Welcoming New Faces (and New Friends!) to Our Church Family

This coming Sunday is going to be a special one! We're overjoyed to be welcoming a group of new members into our Cascade church family. I'm truly excited about what this means for all of us.

Our new members have different stories to tell. Some have been a part of our community for a while, while others are just beginning their journey with us. They represent a wide range of ages and backgrounds. But what unites us all is our shared faith in Christ.

As I was talking about these new members with the Council earlier this week, a thought struck me: these are not just "new members." These are future friends. Future leaders. Future role models for us, our children, and even our grandchildren. They are not just names to add to the church directory, but people to add to our prayers. People who will pray for us, and who will walk alongside us as we all strive to become more like Jesus together.

This is an amazing opportunity God is giving us, just like he did in the early church. Back then, he brought together people from all walks of life—different economic backgrounds, cultures, genders, and faith experiences. But they all came together in a deep belief in Jesus and a deep sense of community with one another.

I hope you'll join me in welcoming our new members with this same perspective. And I also hope you'll see yourselves in this light too. You are so much more than just a member of a church. You are someone's friend, mentor, and role model. You are the people my children will look up to for guidance and as examples of faith.

The early church was described as being devoted to one another, to prayer, and to the apostles' teaching. We're already seeing glimpses of that here in our community. Can you imagine what God will do as we give him more and more space in our lives and in our world?

I can't wait to see what unfolds!
Pastor Tim