Welcome "Underground"

Coming on September 9th, we are making a ministry move that has been a long time in coming.

We are launching a new middle school ministry called "Underground."

For the last 3 or 4 years, our students have been combined into mutual middle and high school events. But the ministry is growing and it's hard for high school students to feel that they are being heard where they are at with the younger middle school students are there. And it's not that we don't want to hear the middle schoolers... but it's just that in many ways, they are speaking different languages.

So, we're going to provide a location for each group of students to grow and flourish.

Part of the problem, up to this point, has been space. We moved into an incredible building about a year ago... but space was limited even though the new building was over twice the size of our previous building. But we have finally moved some things around to the point where we can launch of new middle school ministry.

This afternoon newsletters went out to those students who receive a newsletter via email. Those who don't, will get their copy after they go into the mail tomorrow. We are also preparing a letter to go to all parents of students in our student ministry. We (Steve Osborne (worship-guy-extraordinary and I) are planning a run of postcards every week leading up to the September 9th start. Plus, our normal promotion in our weekend program, other newsletters and what-not. We will also be calling students the week leading up to the start on September 9th.

I'm pumped about this.

It's going to be tough... but awesome at the same time. But what really has me excited is that it is going to be healthy. And I'm looking forward to that. It will give our middle schoolers a place to be at the center of attention... and our high schoolers a place where they feel like they belong... and both ministries the chance to grow to the potential that God has for them.

And that's exciting!!!

Jim