2024 Week 52

Hello, Springers!

Last Saturday, we hosted our first-ever Christmas Market, which was a huge success! We invited vendors from the community in the hope that people who had never been to our building would come. That’s exactly what happened.

Additionally, the vendors appreciated the care and helpful attitude of our staff and volunteers. Several of them told us they would be interested in participating in an event like this at Valley Springs in the future. Love your neighbor as yourself. That is the ultimate success.

The Christmas Market illustrated our fourth-quarter theme of 2024: thriving. We thrive as Christ’s people when we step out in faith, depending on God for the results of our efforts. Our goal was an invitational event. While each team member worked like it depended on them, we prayed, knowing that results depended on God. Let’s make this prayerful dependence a core value of our church in 2025 and beyond.

Each quarter of this year has had its own theme. Quarter 1 was Survival. We worked hard to keep up with so many new things coming at the staff, officers, and myself. Quarter 2 was Transition, when Gina and I finally finished our time in Nebraska, sent our kids on their new adventures, and made our permanent move to Roseville. Quarter 3 became the New Normal, not just for Gina and me but for all of us together, as we adjusted our worship, discipleship, and community.

Now we are coming to the final two Sundays of the year and our celebration of Christmas. I sense God calling us to new heights as we close one year and begin the next. To all of you who have given toward our “New and Beyond Giving” campaign, thank you on behalf of myself and the other elders. We raised $142,000 of our $150,000 goal.

As we come to the final ten days of the year, we need $176,000 to make our original budget goal and give our missionaries a year-end gift. We’re so close. Every gift is needed, and every gift helps. Help us begin the new year stronger than ever as you give to the cause of Christ in our community.

Lastly, please make time in the new year to participate in Sunday School. We are shifting the time for all ages (nursery through adult) to 9:00am. This is the immediate next step in Christian growth beyond participating in corporate worship. Come make new friends and grow in your faith.

Our sermon series for the new year will be the book of Acts. We are going to travel with the early church and learn from them how to apply the gospel to our lives today.

There’s never been a better time than now to be an active and thriving member at Valley Springs. I’m grateful to be your pastor, and I look forward to growing with you in 2025.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. (Romans 15:13)

in Christ,

Pastor Tag