Pastor Chris' Newsletter- Family News

Dear Orchard Grove Family,
As we prepare for our Easter celebrations this week. I wanted to give you a quick update on our Family Business Series.
As you may remember our goals were to "Make Room for More"
by doubling our current weekend capacity.
Our Plan:
1. Build a Youth Center for our Middle School and High School.
2. Expand the Atruim.
3. Add seats in the worship center.

Our Goal is to double our capacity and delete our debt in the next 24 months.
Our first goal is to raise 1.5 million dollars and our ultimate goal is 2.5 million (to delelete our mortgage on Building C).

I am pleased to tell you that with our first two weeks of collecting pledges we have raised $800,000 dollars in pledges.

I know we will be building on this over the next few weeks and we plan to give everyone an update a few weeks after Easter.

All I can say is thank you for all that you do. You are some of the most selfless and generous people I know. Thanks for helping us make room for more.

Before I close, a quick reminder that this is one of the greatest opportunities to invite someone to join you for our worship services this week. You can even use our new "Evite" from our wesite to invite someone you love.

Make sure you note the special times for Good Friday and Easter.

In the grip of His grace,
Chris

Equip '08

Orchard Grove's first conference was held on March 7th & 8th.  With over 200 attendees, it was a great time together.  

On Friday night we were able to enjoy a talk with Pastor Chris and a laughter filled night with Comedian, Thor Ramsey.  

On Saturday, we enjoyed some general sessions with author, Bill Webb, who spoke on digging deep into the Bible  and authors, Jeff & Shaunti Feldhahn who spoke on Men and Women. Throughout the day we enjoyed break-out sessions with many teachers who attend Orchard Grove to others we invited in to take part in the conference.  Subjects varied from finances, parenting teens, life transitions, how to make more of your quiet time, study war text in the Bible, and many more.

We look forward to starting to plan for next years Equip '09.  You won't want to miss out!!!

Jr High Winter Retreat

On March 7th - 9th our Jr. High students headed to Spring Hill Camp in Evart, MI for their annual winter retreat.  With all kinds of winter sports and lots of friends, the Jr. high students had a great time.  Look for pictures soon!!!

Pastor Chris' Newsletter- Since Sunday...

Dear Orchard Grove Family,
Today I'm feeling a good kind of tired. Its been a wonderfully exhausting week. I get to see you on Sunday morning but so much happens between Sundays. Our church family springs into action with a flurry of activities aimed at showing and sharing the love of Christ.

Like this week...
Sunday afternoon as soon as the service ended a small army of volunteers tore the worship center apart and then reset it for our High School Students to have an environment all their own on Sunday night. Then in the late afternoon another team comes in to serve as frontline leaders who give their time to help shepherd our students as they walk their faith through the young adult years. Then late at night another team returns to reset the worship center again. And then they slip into the night...

On Monday night I was invited to accompany our compassion ministry to a home for women who've been battered and abused.
This team of volunteers reached out with such excellence and grace to these broken and beautiful women. I was moved. Our family at its finest, helping women get a fresh start, to find jobs, build resumes, gain confindence, receive a nice set of clothes and an invitation to join our church family. Then again as unsung heros they slipped away into the night...

Later monday night I stopped by the farm house on the 14 mile property and there was yet another team from the family working.
They were painting, pounding and preparing that old tired farm house so it could serve as a home for our new associate pastor coming from Malawi. They had been working for weeks, unnoticed and unconcerned. They wanted an African family to feel at home when they were thousands of miles away. After I visited with them for a while, it was obvious my "talents" were not needed and I left. But they stayed, until the job was done, late into the night...

On Tuesday night as I met at building C with some of my leadership team to pray and strategize about the future direction of our church, I saw even more evidence of the family at work. Teams were setting up the Jr. High Room for our "Side by Side" recovery ministry. A place for people to find help and healing in a safe, loving and Christ-centered environment.
Accross the atrium guys where hauling gear to reset the guest reception room into a makshift practice room for the band. (the other band practices on the main stage in the worship center- with two campuses now we need two practices.)
And then as the snow began to fall these faithful volunteers, made their way into their cars and slipped away into the night...

On Wednesday and Thurday nights I help Pizza with the Pator meetings to share the details of our Family Business Series.
And so many people rearranged their busy lives to hear about how they can support the vision of the chruch to make room for more.
Wow does this family impress me! And then they slipped into the night...

Just want you to know that this is just what I saw this week.
Think of all the amazing things our family was doing that I didn't see! That's a whole lot of good since Sunday.
This week as many of you are considering your participation in the Family Business pledge, I pray God will continue to guide and provide for his Family.
Until Sunday,
Chris

Pastor Chris's Newsletter- Family Business #3

Dear Orchard Grove Family, Just a reminder today about our week of Prayer. We are focusing this week on Praying for our Family Business emphasis. First pray today for the Sunday messages coming up. These next two Sundays are very crucial as we communicate the vision and direction of our church to the entire family. And even though they are different messages they are very important. In short, I need you to lift me up with your prayers this week. Second please pray for maximum participation. Of all that Jesus taught us about prayer, one clear thing He taught the disciples was to pray for "participation". Because the Family Business is so important and the need is so great, He told the disciples to pray for help with the "harvest": When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." Matt 9:36-38(NIV) People often ask me what they can to do help. Well we can grab an oar and help row, and we can pray that everyone else will grab one too! Why? because people are lost spiritually. As Jesus said like sheep without a shepherd. That's our Family Business. Finally, please pray with me for all who are hurting in our Family. There are so many need among our family, especially I want to pray for those who have lost their jobs or are hurting financially. Let's let them all feel our support at this time. Thanks. You may want to take time in your drive time, around the dinner table or with your small group, but please take a few extra minutes and remember to pray for our Family Business this week. If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! ~Jesus Matt 7:11(NIV) Let's just ask Him! Chris "Remember how the Lord your God has blessed you in everything that you have done. He has taken care of you as you wandered through this vast desert. He has been with you these forty years, and you have had everything you needed." Deut. 2:7 (TEV)

Pastor Chris' Family Business Newsletter #2

Dear Orchard Grove Family,
First I want to say thank you to so many for the supportive, and strong feedback from Sunday's message. As our family has grown, so many of you have been rowing so faithfully and now it seems so many more are ready to pick up an oar. Thank you!
As we announced our goals for the next two years to delete our debt and double our capacity the energy and enthusiasm is contagious.
2.5 million dollars is a lot of money for a few but its very "doable" with many. As we begin our week of prayer for this Family Business series will you pray this week that everyone will get involved. Pray that everyone who is part of the family will grab an oar.
I am excited to show more of the details of our expansion plans this Sunday. If you missed last week, you may want to make sure to get a copy of the message. It will really help you get a handle on what our mission is, where we've been and where we are headed.
Three great thing are going to happen following this series:
1. We will delete our debt on Building C and B.
2. We will make room for more by doubling our capacity in our weekend services.
3. We will have a Youth Center for our Middle School, Jr. High and High School students.
I honestly can't wait.
Oh by the way, we won't have to wait much. The beauty of this plan is that we can begin the expansion right away. God has really blessed us.
Details on Sunday.
If rowing means reach one more,
sign me up for another shift!
Chris
"Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?"
Luke 2:49(NKJ)