Women’s Retreat Reflection

Posted on July 28, 2016 by WCV Administrator

The Women’s Retreat impacted so many. Here’s a reflection from the weekend by Janelle Hacault:

“The women’s retreat was a catalyst in bringing me back to where God is calling me. I feel that it came at the perfect time when I was open to God’s voice and He met me there. I LOVED connecting with the incredible women of our church. Wow, I was so encouraged by their vulnerability in sharing their stories, their bravery in reaching out to others, and their courage in trying new things.

I’m still blessed by the goodie bag that greeted me the day I arrived! As a tea-granny-at-heart, the china tea cup, chai tea and the personal note of love really set the tone for me.

The prayer tent was fantastic and reminded me how powerful prayer is and how much I love intercessory prayer. Having so much free time was a huge huge huge thing for me. Our lives are so overstimulated, bombarded, and busy that having the time and space to just be still in such a beautiful environment made all the difference.

The worship and everyone’s openness really blessed me. I can’t put into words how pivotal and precious the retreat was for me. I cannot believe it’s taken me 13 years to finally come! Oh my!

I just love our church!”

~ Janelle ~

Project Timothy Prayer Requests

Posted on July 27, 2016August 11, 2016 by WCV Administrator

After a year of fundraising, the youth are finally heading out to Project Timothy! Below are a few prayer requests from Jodi Labun:

“Hey folks, nine of us this week are heading out to Landenberg, PA where Project Timothy (youth discipleship bootcamp) is being held from July 29-Aug 6.

Please pray for our youth as they prepare this week and as they go. Please pray for smooth travels as this group is travelling by air on three different dates on the weekend beginning on Friday. Pray for safety for James as he drives to and from the church and airport over the weekend.

Pray for our youth that the Lord will stir new things and move in ways in our youth that we can’t ask or imagine. Pray that as they are immersed in this environment their love for the Lord would deepen, and the desire and invitation to head into what God has called them to would increase. Pray that this wouldn’t just be an event, but it would be a space where transformation would happen as we are challenged to be great lovers of Jesus and others.

It’s breathtaking to be in an atmosphere where teens are hungry for God. Thanks to all of you at WCV who have supported us on this adventure. There’s been enormous financial support through our fundraising efforts; for this we are so grateful.

Thanks for joining us in prayer over this next week,
~Jodi ~”

6 Month Financial Update

Posted on July 21, 2016July 21, 2016 by Andy Wood

A few years ago we began sharing our financial situation in the bulletin on a weekly basis as opposed to once a year at our Financial Info Nights. This was a direct response to an increased desire from WCVers to be “in the know” and to “own the financial situation of the church.” This letter is written in that same open spirit. We hope this information will help us carry our financial situation together as a whole church, each person taking ownership without manipulation.
As always, we hold this situation in prayer and ultimately look to God for provision and wisdom. We feel writing this update is part of that. Ultimately, this situation is not in the BOD’s, Pastoral or Lay Elder’s nor even the congregation’s hands. It is firmly in God’s hands – we’re simply trying to be obedient to our part.

“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.” Psalm 20:7

Here’s the 6-month situation as of June 30:

The current deficit of $36,702 compares to $14,595 in 2015. This deficit includes the $13,280 buffer surplus that we used to cushion the shortfall and needs to be replenished. This deficit is alarming given that it is only mid-year and so high.

There are two reasons the significant deficit this year:

Our regular offerings are down and in line with the income shortfall (other sources of income, like rentals, are not down). Our donations for June were at a 3-year low and the trend from the past few months is down.
Our expenses to operate are increasing with no option but to pay.

As your Staff and Board we consider this situation to be unprecedented enough to make some recommendations that may help immediately. We ask you to prayerfully consider responding.

Here are a few ways to respond:

Review your current giving level and year-to-date totals. If you have a shortfall please consider topping-up immediately.
If you haven’t already done so, consider signing up for pre-authorized withdrawals. This helps tremendously with cash-flow.
Consider increasing your giving level.
Pray for God’s provision of our financial needs. We rely on His supernatural provision at all times but sometimes forget to thank Him in times of plenty and continue asking for His help in times of scarcity.

We continue to believe that WCVers have the potential to meet all our annual budget needs. Whatever your interpretations are about tithing (10% to the local church – be generous in every situation – or something in between), the call to us as followers of Jesus is to be generous and the call to us as a local community of believers is to hold our local needs up in prayer and practice. Again, we trust in the Lord, not in finances (or horses or chariots!). He will see us through this, but not without forming us a little more into Christ’s likeness first. As leaders, we will continue to manage well and communicate info as relevant. Thanks for walking with us through this – thanks for your support – and thanks for your prayerful consideration of this letter!

Prayerfully & Thankfully,

Your Staff and Board of Directors

Healing in the Waves – a story from the Women’s retreat

Posted on July 18, 2016July 18, 2016 by Andy Wood

This is a submission from Janet Blatz:

I love the water. I love sitting on the beach watching the waves form with such great gusto and roll in to meet the sand and then disappear like a whisper. Watching the waves come and then go over and over makes my soul very happy and at peace. However leading up to the Ladies retreat my soul felt like it wasn’t watching the waves from the shoreline but instead it was being crashed by the endless waves in the middle of the ocean; waves of stress, waves of worries and waves of grief and I felt like I was drowning. Just like waves in an ocean, these waves of thoughts and emotions at times had more power than other times but the impact of them still can tire a person over time.

It was for this reason I was looking forward to the retreat – I thought maybe a change of setting and schedule could bring relief and rest to a tired soul. The soothing of the soul didn’t come from resting in nature like I thought. It came in when I found myself painting during a session; it came when I was prayed for during the Saturday prayer time; it came while swimming in the lake late one night.

Has my soul been totally healed? No. I was reminded over the weekend that my circumstances may not ever change, however, if I change my focus from trying survive the waves (or even question why I am facing those waves) to the Creator of the waves, healing will happen. Letting go of old ways of dealing with stress, of worrying, of grieving is hard but trying to continue to embrace for the impact of those waves again and again is harder. When I choose to seek the Creator, instead of embracing for the next wave, a little part of my soul finds itself on the shoreline, sitting and watching the waves that once caused so much pain and anguish, slowly roll in and disappears without disturbing the peace.

~ Janet

Metanoia National Gathering Audio

Posted on July 7, 2016July 19, 2016 by Andy Wood

Back in June we hosted Vineyardites from across the country (and a few others as well!). It was a wonderful time of experiencing God’s presence, being re-tooled for the season ahead and being challenged to “think again” about a number of topics.

Michael Raburn brought some amazing teaching on being people who tell the truth. If you listen to his talk from Thursday night, you’ll be sure to want to listen to the follow-up from Saturday morning. David and Anita Ruis shared about what it means to be a people who “dwell in the borderlands”. Be sure to add these sessions to your summer “listening playlist”.

>>Listen here.

Celebrating Baptisms!

Posted on July 7, 2016July 7, 2016 by Andy Wood

What a wonderful time on July 3! We celebrated together as six people followed Jesus into baptism. Congratulations to Shirl, Carolina, Serena, Kayla, Clayton and Lindsay! May you see Jesus more clearly, experience the Father’s love more deeply, and know the Holy Spirit’s presence with you more freely as you walk the journey!