The end of another year means the presentation of another annual report. This annual report is unlike any other annual report we’ve ever presented. Not simply because our communications team has created yet another quick-to-read and easy-to-understand summary of 2018-19.
What sets this report apart is what we’re able to show God to have done. For example, both attendance and income were up 18% year on year. 18%!
We've always been uncomfortable with the kinds of numbers we’re presenting in this report. There again, it’s never been about the numbers. For us, it’s about believing that God wants to use us to reach more people with the Hope and Life of Jesus.
That’s why we do what we do.
Over the last few years I’ve discovered that it really is true what many a leader has said: When a lot of people play their small part in the vision God reveals, it grows into a great move of God.
Thank you for making it possible for us to reach the world.
I trust you will be as inspired by what God has done as am I!
KAMILA LARSEN
I was baptized in a Catholic Church as a baby. I am recommitting myself to the Lord because I want to walk in His ways and renew my mind in His word. I want to be washed clean of my old sinful nature. Lord come into my heart and hold me close and I seek to follow you!
CYPRUS LARSEN
I accept God because He gave everything for me and I want to follow Him.
KYNSLEE LARSEN
I accept Jesus in my life because I love him and want to follow Him.
Last July we officially welcomed Overflow Church in Benton Harbor to the Water's Edge Network. It's been a great year of cementing our partnership in kingdom-minded, missionally-generous ways. We're thankful for the past year and excited about the future!
(LARGE AND SMALL GROUPS)
(Grupos de Célula)
(LOCAL GROUPS)
(CONNECT GROUPS)
(CITY GROUPS)
AVERAGE PEOPLE REACHED ON SOCIAL MEDIA PER WEEK
AVERAGE PEOPLE REACHED ON SOCIAL MEDIA PER WEEK
AVERAGE PEOPLE REACHED ON SOCIAL MEDIA PER WEEK
AVERAGE PEOPLE REACHED ON SOCIAL MEDIA PER WEEK
ACROSS OUR FAMILY OF CHURCHES WE SENT OUT 180 PEOPLE ON MISSION
$48,000 GIVEN TO EMERGENCY RELIEF
LEGAL SUPPORT KICKED OFF THIS YEAR!
LEARN MORE
The Legal Support Ministry provides legal guidance to those in need and who may not be able to afford an attorney. Although an attorney is provided in criminal cases to those who cannot afford one, 1 out of 3 Americans cannot afford an attorney for civil matters. Without legal help, individuals may struggle in a cycle of fear, uncertainty, and hopelessness. The poor in this country encounter nearly 62 million legal issues each year and only receive help for approximately 20% of those cases through legal aid and pro bono work.
Legal Support is a team of volunteer attorneys and other individuals who help to meet this need. Legal issues include divorce, domestic violence, child support, foreclosure, evictions, fraud, debt collections, tax, immigration, social security disability, bankruptcy, access to health care and others.
We began seeing clients in February of 2019 and we have already seen God’s work through this ministry. The significance of this ministry is the opportunity to listen, give legal guidance and then close in a word of prayer for God’s peace and guidance as the individuals and their families work to resolve the issue. Many times, this is the point where individuals who had come into the office frustrated and angry leave with peace and a clear focus.
One of our clients wrote this comment to us after the visit with the attorney, seeking advice after having been approved for a visa 20 years ago and is still waiting for it to be issued.
“Thanks for getting back to me with this detailed information, and the links attached. Also thanks for your prayers for my family. It’s been very difficult for me to understand the will of God in this waiting period, but I have seen His providence and mercy through this process. Thanks once again for meeting with me and it is my prayer that more people like you continue to be a blessing through this ministry.”
As this ministry continues to grow, we are seeing more and more people within our community who need help and are in need of God's peace. One subject came in with a letter he did not want to open because it was from a court and he knew it was going to be news that he could not afford. Together, he and the attorney opened the letter and determined the court was offering to reduce his fines and payments if he would contact them. A process to contact the court was set up and the man walked out with a different mind set than when he walked in. The power of these simple stories is God’s love and peace for all of us. Attorneys in a Christian legal ministry have a unique ability to use their education to help those in need of legal assistance and to reveal God’s love and peace.
I cannot pretend that my memory is always 100% accurate, but as far as I know this past fiscal year was one of the more challenging in my 28 year history at Central. We had to apply ourselves to our very best efforts in managing and we even had to revise our General Budget downward mid-year. We have an organizational priority to balance our General Fund at year-end, something that Central has never failed to do no matter what difficult times we faced over the years.
But even though this year was a felt struggle all year long, in the end it was an amazing picture of God’s wonderful grace and provision. As I told Pastor Craig, anyone who sees our final numbers will never comprehend what we managed through. We ended the year with a General Budget surplus of over $238,000 which was motivated by hitting income and underspending in several key areas which the Lord blessed in amazing ways helping us to operate below budgeted costs.
We were blessed to see giving to the Lord’s work though Central for all purposes hit a new record of nearly $9.6 million which was up more than 27% from last year. That enabled us to pay off 63% of our recent $9.2 million project and establish a self-supporting campus in Grand Rapids. But it is not just about money, we have seen great advancement in reaching new families in Holland and extending our reach around the world to people we will never meet in places we will never go.
Pastor Lynn Bruce
OUTREACH
GIVING
BUILDING
& INTEREST
DEBT: PRINCIPAL
& INTEREST
PERSONNEL
GENERAL
MINISTRY
FUNCTIONS
OTHER
WATER’S
EDGE NETWORK
