they have ever engaged in the past. I can tell you those are words that make a pastor’s heart leap for joy. Others have let me know they are wrestling with God about what He is calling them to do financially for the All In initiative. These decisions can be difficult as the Lord stretches us beyond our comfort zone into realms of sacrifice. I thank you for taking your faith seriously enough to do this soul-searching. I also thank you for taking your commitment to Pathway seriously enough to engage on this level.

The components of the All In project are advancing nicely. We are right on track to accomplish each phase including the new children’s wing, renovation of the existing building, advancement of the global partnership in Orkarkar, Kenya, and the Give Joy to the World clean water project. Please continue to pray about how the Lord would lead you to participate financially to accomplish all of these priorities.

Details of the project are in the All In booklet at the church or on our website, lifeatpathway.com. One highlight you’ll want to be sure to check out is our virtual walk-through of the new and renovated portions of the building. You can find it at lifeatpathway.com/allin.

It is true that Thanksgiving comes later this month, but you can be certain I’m giving thanks for you right now!

Going All In!

40th Anniversary of Pathway Church

October is going to be an awesome month at Pathway! 

40th Anniversary Celebration. We are going to hit the ground running with a great celebration of our 40th anniversary as a church the weekend of October 3-4. This is an incredible milestone and we will be reflecting on where we began and where the Lord has brought us over the years. Of course, the blessing we have experienced isn’t just so we can sit back and revel in it; we seek to use it as a springboard to launch us further into what God has for us in the future. 

But first, we pause to reflect. I am so deeply grateful for those who started our church on Easter Sunday, 1975. It was a collection of people who were a part of two separate Bible studies, one led by Robb and Ruth Brandt, the other by Del and Inez Forsberg. They felt the call of the Lord to unite and launch “The Evangelical Free Church of Beaver County.” The early years required great faith and commitment on the part of those pioneers. Since that time, the Lord has continued to bring just the right people at the right time to advance His work in our community and beyond. I hope you’re able to join us for one of the weekend services on October 3-4 as we consider it all. 

All In Initiative. We are at a critical moment in the life of Pathway Church. The future is going to be shaped in large part based on what we do today. There are significant needs that exist in our fellowship and places beyond that we must address. They range from overcrowding in our children’s ministry to under-provision of essentials such as clean water around the world. At Pathway, we intend to address these problems for the sake of the gospel and the people made in God’s image. 

That’s where All In comes in. All In is a ministry expansion project with several facets. The components include:
•    A new children’s building to serve birth through grade 5
•    Renovation of our existing facility including youth, adult, café, lobby, and administration
•    Give Joy to the World clean water project
•    Kenya community development
•    Personal spiritual growth
    
You’ll be hearing much more about each aspect of the project in the weeks to come. All In began as a prayer among the leaders five years ago, asking the Lord to direct us regarding needs that had surfaced within the ministry. We have continued to seek the Lord’s guidance at every turn along the way right up to the present moment. In fact, we’re kicking off 40 Days of Prayer on October 5 and we’d urge you to take part. It is through prayer that we’re going to find the leading and blessing of God, as individuals and as a church body. So please pray!

As you can see, it is indeed going to be an awesome October — and I haven’t even mentioned the Fall Festival or the Bucs! I’m looking forward to experiencing it all with you! 

All In

This fall is going to be one of the most important ever in the life of Pathway Church.  We are at a vital juncture when it comes to where we are going and what our future is going to be.  Throughout the next few months, we are going to be focusing on an initiative we are calling All In.  This initiative is multifaceted and will impact everyone who calls Pathway their church home, but also go beyond that to touch the lives of our community and world in great ways.  Our desire in it all is that we would reach, love and serve all those with whom God gives us opportunity. 

The origin of All In was a time of prayer and evaluation on the part of the elders about five years ago.  That time eventually gave way to the establishment of a study team that reported a significant need for improvement in our facilities to enable the best possible ministry.  That team gave way to another that was tasked with creating a plan to address those needs.  Their work ultimately included engaging a professional builder to examine feasibility and options.  Following a year’s work, continued prayer and evaluation, the congregation voted in March of 2015 to move ahead with plans.  Since that time, our building team has been advancing those plans. 

The project has many features.  One component is the addition of a new children’s building to better serve the ever-increasing number of children and families calling Pathway their church home.  Another is the remodeling of portions of the existing facility with improvements for the youth department, adult classrooms, café, administration and more.  Also prioritized in the plan is our commitment to addressing the concerns of the hurting and needy around the world.  Our deepest desire through this effort is that lives will be impacted with the love of Jesus and that the faith of the people of Pathway and beyond would grow deep and strong.  We are confident that will happen as we go All In to reach, to love and to serve. 

It seems very fitting that this initiative coincides with our 40th anniversary as a church.  Throughout our history, the faith and vision of the congregation has been demonstrated again and again as ministry was advanced and expansions were undertaken.  Including the original building, there have been four such expansions.  Now it is our turn to take Pathway the next step forward.  I’m looking forward to a very special weekend (Oct. 2-4) that is planned to celebrate that history and the foundation it has built for what is yet ahead. 

I urge you to join me in prayer for the opportunities that are in front of us.  As we unite our hearts together before the Lord, we will know His mind and experience His blessing.

In Motion

As August is upon us, it is hard not to think about summer winding down and school winding up. Is it really that time?  With the late arrival of summer-like weather this year, it seems it’s more like June than August.  But, August it is, which means that vacations are wrapping up, fall ministries are gearing up and volunteers are stepping up. How are you going to engage in ministry this fall? How about contacting a ministry leader about your plans this week?  

Regardless of the speed at which the summer has passed by for you, there have been some defining moments along the way. Some of those have come at Pathway through things like baptisms, mission trips and 5-day clubs. Others have taken place in our nation through things like the Supreme Court decision that legalized same-sex marriage in all 50 states. I shared some thoughts regarding that ruling with the Pathway congregation a day or two after it was handed down and I’ve had several ask if I could share those thoughts again. I don’t have the exact transcript of what was shared, but here are some abbreviated thoughts that were on my mind at that time and continue to be. 

The decision of the court wasn’t a huge surprise given the direction things have been going on this topic in recent years.  However, that doesn’t soften the disappointment I feel as it flies in the face of the Biblical definition of marriage spelled out by God in Genesis 1 – that marriage is a life-long union between one man and one woman.  Of course, the decision does not change, in any way, the Biblical definition of marriage. What it does mean is that the Biblical definition, Pathway’s definition, is no longer supported by the law of our nation. That might tempt us to respond in despair on the inside or bitter anger on the outside. While those would be understandable feelings on one level, I don’t believe they are fitting for this moment, do not provide a beneficial way forward, and do not demonstrate the redemptive power of the gospel.

To base our degree of peace and satisfaction on the ruling of the court is empty at best anyway, because the court and its decisions are not the hope of the world…Jesus is. If you’re concerned about the direction our nation is headed, and I sincerely hope you are, then our first priority is to be beacons of the light and hope that is found in Him. It is to reflect the love of Jesus to those who agree with the Genesis 1 point of view and especially to those who don’t. Jesus extended His love to them and we must too. That is the message that has power and will land with force as we engage this issue and others in the days to come, because more than a legal issue, this is a heart issue. We can work to see this law overturned, and seeing our nation’s laws in harmony with God’s will is desirable and well worth the effort, but even such a reversal will not transform man’s heart. It is only as man’s heart changes that real, substantive changes are going to happen to culture. 

If ever there was a time to live out your Biblical conviction on marriage, this is it. There will be no more powerful influence now and down the road than beautiful, Biblical marriages thriving for our children, grandchildren, neighbors, and the world to see. In all we say and do, as we stand for the truth of the Scriptures, and I hope you will, we must speak the truth boldly and in love. While we don’t know all the implications of this decision that are ahead, I encourage you to walk forward in faith and hope, not despair, knowing that God is in control and will ultimately use this to glorify His name. May all that we say and do, and the spirit in which we do it, glorify His name as well.

Pastor Jeff

Celebrating Transitions

July brings a couple highlights to the ministry around Pathway Church. For many years it has featured our outdoor baptism at Darlington Lake. It has been a great privilege to baptize hundreds of people at the lake.  I’m looking forward to this special opportunity on July 19 to witness several people proclaim their faith in Jesus Christ through testimony and going through the waters of baptism.

If you are a believer in Jesus Christ and have never taken the step of proclaiming your faith through believers’ baptism, I encourage you to explore this opportunity. In advance of the July 19 baptism, there will be a class offered for preparation. The class will be offered on Saturday, July 11 at 9 am. You can indicate your interest by contacting Esther Groth at egroth@lifeatpathway.com or 724.843.6381. 

July also marks the transition to a new fiscal year at Pathway. While this transition happens seamlessly when it comes to the ministry of the church, there are a couple significant changes. One of those is that we launch a new budget year. I’m so thankful for all of you who support the work of the ministry at Pathway. It is through your generosity that we are able to offer ministry priorities such as SonZone Day Camp which recently completed two awesome weeks with preschool and elementary aged children learning skills and deepening their relationship with the Lord. Your giving is also enabling scores of students to go on mission trips this month to Mexico and Canada. These are life-changing experiences that wouldn’t be possible without you. 

Another change that comes with the new ministry year is the welcoming of some new elders to active leadership. This year the board will welcome Morris Book, Bobby Martin and Brian Yowler. Each of them will be a great asset to the board and church overall. I’m looking forward to serving with them very much.

Also happening this month is the ongoing development of the expansion plans that will increase our ability to minister to children through a new children’s wing, and enhance other ministry areas through upgrades to existing facilities. Even though much of the work being done right now is behind the scenes, I urge you to be in prayer for this entire process. We have experienced the Lord’s leading to this point and seek His wisdom and continued blessing on each and every future step. Please join us in calling out to Him. 

May the Lord bless your July!

Summer is Here!

With the arrival of this newsletter in your inbox, summer is upon us. It may not yet be official according to the calendar, but June 1 is definitely the unofficial start. You can tell because your school-aged kids are soon to be spending all day at home looking for hourly snacks. In a week they will announce that they’re bored. That’s your cue to tell them that when you were their age, you had to work all summer long…in 100-degree weather…for 12-hour days.

Along with the constant presence of your kids, June also brings Father’s Day. I am very grateful for the fathers of Pathway. By and large I see a group of men who are making a serious effort to grow in their parenting skill and learn how to be better dads. It is a challenging task to be sure, but one with an amazing payoff. To all our dads I encourage you to press on toward being a great father remembering there is grace along the way for times when we fall short.

You may also be interested in a quick update on the progress of the building expansion. Following the strong vote of the congregation, the team went back to work with the architect and construction company to do additional fine tuning on the details of the new children’s wing and remodeled space within the existing structure. It is coming along well. We have also been spending a considerable amount of time in developing a plan for raising the funds necessary to proceed with the project. That too is on track. My thanks goes to our excellent team of leaders who are moving things ahead. PLEASE be in prayer for the process and those engaged in the details.

While there are changes happening at our local church, there are changes taking place on the national level of our denominational association as well. The president of our national association is retiring effective the end of this month. A new president has been nominated and will be voted on at the national meetings of the denomination later in June. I will be at those meetings representing Pathway and participating in that selection. You can be in prayer as a new president of the Evangelical Free Church of America is chosen.

I hope your summer gets off to a great start this month and that you find time to enjoy it with family and friends. As you do so, consider how you can best make an investment in the lives of others and be intentional with your interactions.

Many blessings!

Pastor Jeff

Looking Back with Gratitude

In April and May of this year, we have been focusing on developing better families at Pathway, regardless of size. This sermon series addresses key relationships that exist in the home and considers tools to help us move those forward. One of those key relationships is with moms.  Mothers have an incredible influence in homes and Mother’s Day gives us a special opportunity to celebrate. I encourage you to do something out of the ordinary for your mother to let her know what she means to you. 

However, before we get to Mother’s Day, there is another very special day. It is the Day of Prayer, held this year on Thursday, May 7. The theme is Lord, Hear Our Cry emphasizing the need for us all to place our faith in the unfailing character of God, who is sovereign over all governments, authorities and men. The focus verse is 1 Kings 8:28, “Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence this day.”  Please set aside time that day to pray for our nation and that the witness of believers would have a shaping influence.

As I think about praying for our nation, many of those prayers are of gratitude for the blessings and opportunities it has provided for me, my family and our church. One of those many blessings is the freedom that has been secured through the sacrifice of others. Pray with me for the families who have lost loved ones who have given their lives serving and dying for the liberty we so enjoy. Then, take that feeling of gratitude and express it to one such family or share in one of the Memorial Day events that are taking place in our region.

Another opportunity to look back with gratitude is through our own Annual Celebration and Business Meeting. It will be a time to reflect on some of the things that have transpired over the past year and look forward to what is ahead as well. This will additionally serve as our occasion for setting our next year’s spending plan in place and selecting elders and officers for the year to come. Members are encouraged to attend this important gathering on Sunday, May 31 at 4 pm on the Chippewa Campus. 

As you enjoy the warmer days of May and your thoughts turn to spending more and more time outside, consider gathering your neighborhood together for a block party to get better acquainted. Pathway can help! More details to follow.

Many blessings!

He is risen!

“He is risen! He is risen, indeed!”

Those words are a familiar Easter greeting heard in churches all over the world on Easter Sunday. Typically the pastor says the first, “He is risen,” and the congregation responds with the latter, “He is risen, indeed!” This Easter declaration is inspired by the words recorded for us in Luke 24:34, which says, “The Lord has risen indeed and has appeared to Simon” (ESV). It is not unusual to hear this greeting uttered even in private conversations around Pathway on Easter weekend.  However, the traditional Easter greeting doesn’t stop there. The original custom, which continues in many places, was to follow the verbal greeting with three kisses on alternating cheeks. That’s one part of this particular custom I could do without! However, the fact that our Savior’s risen is worth declaring in our conversations this Easter season and throughout the year.

We’re going to be celebrating Jesus’ resurrection in our Easter services at the Chippewa and Moon Campuses. I am greatly looking forward to this time of exalting Christ for His gracious work on our behalf. We have given the theme of “The Grace that Overcomes” to our Easter worship gatherings. The culmination will be on Easter Saturday and Sunday as we consider what Jesus’ victory means to us as we seek to overcome the circumstances of life that threaten to defeat us.  Please come and bring someone with you who would benefit to hear such a message of hope. The music in all of our venues is also sure to inspire us to rejoice in our risen Lord.

Easter weekend would not be complete for us at Pathway, however, without a service dedicated to reflection on all Jesus endured on the cross. Good Friday is that service. We’ll be thinking about God’s grace, singing songs about all Jesus offered us through the crucifixion and taking communion together, remembering all Jesus suffered on our behalf. 

I also want to take this opportunity to say a word of thanks to our building expansion team. They worked hard to bring us to a point where we could vote as a congregation on the concept of constructing a new children’s wing and remodeling much of our present facility to improve our ability to minister to children, youth and adults.  The congregation voted to proceed with the project on Sunday, March 29. I urge you to be in prayer as we move ahead in the process. The short-term next steps include developing construction documents and preparing to raise funds for the expansion/remodeling. 

I trust you have a blessed Easter! And remember, if anyone greets you with the words, “He is risen,” respond with a rousing, “He is risen indeed!”…but no kisses!

Welcome to March!

Having recently returned from Africa with our team of 23 people, my mind is still captivated with reflections on the trip and my heart is still filled with love for the people of the village of Orkarkar where our team ministered just a couple weeks ago. It was an amazing experience and testament of what can happen when a church unites around the goal of reaching out with the love of Jesus. Thank you for your partnership in the work, whether your involvement was through praying, or giving, or going.

As this month gets underway, it is also a great pleasure to welcome Dustin and Christy Thompson, together with their family, to Pathway Church. Dustin comes to serve as our Pastor of Student Ministries. We look forward to what the Lord will do through his ministry in the days ahead. I am also deeply grateful to the many people who have stepped up in the interim period while we were without a youth pastor to keep the student ministries going strong. We have a lot of very dedicated and highly talented leaders who served faithfully all along the way.

Another highlight coming later in March is the celebration of the 2nd anniversary of the Moon Campus. This was the fulfillment of a vision the Lord had placed on our hearts and we have seen the campus make a dynamic impact in the Moon region. Pastor Chad Agnew has served as the host pastor since the launch of the campus in 2013. His leadership, together with that of other staff and many volunteers have made the campus a fun and exciting place to worship and serve. If you have never worshiped at the Moon Campus, check it out and see what the excitement is all about.

This March is also vital in the life of our fellowship as it will be later this month that the congregation will be considering a proposal to add a children’s wing and remodel other portions of the existing building at the Chippewa Campus. The leadership has been praying and studying this issue since 2011 and have recently finalized plans that will help us address the significant space challenges we are facing. The congregation will vote on those plans at a special business meeting to be held on March 29th. Additional detail and explanation will be available at forums being offered on Wednesday, March 18th at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday, March 21st at 5:00 p.m. Please come to learn more about what is being proposed. Please also be praying that the Lord would continue to reveal His mind for our fellowship.

As you can see, March is going to be an exciting month…and on top of all that, we have a brand new sermon series called Neighbors. Consider inviting yours to join us!

Many Blessings!

Pastor Jeff

Pathway Goes to Kenya

February 2015 has been highlighted on my calendar for many months. Can you guess why? To give you a hint, it’s not because February contains Super Bowl XLIX (2/1) in which the Steelers aren’t playing, or that there’s “Play Your Ukulele Day” (2/2). It’s not even because February is the calendar home to “Girl Scout Cookie Day” (2/6) or “Eat Ice Cream for Breakfast Day” (2/7), as worthy a reason as those are. The real reason for my anticipation and excitement about the days upon us is that this is the month Pathway is sending our first mission team to the Maasai village of Orkarkar in Kenya. 

Twenty-three people have been diligently making preparations to travel to Kenya as Pathway’s ambassadors to reach out with the love of Jesus Christ. They will depart on February 7 and be engaged in a multi-faceted project including Bible/gospel studies for Maasai men and women and a VBS-styled ministry to children. Additionally, the team will operate a medical clinic to meet physical needs and an optical ministry to fit the villagers with much-needed glasses to help them see clearly, perhaps for the first time in many years. Finally, the project will also include the construction of a large building that will house two classrooms and a church, together with another smaller structure that will serve as home to the new pastor who will shortly begin ministry in the village. 

Pathway’s larger strategy in Orkarkar is to take additional teams to develop a community/gospel partnership. The partnership will focus on bringing the villagers to Christ, supporting the development of the church, providing a school and clinic. We anticipate there will be a number of opportunities for you to share in the partnership by traveling as a part of a future team as well. 

Actually, many at Pathway are already sharing in the partnership in Orkarkar through gifts to the recent Give Joy to the World initiative. A portion of those funds have gone to establishing the work in Orkarkar by providing a desperately needed water well and other projects related to meeting the needs of the people of Orkarkar. 

Regarding Give Joy to the World, it was a great pleasure to report in a recent sermon on the generosity of the people of Pathway. Your giving resulted in a grand total of more than $131,000. That is phenomenal and I thank you for the kindness you have shown to men, women and children in need around the world by providing them with water for their thirst and living water for their souls. It is a joy to serve a congregation so tenderhearted toward the needs of others! 

I trust you have a wonderful February…and not just because it contains “National Bacon Day” (2/26)! 

Many Blessings!

Pastor Jeff

Happy New Year!

As 2015 dawns, I have great anticipation about what the year will hold on a personal level (will we move to Wampum?) and also on a ministry level (will I be back in the kids’ ministry dunk tank again?). There are some things we just don’t know yet. So, we enter this year prayerfully, seeking the Lord’s will for all we do. 

While there are things we don’t know for sure, there are other areas where the Lord has already directed and we are moving forward. Let me tell you about a few of them that are happening in the next month or so. For one thing, we are looking forward to a new pastor joining our staff this month! The congregation voted to extend a call to Gabe deGarmeaux to be our Pastor of Outreach. Gabe begins work at Pathway on January 3 and comes with his wife Monica and their children Lilliana and Rocco. That isn’t the only position we have to fill, and we look forward to telling you more about one of our other openings very soon!  

Also on the horizon is the possibility of adding some greatly needed space to our facility. For the last couple years we have had two different teams operating to examine the facility needs at Pathway and consider how to address those needs. The first of those teams conducted an internal census, site observation, survey of scores of Pathway leaders and many interviews, and the need that rose to the very top was additional children’s space. This was no surprise as the need was already very evident week-by-week as we have shuffled rooms and adjusted the program to make our existing space workable. Several needs emerged through the study in other areas as well.  

After praying through the report of the first team, the elders commissioned the second team to engage a company to consider the feasibility of building together with some basic designs. That second team has now reported their findings to the elders who have been praying about how to proceed. An important decision for the elders is coming up in mid-January and they would like to invite you to pray with them, and for them, as they seek the Lord’s leading. Their decision is simply about whether or not to take the plans any further. If they decide to move forward, the next step would be to present the findings to the congregation and make a recommendation. The congregation would then vote on whether or not to continue the process to the next step. I am very grateful to the elders and the teams that have been operating on our behalf to do the months and months of required legwork on behalf of the church. So again, please be in prayer for the elders as they seek the Lord’s will in this important decision. 

And while you’re praying, please also lift up the leadership retreats of the Pathway ministry staff and elders. Both groups will be meeting for times of prayer and planning before the month is over. Historically, these have been very meaningful gatherings the Lord has used to direct our paths. We are confident He will do the same again this year, especially as you join us in seeking His direction. 

January is going to be a full month at Pathway that will set the course for the rest of 2015 and beyond. I challenge you to use January to set a positive course for your 2015 as well. Join a small group. Get involved in doing ministry. Together we can make this a year we will never forget as we pursue God and His will with one another. 

Many Blessings,

Pastor Jeff